Will They be able to tolerate the Heat?

[FaithFeathers]

Hello all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but...
I have 3 hens that are 2 and a half years old. They have lived indoors their entire life, but go outside most of the day to forage and exercise. Sometimes they spend their entire day inside (they have a huge cage with plenty of things to do) and get to escape the heat and other environmental stressors. However, they do get a lot outside time. 2 of these girls are fluffy silkies and one is a super fluffy silkie-cochin cross, so sometimes when it is excessively hot I keep them inside.
This week we are leaving on vacation, and for several reasons (not going into detail) we pretty much have no other option but to keep them outside while we're gone. I have checked the forecast and this week the temps are going to go to the mid-upper 90's, unlike the 70's that we have been having for the past month. I'm really concerned that my girls are not going to be able to tolerate the heat because they are so fluffy and aren't really used to the heat. Fortunately, the area in which they will be staying is almost completely shaded. But I'm really worried that it could kill them.

These girls are my babies and I really don't want anything to happen to them. Someone in my family will be coming by every day while we are gone to take care of them and refill food and water, but he doesn't have a whole lot of chicken experience. I'm just worried about my girls. Am I worrying too much? Do you think they'll be okay?

If we absolutely have to, I can possibly let them stay inside, but it would be much more work for the person taking care of them and I don't even know if I would be able to.

Please let me know what you think and why! Thank you so much and God bless you!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Hi!

Your flock will probably be fine. Chickens adapt and tolerate heat very well. But, make sure to make the area as cool as possible. Provide cool water with lots of ice (you may even want to put an entire ice block in one water bowl so the chickens can rub on it/ peck it and just enjoy its coolness.) Have windows open for ventilation. Another good idea, since you will have a person who can monitor it daily, is to hang frozen water jugs with a fan blowing on them. This will keep everyone cool!

Have a great trip!

 

[Ponyfeather]

As long as they have access to enough water I don't see why they'd suffer. Maybe have the person provide a shallow water dish, my almost 3 month old chick uses her dish to cool her feet off when we have really hot weather. A sprinkler set up in the area would help keep the area cool in the heat of the day.

 

[ChickenPeep]

I think they'll probably be okay, but you could always wet the ground and add a dish of water for them to cool of their feet in.

 

[FaithFeathers]

@Mountain Peeps ,
First of all, thank you very much for your reply.
That is a very nice idea, but I don't know if I will be able to give them ice because it would be too much work for the person taking care of them. At least that's how my mother put it.

I don't know if I would be able to supply a fan either because we don't have an extension cord that long.

Even if I can't do those things, do you still think they'll be okay?

@Ponyfeather , That is a good idea, I could most likely add a dish of water.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

@Mountain Peeps ,
First of all, thank you very much for your reply.
That is a very nice idea, but I don't know if I will be able to give them ice because it would be too much work for the person taking care of them. At least that's how my mother put it.

I don't know if I would be able to supply a fan either because we don't have an extension cord that long.

Even if I can't do those things, do you still think they'll be okay?

@Ponyfeather , That is a good idea, I could most likely add a dish of water.

Yep, they'll be fine. Glad I was helpful.

 

[aart]

Hello all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but...
I have 3 hens that are 2 and a half years old. They have lived indoors their entire life, but go outside most of the day to forage and exercise. Sometimes they spend their entire day inside (they have a huge cage with plenty of things to do) and get to escape the heat and other environmental stressors. However, they do get a lot outside time. 2 of these girls are fluffy silkies and one is a super fluffy silkie-cochin cross, so sometimes when it is excessively hot I keep them inside.
This week we are leaving on vacation, and for several reasons (not going into detail) we pretty much have no other option but to keep them outside while we're gone. I have checked the forecast and this week the temps are going to go to the mid-upper 90's, unlike the 70's that we have been having for the past month. I'm really concerned that my girls are not going to be able to tolerate the heat because they are so fluffy and aren't really used to the heat. Fortunately, the area in which they will be staying is almost completely shaded. But I'm really worried that it could kill them.

These girls are my babies and I really don't want anything to happen to them. Someone in my family will be coming by every day while we are gone to take care of them and refill food and water, but he doesn't have a whole lot of chicken experience. I'm just worried about my girls. Am I worrying too much? Do you think they'll be okay?

If we absolutely have to, I can possibly let them stay inside, but it would be much more work for the person taking care of them and I don't even know if I would be able to.

Please let me know what you think and why! Thank you so much and God bless you!

This concerns me......chickens can adapt to an environment, but if they spend part of their time in a temperature controlled environment, their adaptation is not complete.

The shade could help, and ice in the waterers, but I'd leave them inside because that's what they're used to and there's no one to keep an eye on them if they do overheat.