Wyandotte Hens and Summer Heat/Humidity

[YaYasDottes]

I am an expectant Wyandotte mama and have concerns about the hens surviving the heat and humidity here in the Cincinnati area. Summer temps average 85-upper 90s, beginning in May. It is always humid from late spring until fall. Should I move forward with my plan to keep Wyandottes or choose a different breed?

 

[Feath3rDust3r]

I have Gold laced and Silver laced Wyandottes and I live in Iowa where it gets into the 100s...I do provide shade and they seem to be doing fine.

 

[YaYasDottes]

I have Gold laced and Silver laced Wyandottes and I live in Iowa where it gets into the 100s...I do provide shade and they seem to be doing fine.

Thanks for the reassurance! It's great to meet another person who is raising Wyandottes. Can you give me your perspective on the amount of coop space, pen space, and free range needed by these oversized hens?

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

Shade, ice in the water, frozen watermelons and blueberries got my GL Wyandotte and my other cold-climate girls through last summer. I plan on repeating that this year too. But now they free-range instead of being in the tiny run all day, so I purchased extra water buckets and placed them around my yard in the shady areas.

Montana has icy cold winters and stupidly hot summers sometimes and I have a mixed flock that seem to do well since I accommodate for weather changes.

 

[Feath3rDust3r]

I live on 5 acres and I let them go where they like most of the time but they are really docile and seen to enjoy spending most of their time having dust baths in our fire pit!!. I don't really find them that huge comparitivly and I have a big walk in coop with roosts in the rafters. I did put a few lower roosts because I heard that these hens needed lower ones but mine always sit right up the top and then hop down just fine in the morning. They really are one of my favorite breeds

 

[YaYasDottes]

Shade, ice in the water, frozen watermelons and blueberries got my GL Wyandotte and my other cold-climate girls through last summer. I plan on repeating that this year too. But now they free-range instead of being in the tiny run all day, so I purchased extra water buckets and placed them around my yard in the shady areas.

Montana has icy cold winters and stupidly hot summers sometimes and I have a mixed flock that seem to do well since I accommodate for weather changes.

Basically, it sounds as if I need to cool off the Wyandotte hens just as I cool myself. I have a disability that makes me heat intolerant. Humans like me wear cooling vests that are similar to ice packs. I wonder if anyone has thought of cooling vests for chickens.

 

[YaYasDottes]

I live on 5 acres and I let them go where they like most of the time but they are really docile and seen to enjoy spending most of their time having dust baths in our fire pit!!. I don't really find them that huge comparitivly and I have a big walk in coop with roosts in the rafters. I did put a few lower roosts because I heard that these hens needed lower ones but mine always sit right up the top and then hop down just fine in the morning. They really are one of my favorite breeds

Dust baths in the fire pit! What smart hens, provided the ashes aren't hot!

 

[YaYasDottes]

Shade, ice in the water, frozen watermelons and blueberries got my GL Wyandotte and my other cold-climate girls through last summer. I plan on repeating that this year too. But now they free-range instead of being in the tiny run all day, so I purchased extra water buckets and placed them around my yard in the shady areas.

Montana has icy cold winters and stupidly hot summers sometimes and I have a mixed flock that seem to do well since I accommodate for weather changes.

I have only a small area at the rear of our city lot. It is 80' x 10' with a handful of shade trees. I plan to plant poultry pasture there and rotate the hens around several little 'paddocks.' I like your idea of using extra water buckets. I wonder if anyone has figured out how to put chicken watering nozzles on 5 gallon drink coolers. With ice, the water would stay cold, no matter how hot it got outside.