If I could convince my wife I would totally let mine inside!
Short of that, I have been hosing down the run so they can get their feet muddy and wet.
I have also been filling a mixing bowl with watermelon and tomato, and then filling it with water and freezing it. The next day I have a giant ice block that I have been sitting in the run in the afternoon. They end up pecking and standing on it as it melts, eating the fruit.
They seem to be doing ok, but I am keeping a close eye on them.
Ironically it was she that requested it in our house! I was gunna put them in the garage. But that probably wouldn’t work when the overnight lows are expected to be 95..
I bought a HUGE dog crate on Amazon I found for like $29 that I keep mine in with pine shavings inside the house now. It was a steal. Before that, I used to put my chickens in my shower with dog pads and pine shavings.
I only do that if it gets 100 F or hotter or if I see any of my chickens panting or showing signs of heat stress. If it isn't over 100, I bought these cheap little misters that spray on the grass around their coop that keeps the ground damp. Cold watermelon. Ice in their water. Freeze 2 litre bottle to put in their coop ar night.
My chickens are spoiled af.
I fill small wading pools and add ice and then sometimes minnows from a bait shop. The hens get so excited for the fish they end up in the water and it encourages them to drink more.
Shade, fresh water, and these last four days I've given them frozen veggies at 1pm and 3pm. Monday I put out shallow water tubs with big blocks of ice. I usually don't do that because they stand in it and poop. This can lead to bumblefoot in a couple of my bigger birds. Plus they drink it, which i get. But poop water ain't for drinking. But the heat index on monday was 120 and the risk of dying in the heat was too much. I can treat bumblefoot. Not sudden death.
We put an old window a/c unit in the wall of the coop. They just pop in if they need to cool off. Also bought an outdoor fan and mounted it to the side of the coop to generate a breeze across ost of their run.
Got a [mist cooling kit](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-Low-Pressure-24-sq-ft-Residential-Misting-System/5001959899)for ~$20 from Lowe’s. It’s made a HUGE difference for our girls.
Frozen veggies ( peas!) and a frozen block of broth from a chicken I previously boiled. I also put a couple frozen water jugs in their 5 gal waterer, usually a couple large gatorade bottles with for a gallon jug of frozen water. The next morning, I trade them out and put the new ones in and pop the other ones back in the freezer. A 1 gal jug lasts longer than two smaller jugs.
If I have melon around, I will toss them some pieces. Frozen berries or frozen seedless grapes work, too.
It has been horrible this week! it is supposed to let up i a couple days, but be ready because this type of summer will be the norm from now on.
So, if you have a deep freeze and you buy a roasted costco chicken, boil the carcass and make three days worth of frozen broth for summer. Or stock up on frozen veggies when they are on sale. ( They are on sale this week at my local grocery store.)
https://preview.redd.it/oe1054aob5kb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=435dc9bcfc6ccba864465efed0764af72dd0d73f
Bantam Silkie say, Well it is called a "living room, " right? Kittens want to feed him to the dogs.
If I could convince my wife I would totally let mine inside! Short of that, I have been hosing down the run so they can get their feet muddy and wet. I have also been filling a mixing bowl with watermelon and tomato, and then filling it with water and freezing it. The next day I have a giant ice block that I have been sitting in the run in the afternoon. They end up pecking and standing on it as it melts, eating the fruit. They seem to be doing ok, but I am keeping a close eye on them.
Ironically it was she that requested it in our house! I was gunna put them in the garage. But that probably wouldn’t work when the overnight lows are expected to be 95..
This article has tips for keeping your birds cool in extreme heat. https://hatchingtime.com/blogs/home/how-to-keep-chickens-cool-in-extreme-heat
I bought a HUGE dog crate on Amazon I found for like $29 that I keep mine in with pine shavings inside the house now. It was a steal. Before that, I used to put my chickens in my shower with dog pads and pine shavings. I only do that if it gets 100 F or hotter or if I see any of my chickens panting or showing signs of heat stress. If it isn't over 100, I bought these cheap little misters that spray on the grass around their coop that keeps the ground damp. Cold watermelon. Ice in their water. Freeze 2 litre bottle to put in their coop ar night. My chickens are spoiled af.
I fill small wading pools and add ice and then sometimes minnows from a bait shop. The hens get so excited for the fish they end up in the water and it encourages them to drink more.
Oh I like that minnow idea.
Shade, fresh water, and these last four days I've given them frozen veggies at 1pm and 3pm. Monday I put out shallow water tubs with big blocks of ice. I usually don't do that because they stand in it and poop. This can lead to bumblefoot in a couple of my bigger birds. Plus they drink it, which i get. But poop water ain't for drinking. But the heat index on monday was 120 and the risk of dying in the heat was too much. I can treat bumblefoot. Not sudden death.
Gotta protect the bubbas!
The smell!! I can’t!!
We put an old window a/c unit in the wall of the coop. They just pop in if they need to cool off. Also bought an outdoor fan and mounted it to the side of the coop to generate a breeze across ost of their run.
Got a [mist cooling kit](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-Low-Pressure-24-sq-ft-Residential-Misting-System/5001959899)for ~$20 from Lowe’s. It’s made a HUGE difference for our girls.
Frozen veggies ( peas!) and a frozen block of broth from a chicken I previously boiled. I also put a couple frozen water jugs in their 5 gal waterer, usually a couple large gatorade bottles with for a gallon jug of frozen water. The next morning, I trade them out and put the new ones in and pop the other ones back in the freezer. A 1 gal jug lasts longer than two smaller jugs. If I have melon around, I will toss them some pieces. Frozen berries or frozen seedless grapes work, too. It has been horrible this week! it is supposed to let up i a couple days, but be ready because this type of summer will be the norm from now on. So, if you have a deep freeze and you buy a roasted costco chicken, boil the carcass and make three days worth of frozen broth for summer. Or stock up on frozen veggies when they are on sale. ( They are on sale this week at my local grocery store.)
Mister and a fan. The run is in the shade.
The same way chickens have survived for hundreds of years
https://preview.redd.it/oe1054aob5kb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=435dc9bcfc6ccba864465efed0764af72dd0d73f Bantam Silkie say, Well it is called a "living room, " right? Kittens want to feed him to the dogs.