MontyJ
Deeply Rooted
I'll get a landing board in front of the boxes tomorrow. In the meantime, we got a new egg today! A large brown one. Nutmeg didn't lay this egg! I'm thinking one of the 'Lorps dropped this one.
HELP!!!!!
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dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
It is super hot here today..... my chickens are panting..... I am looking for ways to help them cool off. ANY suggestions are appreciated. I was thinking about putting some frozen lunch ice packs in their water containers.... will this help????
897tgigvib
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Dew, sounds like you need expert help real fast. Best I can offer is maybe send some pm's out to the chicken experts here right soon. They might get the message faster because of their email notifications. Chickies moma, Smart Red come to mind right off, but also others like Ridge.
Other thing you can try on the computer meantime is try a google search. If you are in backyard chickens forum, some of them might know.
I just now pm'd a member, a special member who knows her chickens, and raises them in a very hot summer climate.
Other thing you can try on the computer meantime is try a google search. If you are in backyard chickens forum, some of them might know.
I just now pm'd a member, a special member who knows her chickens, and raises them in a very hot summer climate.
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dewdropsinwv
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Thanks Marshall I'll pm someone asap. Don't want to loose any of them to heat. 
I'm inking about buying a baby pool and filling it with some water???
I'm inking about buying a baby pool and filling it with some water???897tgigvib
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I sent a pm to a formerly active member, who recently reduced her activity in here due to being so busy, one i believe we all respect very much, down in . She just replied to me that she ranges her chickens "in the bushes" when it is hot
"Ours free range and head off into the bushes when it gets hot, so I've got no real advice."
When I asked her about using water to cool things off...
"Yes, she can wet it down and put big ice chunks (think frozen milk jugs or juice bottles) in a shallow tub of water for them to wade in a bit."
Dew, these words come from a very well respected formerly active member. Some of the longer time members will know who,
...and please, she asked to leave her name out, but she's still helping
"Ours free range and head off into the bushes when it gets hot, so I've got no real advice."
When I asked her about using water to cool things off...
"Yes, she can wet it down and put big ice chunks (think frozen milk jugs or juice bottles) in a shallow tub of water for them to wade in a bit."
Dew, these words come from a very well respected formerly active member. Some of the longer time members will know who,
...and please, she asked to leave her name out, but she's still helping
digitS'
Garden Master
Plenty of areas of shade.
Sprinkler. Saturate the ground around the coop (hose down the coop itself). That technique works well for me. Of course, it was 14% relative humidity yesterday afternoon and that's fairly standard for a summer afternoon. You can get a lot of evaporation cooling in those conditions.
And evaporation cooling is what those chickens are up to with the panting. Make sure that they have plenty of water to drink. Wild chickens live in the tropics and sub-tropics. You don't have any of the big, heavy breeds. They are all coming into lay right now and that puts stress on them. Still, if they can get somewhere shaded, maybe dig a little in some moist ground, they should be okay.
Steve
Sprinkler. Saturate the ground around the coop (hose down the coop itself). That technique works well for me. Of course, it was 14% relative humidity yesterday afternoon and that's fairly standard for a summer afternoon. You can get a lot of evaporation cooling in those conditions.
And evaporation cooling is what those chickens are up to with the panting. Make sure that they have plenty of water to drink. Wild chickens live in the tropics and sub-tropics. You don't have any of the big, heavy breeds. They are all coming into lay right now and that puts stress on them. Still, if they can get somewhere shaded, maybe dig a little in some moist ground, they should be okay.
Steve
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dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
Thanks Marshall!!!! I'll get the wading pool later today, right now I'm goin to put some ice packs in their water containers.!!!!! Poor little things I had no idea it was getting so hot today.
I respect that she even helped so quickly. Please tell her thank you for me.
I had no idea it was getting so hot today. I respect that she even helped so quickly. Please tell her thank you for me.
- Thread starter
- #68
dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
Thanks Steve!!!! yes they are just starting to lay... only 3 right now are laying eggs. I'm sure the rest will follow soon enough. I would hate to loose any to the heat. I give them fresh water twice a day whether or not they need it. I'll get some water frozen tonight.
They have a shade table and tarp over the top of the run. only gets direct sun light in the early morning and now. I'll keep the water fresh.... and get the house connected and spray down the run for them. Thank you for your help!
They have a shade table and tarp over the top of the run. only gets direct sun light in the early morning and now. I'll keep the water fresh.... and get the house connected and spray down the run for them. Thank you for your help!
canesisters
Garden Master
Here are a few things I do when it gets hot.
First - make sure there is shade. I have a couple of trees in the coop that have low, brushy branches. They like to get under there and dig little holes to lay in.
Damp shade is better. I'll hose down the trees (not the dirt itself) when I get home. It cools the area and gently dampens the soil and the chickens.
My waterer is a 5gals. but when it's really hot I only keep it half full. I have a bunch of water bottles that I rotate in and out of the freezer. When I get home I take the frozen ones and drop them into the waterer - taking the thawed ones back to freeze again for tomorrow morning.
Frozen treats. Frozen corn on the cob is a good one. Frozen peas are too. Anything really will help cool them down.
A Fan. Yup, they will stand in front of a fan with their wings out.. sort of like a dog hanging out a car window. FUNNY! But having something to help circulate the air will help.
Worst case - you can hose down the birds too. They won't like it, but it will help.
First - make sure there is shade. I have a couple of trees in the coop that have low, brushy branches. They like to get under there and dig little holes to lay in.
Damp shade is better. I'll hose down the trees (not the dirt itself) when I get home. It cools the area and gently dampens the soil and the chickens.
My waterer is a 5gals. but when it's really hot I only keep it half full. I have a bunch of water bottles that I rotate in and out of the freezer. When I get home I take the frozen ones and drop them into the waterer - taking the thawed ones back to freeze again for tomorrow morning.
Frozen treats. Frozen corn on the cob is a good one. Frozen peas are too. Anything really will help cool them down.
A Fan. Yup, they will stand in front of a fan with their wings out.. sort of like a dog hanging out a car window. FUNNY! But having something to help circulate the air will help.
Worst case - you can hose down the birds too. They won't like it, but it will help.
897tgigvib
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Since water moisture seems to be ok, and if the roof is not especially toxic, (a ph call to Monty can answer that), if he's at work, you may be able to hose the roof of the coop. Monty knows the details of its construction. water on the hot roof will evaporate, and that will cool things. Meantime, get some small water bottles frozen first. larger bottles take longer to freeze.
Shade. Nice cool shade. Water on the bushes first will make cooler shade.
Shade. Nice cool shade. Water on the bushes first will make cooler shade.
