As a chicken breeder, summer would have to be one of the most stressful times of the year. I keep a close eye on the weather forecast, dreading the moment I see a string of 35+ degree days lined up in a row!
You may be wondering, how on earth do I keep my thick-feathered fowls cool in such conditions?
My name is Poultry Pete and I’ve been rearing and showing purebred poultry for over 45 years. I’ve trialed and tested countless strategies for this difficult annual dilemma, and here are my top strategies for how to keep chickens cool in the summer months.
Keeping your chickens cool involves:
- Modifying their diet
- Keeping their pen well ventilated
- Icing their water
- Feeding them frozen foods
- Ensure adequate shade
- Utilize mist sprays
- Hose the pen roof
How to Keep Chickens Cool – A Summertime Battle
Every chicken owner knows the struggle of summertime – it’s a constant battle trying to keep your birds cool. I often have to find ‘chook-sitters’ to look after my fowls when I go away on summer holidays!
Unfortunately, chickens can’t sweat, therefore, they cannot regulate their body temperature as easily as humans. Furthermore, their coat of feathers also doesn’t do them any favors in the ventilation department.
It’s important to keep a close eye on the forecast, namely temperatures above 35°C, so you can adequately prepared to keep your birds hydrated and happy.
How to tell if your chickens are too hot?
As the day approaches the peak of the heat, regularly check-in with your birds to make sure they’re not suffering any signs of heatstroke.
Check for the following:
- Lethargy and inactivity
- Noticeable panting
- Softened stools
- Lifting their wings away from their body
- Pale wattles & combs
- Hot underbelly
Modify their Diet
During the hotter months, it’s best to modify your chickens’ diet to incorporate more leafy greens such as cabbage and spinach for them to pick at. These have a higher percentage of water and will keep your fowls better hydrated.
Limit feeding your chickens warming foods such as meat, bread and cracked corn, as these rich foods are better suited to cooler conditions.
Keep their pen well ventilated and spacious
It’s important to keep your chicken pens well ventilated and there are several strategies for achieving this.
Firstly, understand that hot air rises. You’ll want to ensure that there are openings at the top and sides of the coop to ensure this hot air can escape easily.
Next, make sure your birds have a fresh, thin layer of bedding such as sawdust or straw and try to change it regularly. Hot weather will only speed up the process of decomposition, having your old bedding smelling in no time. Thick, moist bedding will only act as an insulator and worsen the humidity so try to avoid this.
Another strategy is installing a fan in your bird’s pen, allowing the airflow to cool down your birds enclosure.
Finally, try to space your birds out. Give them plenty of real estate to ensure that their body heat doesn’t work against them. I advise you to invest in another, temporary chicken pen to spread them out.
Ice their Water
Possibly the most important strategy is to keep your birds’ water cool. On a hot day, your chickens’ health will go downhill very quickly if they’re drinking hot water. This will only exacerbate their dehydration.
Therefore, it’s super important to regularly ice their water. On particularly hot days, I advise you to get on the front foot and putting a large ice cube in their water that lasts the whole day.
Frozen Foods
Another popular strategy is freezing foods ahead of time, namely fruits such as watermelon, banana, pineapple and strawberries. Cut them up into small chunks, chuck them in the freezer and serve!
Another popular concoction is filling a 2L icecream container with spinach, lettuce, herbs, crushed garlic, comfrey and water and placing it in their pen.
Your creativity is the limit – just make sure the foods you use are chicken friendly.
Give them a dunk
If you find one of your birds is struggling with several heatstroke symptoms, you may need to employ some drastic action.
Dunk your fowl in some cool water – this will help to lower her core temperature back down to normal. You can keep them in there for extended periods until their symptoms resolve.
Shade
In hot conditions, there’s nothing worse than being exposed to direct sunlight. Your birds feel no differently.
If you’re letting your flock out to range free, make sure there is plenty of shade around such as trees foliage.
Water Spray
Most chicken sheds have corrugated iron roofs, which get extremely hot on summer days. I often keep a steady stream of water, via a hose, directed onto the top of the pen to keep temperatures down.
Another effective strategy is investing in a mist spray. This can be another great way to keep your chickens cool in these hot conditions.
Electrolytes
Hot temperatures can severely upset the hydration levels of your birds, leading to a loss of electrolytes. A water-soluble electrolyte powder can be used in your chicken’s waterer to keep their hydration levels up.