Different breeds of chickens have different tolerance to heat. I recommend researching what breeds would do best in the weather conditions you experience in your area (heat AND cold) to make sure the breeds you are interested in are well suited to the conditions of your region. I live in mid Michigan so I was more concerned that I chose breeds that are cold weather hearty. But with that being said, we do still get some scorching hot days (and sometime weeks) here. Our hottest days reach as high as the low to mid 90’s, I realize this is considered cool in comparison to the temperatures in some of the southern states.
Extreme heat can negatively affect your chickens. If your chickens exhibit any of the following behaviors, please take action immediately. Heat stroke is a serious condition and can cause death.
Panting – Chickens pant in an effort to cool their body. When a chicken pants it increase their heart and respiratory rate. And in extreme cases it can lead to death. If you see your chicken panting excessively, take action immediately.
Pacing – A chicken will often pace or appear agitated when overheated.
Lethargy – If your chicken appears lethargic or laying on the ground with wings spread it is critical to provide care immediately. This is a strong indication of heat stroke.
Loss of appetite – If your chickens that usually have a robust appetite suddenly lose interest in food (or start laying less eggs) it is a sign that they are stressed from the heat.
Creating a shady spot in your chicken run is essential and one of the simplest ways to help your chickens cope with high temperatures. When providing shade for your flock, there are a few things to consider. You must make sure that the shaded area is large enough for all of your chickens to access at once without being cramped. The heat and overcrowding create stress, causing the chickens to fight with one another. If you are using a tarp to shade in your run, be sure that it does not impede airflow so that the chickens benefit from any breezes blowing through. If your chickens free range, its still important that they have access to a shaded area to escape the heat during the hottest times of the day.
Here are some ideas to keep your chickens cool this summer.
1. Frozen milk jugs placed in the coop at night and in the run during the day. I keep several jugs in my chest freezer so that I can switch them out throughout the day.
2. Spray your run with water in the morning. When the temperature is going to climb above 85 degrees, I spray the sand in the run in the morning before I let the girls out of their coop. I give it a generous soaking, but I do not spray it enough to create standing water.
3. I place frozen water bottles in the regular water source and I also freeze water in an extra large metal dog bowl. I place the bowl in the run and the chickens drink the cool refreshing water as the ice melts. I place the bowl on the concrete blocks that their feeder and waterer are on to keep it clean(er).
4. Provide treats with high water content (watermelon, cucumbers, other melons) to prevent dehydration.
5. Provide a large flat container filled with cool water so that they are able to stand in it to cool themselves. (think bird bath for chickens). I use the saucer from a large outdoor flower pot. A plastic childrens pool with low sides would work well for a large flock if your run is large enough to accommodate it or if your chickens free range. Keep in mind that you will want to place the water in the shade to keep it as cool as possible.
6. Frozen treat bowl. I use a plastic bowl from non dairy whipped topping to make my treat bowls but you can use any container that you have. Place whatever “treats” that you are using in a dry bowl, mix with a spoon to combine and then add water to just cover the ingredients. Freeze until solid. Invert the bowl into a flat pan, tin or plastic plate to keep the frozen treat clean…well, as clean as possible. I use an old pie tin. Here are some ingredient suggestions for your frozen treat bowls – Grapes (I quarter mine to prevent choking – Im always in mom/grandma mode), frozen peas, blueberries, frozen corn, chopped spinach, meal worms, scratch grains and sunflower seeds.
I hope you found this information helpful for keeping your chickens healthy and happy in the summer heat. Please let me know in the comments or message me directly, what you do in the summer to keep your chicks cool.
