It can sometimes be hard to watch chickens battle the summer heat. You’ve probably seen them holding their wings away from their body, maybe even panting. This is a good time to make an extra trip to the coop during the day to refresh their water and offer a cool treat. Watermelon is an excellent source of needed fluids, it’ll keep them plenty busy, and they love it. Loosen up some dirt giving them a fresh place to scratch around in. Put a hose on a slow drip, it’ll provide a cooler place for your chickens, and it might even attract a few bugs or worms for them to enjoy.
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Forget the ice cubes and frozen water bottles, if your chickens live in triple digits, ice is going to melt in minutes and be of no help at all. In Arizona, we have to be much more clever than that!
Mist systems aren’t always helpful because some chickens will avoid them, but I still use them. The best way to help your chickens survive the heat is to give them a more natural way to keep cool. Dig them a shallow pond and put a hose on a slow drip. This will bring up worms, and that’s a sure way to keep chickens interested in staying right where you want them. You don’t have to go through a lot of trouble, keep it simple. Watch the sun, and make sure your little oasis will be in the shade during the hottest part of the day. Put a drinker in different places so there is always water in the shade. If you can’t find suitable shade, make some. Make use of mesh shade tarps, shade cloth, shade sails, etc. Be creative, I found an old pallet, covered it with shade cloth, leaned it up against a fence, and put a drinker under it.
Today it is 107, and by the end of the month it will be 115+, these are brutal temperatures and can be fatal to chickens. With something as simple as a shallow pond, they will be fine. Wherever you live, there is dirt, water, and I’m guessing you own a shovel… it’s that easy! Tip: if you have bushes or trees by your chickens, spray them with water during the day. Your chickens will be drawn to the cool air around the trees and have a chance to recover from the heat.
TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources 