Tag: Keep Cool

Chickens and Heat Distress, What to Do

When Should you Supplement your Flock with Electrolytes?

In the heat of summer, there are warning signs when chickens are suffering from heat distress. Once you recognize these signs, consider them as a reason to add electrolytes. Electrolytes are available in feed stores that carry retail poultry products, even Amazon will have it. You’ll find easy-to-follow instructions on the back label informing you how much to put in their drinking water. 
Warning Signs Heat Distress
Panting, holding their wings away from their body.
Combs and wattles a deep red, or pale.
Restlessness.

Electrolytes
Orpington

Signs of Heat Stress | What to Do
Much more dangerous is Heat Stress. Below are the signs your chickens are in great danger and could even die if you don’t act quickly.
Not eating or drinking.
Pacing.
Disoriented.
Wobbling.
Lethargic.
Dark reddish-purple wattles and combs.
Submerse chicken in warm water (a 5 gal. bucket from Home Depot works nicely) and move the bird to a shady spot. Don’t bring the bird indoors, it will only cause more stress when returned outside. A fan nearby would be ideal. Don’t try to force water, when the bird cools down it will drink on its own. Chicken feed is not important at this point,  don’t push it, offer watermelon instead.

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Help your Chickens Beat the Heat This Summer

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.

shade cloth

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.

cool the air
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