How to keep chickens cool in the summer

Just like most animals, chickens can over-heat when it gets hot in the summer. Follow these easy tips to help keep your flock cool!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fans
• Cool, fresh water
• Misters, if needed

1. Most chickens will adapt quickly to the conditions around them, but during those times when the temperatures outside suddenly spike-up, it's good to know what to do.
   First, keep track of the weather and what is reported - if it looks like a heat wave might be coming, prepare ahead of time.
   Watch your birds for signs of heat exhaustion ("panting", wings held away from body, lethargic), and keep your birds out of the sun (shade is best).

2. Do not feed your chickens corn, cracked corn, or scratch when it's hot outside.....birds create more body heat digesting these types of feed! Do not add to the problem and add to the heat if you don't have to, and feed them only their normal layer pellets/crumble. Wait to feed them the corn and scratch when it's cold outside, and they need the extra warmth.

3. There is no substitute for fresh, clean water when it's hot, no matter if it's a chicken or a dog you are trying to keep cool. Change it at least once daily and many more times if needed.
   Use poultry electrolytes (chicken "gatoraide" you can buy in powder form from the feed store) when it's really hot, but remember to change the water every 24 hours (the water can go bad with the electrolytes mixed in). Follow the directions and check the conversions on how to mix it in smaller amounts (such as a gallon).

4. Normally you will want to keep your birds away from drafts, but in the summer, a fan on low can keep the air circulating in the coop and keep your chickens a little cooler. Watch for cooler night-time temperatures, as you might need to turn the fan off it gets too cool.

5. Use misters if the humidity is low and you need something as a last resort. Home Depot sells a stand-alone single mister which connects to your garden hose, so try that and see how it works for you. Watch for pooled water or puddles, as these can make chickens sick if they drink the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Find out what other chicken fanciers in your area do when it's hot - they can often provide some tips you might not have thought of.
• Check on your flock often, and make sure they have what they need.
• Because a chicken's comb is it's body's temperature regulator, the chickens affected by the heat the most are those which are dubbed (their combs are removed). Next comes the large breeds, and it's the bantam breeds which handle the heat the best.
• Remember the basics - shelter, weather, predators - when it comes to managing the heat.
• If you have a chicken who is sick from the heat, get them into a cool area immediately. Gently place them on a damp towel and dampen the skin under their wings. Mist water on their combs, as this is the part of their body which helps to regulate body temperature (they don't sweat like we do!). Give them a little bit of water at a time with electrolytes. Monitor them - and then check on the rest of your flock! This chicken may be a sign that others are also over-heating as well, and if you can't save this one, you might be able to save the others if you react quickly enough.

Resources

• Article on Heat and Chickens
• American Poultry Assoc.
• American Bantam Assoc.