This heat is over the top and lots of us are feeling it and so are our animals. Chickens, ducks and other poultry are no exception, so making sure you are keeping an eye on your flock is important when it heats up out there.
Here’s some tips for ways to keep your flock cool in the heat waves.
Fresh, clean water
This goes without saying, but keeping your flock hydrated is going to be your first line of defence against extreme heat. Ensure your waterers stay fresh and full. Having a large reservoir for water like this waterer will help ensure they have water all day even when you’re out. You can also toss ice cubes in the water.
Frozen Chicken Goodies
Freeze some treats for them. Fruit like melon, berries or bugs like mealworms or Black Soldier Fly Larvae frozen in water. My chickens love frozen yoghurt, too, that we make with to goats’ milk.
Always have some shade available
When you setting up their run make sure you have several areas where they can escape the sun. Of course having trees or bushes is the easiest way to accomplish this. If you don’t have those, you can put shade screens on walls of the run, make some shade with pallets or find an old patio table that they can hide under. Spend a day watching where the shadows fall in the coop and make sure there is always area large enough for your entire flock to escape the sun.
Ensure lots of ventilation in your coop
Chickens are little heat factories and the heat the produce alone can heat up a coop very quickly. Open your windows and all the vents you can that are safe from predators (hardware cloth covered the opening is important). In our coop we have a screen door that I removed the screen on and put chicken wire instead, so on hot days I can open the man door at the front of the coop right up and ensure plenty airflow. Adding a barn fan is also a great idea pushing the hot air out and sending a breeze into your coop.
If it’s a really hot day your best defence against heat stroke in your flock is also keeping an eye on your birds and making sure they are able to stay comfortable and always have electrolytes on hand just in case.