Ok, so there’s a lot of information out there on how to keep chickens cool, and if you’re a fan of several facebook farm pages like I am, you’ve seen just about every one post about keeping chickens cool in hot weather. Ever wonder what people way back when did to keep their chickens cool??  I have.  My guess is, they did nothing and lost a lot of chickens to the heat.

Chickens do not have the ability to sweat like we do, so they pant and spread their wings to help cool themselves.  They also dust bath.

Here in Southeast Michigan the weather forecaster says our temps are expected to be 96-100 degrees with a heat index of 105 today!  That’s HOT!!! The chickens will not be happy!!! To help keep them cool, I put frozen water bottles in their waterers and fill it with ice.  I also add extra electrolytes to their water.  Extra waterers around the run are also a good idea.  I put them by their dust bathing area so they have them close by.  I also add frozen water bottles to the nest boxes because there’s a good chance that it’s even hotter in them.  My flock also enjoys extra special treats of frozen fruit and veggies, they LOVE it!!!!!  During the summer months all my fruit and veggie go straight to the freezer for extra hot days.  A few dishes of crushed ice around the run is also a nice treat. Of course make sure there is plenty of shade.  If their run is mostly sunny, add some beach umbrellas for added shade. I also like to add a small kiddie pool with just a few inches of water in it for those who are brave enough to try it out, standing in the cool water will help them cool off.  An added fan is also nice and you can freeze a gallon jug of water to place in front of the fan, it’ll act like an air conditioner.

There is so many tips and tricks of tried and true methods out there for you, but I can’t stress enough that an abundance of COLD water is the most important of them all!  Chickens don’t like warm or hot water and won’t drink it! They can quickly become dehydrated putting them at an increased risk of heat stress and heat stress can and will kill your beloved feather friends.

Stay cool my friends and while you’re taking it easy inside keeping cool, remember your friends outside that don’t have that option.  Whether feathered or 4 legged, keep a close eye on them, heat stress can be prevented if you stay alert and watch them closely.