Heat Wave - Roasting Chickens

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Hello everybody,

Happy New Year

We are having a heat wave down here in Victoria and I was wondering what are the methods you all use to keep your chookies cool during such dreadful HOT spells.

I have covered the coops with shade cloth, frozen water in soft drink bottles and placed in inside the coops. frequently changed their water so it is cool and used a hand spray with water to spray their combs and wattles so far. The Araucana's are smaller in size and older and coping better than Lady Frances With The Fluffy Bottom who is younger and larger and fluffy than the others.

All advice and suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you, kindly,
Petite Poulet

johs · **Posted:** Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:32 pm

Mine free range and tend to hangout under the trees up the side of the house. They trees are quite dense and the ground is cool so they do ok.

wickedwings · **Posted:** Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:35 pm

Most of mine are hanging out in the shade as well. I also have a couple of bird bath dishes sitting on the ground with water in them. They seem to be doing ok.

kelliecat · **Posted:** Sun Jan 01, 2012 7:33 pm

We have a large mulberry tree that they go under, but if it gets really hot i wet the ground under the tree and the chooks lay on their bellies on the wet soil. I find that this really helps them as in the past we have had 40 degree days for a week at a time. I have also resorted to moving them into the bathroom or laundry for the REALLY hot and humid days and they like the air conditioning and the cool tiles.....plus easy to clean poop up after I put them back at night time.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Thank you, kindly for sharing your ideas, I am sure it will help others too.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

do a search here - I am pretty sure it was well covered during and after those 2009 fires

I dont recommend wetting your birds down tho just give them bowl of cold water to stand in put it/them in the shade of course AND containers of COLD water to drink = put ICE cubes in the water to cool it faster and longer = the internatl temperature of the bird is lowered from the inside = cold water to drink and cold water to stand in to cool the feet will help cool the blood helping to cool their insides

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Thank, you kindly, soozorps,

for your great advice,

I have been using small clean empty yoghurt to make bigger ice cubes. I won't spray the chookie's combs and wattles anymore.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4646&hilit=bushfires

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:52 am

Taken from http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/f ... treme-heat

Birds (including poultry)

Birds may show signs of heat stress such as:
reluctance to move
standing with head down
squatting with wings spread
reduced growth rates.
Birds can adapt to a wide range of temperatures (approximately 5-30oC), however the heavier meat chickens and breeder birds may experience high levels of mortality if exposed to sudden and large fluctuations in temperature and humidity. It is important to ensure caged birds are kept in a shelteed and cool spot and supplied with plentiful water.
Site and design your chicken coop or bird aviary in an area that is shaded from the sun and has good airflow. On hot days, ice cubes can be put in water bowls which will progressively melt to give birds fresh cool water.

If your birds are showing signs of heat stress, spraying them with water and creating a breeze with fans or mechanical ventilation can help to cool them. In extreme cases dunk them in a bucket of water to cool them.

Birds should not be transported unless the heat load can be maintained at under 30oC. Shade, fans, misters or other cooling need to be provided if the vehicle is stationary or if the ambient temperature exceeds 30oC.
Intensively housed chickens
Where high temperatures are causing distress, foggers, roof sprinklers, fans or other systems should be used to control heat build up within buildings. Foggers are less effective if humidity reaches above 80% and temperature rises above 30oC. In these conditions mechanical ventilation must be provided for chickens.

To prevent birds from overheating space must be provided for birds to facilitate heat loss, and temperature control systems must be in place to prevent ambient temperatures at bird level exceeding 33oC.

The construction and positioning of nest boxes should be such that they avoid becoming heat traps.
For further information refer to the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Poultry.
Maintaining air temperature in intensive animal houses
Maintaining air temperature at a comfortable level during periods of extreme heat is essential for animals that are intensively housed, such as poultry, pigs and laboratory animals. All sheds should be fitted with fans that ensure adequate airflow to all animals. Sprinkler systems or spray units are also recommended to aid cooling during extreme temperatures.

Many intensive sheds are now climate controlled. A backup power supply or alternative ventilation system with an alarm system warning of temperature or power problems must be available at all times to ensure the environment in these sheds can be maintained at an appropriate level.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

[quote="soozorps"]I dont recommend wetting your birds down tho just give them bowl of cold water to stand in put it/them in the shade of course AND containers of COLD water to drink = put ICE cubes in the water to cool it faster and longer /quote]

Thank you, kindly, soozorps, you gave me an

Here is my cool drinking water station, frozen water in a clean, soft drink bottle standing in an ice cream container of filled with water...

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I wont wet my birds nor do I recommend it only because during the 2009 fires I did wet my birds after taking advise from someone = a large number of birds died from heat related problems anyway - the bulk of my birds contracted Cocci = we discovered at that time it was already present in the ground before we moved to that property and the wet caused an 'activation' = meant a lot of the birds contracted Cocci and many died some weeks later from it as it was the most virulent Cocci I have ever seen and most of the birds did not respond to the treatment well enough to survive - I think partially due to the heat

some died from heat related problems during the heat and I posted somewhere the Post Mortem findings so others would be aware of what happens to a chook when it overheats - some even died 3 weeks later from these heat related problems - these birds (at Post Mortem) showed no symptoms of Cocci

Spoke with Mummaroo and she agreed = dont wet them cool them other ways - only wet them out of desperation - all my pens (except for one - that is not being used due to the heat) are in the shade of trees - Mummaroo lives in an area that suffers intense heat and burning hot winds and she manages to keep her birds cool and alive = I think she knows what she is talking about

fans are a good idea to move the air around

Petite Pullet = excellent idea the drink bottle with frozen water in it to keep the drinking water colder longer

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