Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

Summer is right around the corner and things are heating up in Texas. How do we keep our chickens cool in summer?

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One of the most important things your chickens need is an adequate water supply and shade. But occasionally, you may need to do more especially on extremely hot days.

Chickens tolerate cold better than heat. Their internal body temperature is 105-109 degrees Fahrenheit. They do best in temps between 55- and 75-degrees Fahrenheit. Remember they have their winter coats on.

I start to monitor my birds when it gets above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Over 90 degrees, I’ll start some intervention and above 95, I tend to worry. Birds will acclimate to the higher temps but depending on your location, you may notice heat stress in lower temps.

How do chickens keep themselves cool?

Chickens don’t sweat. They will flap their wings to air out their feathers. You will also see them standing with their wings out to try and release hot air and get cool air between their feathers.

But when really hot, they will pant to help cool themselves off.

Chickens will dunk their beak in cool water and vibrate their throat muscles so warm moisture will evaporate.

They will seek out shade. Our chickens will get under our red tip bushes and dig down in the cool dirt or hide out under our deck.

What can you do to help keep your chickens cool in summer?

Make sure they have plenty of cool water.

When it’s really hot (above 95), I will put out ice water several times a day. Usually morning, noon, and evening. I’ll dump whatever water is left in the container on the ground and the chickens will scratch around or stand in it. If you can’t refresh the water, add a frozen water bottle inside to keep it cool.

Add additional waterers.

I’ll put one everywhere the chickens hang out. This way they aren’t expelling a lot of energy getting to the water. Also, this gives the girls at the lower end of the pecking order an additional water source. Sometimes, the top girls will guard the waterer and not let anyone else drink from it.

Add a Kiddie Pool

Last year, we added a kiddie pool in the backyard with some concrete blocks for the chickens to stand on. The blocks absorbed the water, which makes them cool. Several of our girls really enjoyed it and I’ll even catch them laying on the blocks.

A few of the girls would not get near the pool so I placed a shallow feed pan with a concrete block in it. This worked. Trixie our Buckeye is in the pan all the time.

The kiddie pool is not for them to swim in. Chickens can float but don’t really swim and like children can drown in a few inches of water. Make sure there are rocks or blocks at the bottom of whatever container you use. Once their feathers become waterlogged, they will sink.

Sprinklers or Soaker Hose

When above 100 degrees F, we will run the sprinklers in the afternoon or spray the ground with water. It’s amazing how a little water can help cool things off. The girls love scratching around in the mud.

This year I added a soaker hose around our red tip bushes. It works better than the sprinklers plus I’m not standing out there with the hose.

Some people install mister systems. Although I think they need to be close to the ground to be effective. I haven’t done this and am not sure I would. Once the chicken’s feathers get wet, they are unable to fluff them and release the hot air. They could actually overheat.

Fans

In August last year, we added a fan in the pool area. (as I’m typing this, it sounds ridiculous). We also have one in the run to help move the air around.

Cool treats

Our chickens love all types of fruits and berries and so does my family. In the summer, I’ll scoop out watermelon or cantaloupe and leave a little on the rind for the chickens. Then freeze. They eat it down to the skin. I’ll give this every couple of days. Just beware, if you give often, their poop will become watery (don’t confuse it with diarrhea induced by heat stress).  

I also like to give frozen grapes. I cut it up into bite-size pieces. Then, on other days, I’ll do strawberries or blueberries.  

We avoid giving too much corn or scratch. The high carb levels require more energy to burn which causes the chicken’s internal temp to rise. Also, avoid giving treats high in protein. These also increase your chicken’s metabolism, which generates more heat.  

When we have several days in a row of extreme temps, I’ll add electrolytes to the water. I purchase Sav-a-Chick, but you can find several recipes for DIY on Pinterest.

Additional tips to help keep chickens cool in summer

I’ll add mint to their water. Mint is known to have cooling properties.

Instead of a kiddie pool, some people will put out a baking pan with water so chickens can walk through it.

Freeze gallon jugs of water and place them in the run. The chickens will stand close to it to keep cool. I’ll also place one close to the fan so it blows cool water.

Last year, I froze treats in muffin tins. I put their favorite things in it, blueberries, kale, a little bit of scratch, and mealworms. Then, I mixed up an electrolyte solution and poured it on top. At first, they kind of stared at them, but the mealworms sticking out caught their attention. It gave me peace of mind, knowing they had something cool to eat plus electrolytes.

Feed your chickens in the morning or late evening. Digestion naturally raises the body temperature. Also, during feeding times, our girls tend to chase each other, which will increase their body temp.

At night when roosting, make sure there is plenty of ventilation. Inside the coop or hen house can be 10 degrees warmer than outside. We added an additional fan pointed at the roost bars.

Dust bathing will also keep them cool. I’m sure at this point you’ve already built a dust bath but if not check out my blog on setting one up.

Our local feed store had a class on building coops. One lady said, she will place a wet sheet on the side of the run in the summer, and when the wind blows through, it acts like an air conditioner. I thought this was brilliant. I’m going to try and hang one around the deck or rig up one around the bushes. I’m not really sure but definitely loved this idea.

If you use the deep litter method, clean out now and start over at the end of summer. The deep litter method generates heat while composting the litter.

In extremely high temps, your hens may not lay as often. They will naturally eat less and drink more water. Plus, their body is expending energy trying to keep cool instead of making eggs.

When laying, their shells may be thinner. The heat interferes with calcium absorption and their blood chemistry changes while panting, which also has an effect on the egg quality.

What do you do if your bird is in distress?

Heavy breeds of birds and older birds will be more susceptible to heat stress.

If you think your bird is in distress, dunk their vent/bottom in a bucket of water. Not too cold. You don’t want your bird to go into shock. This will help to lower their body temperature.

You may need to quarantine and monitor their condition.

Make sure they are drinking water. If not, give it with a syringe.

What signs do you look for with heat stress?

• Rapid breathing
• Excessive panting or gasping
• Lethargy
• Staggering while walking or disoriented
• The comb is pale and flat
• Diarrhea

Prevention is key when dealing with heat stress. On days where the humidity is high, heat stress can come on rapidly and may become severe. Your birds may have a harder time cooling off. 

What else have you tried to keep your chickens cool in summer? I’d love to hear about any other tips.