Heat Stress in Chickens

Heat stress in chickens can be dangerous, even deadly. Overheating can come on very quickly. Although more common in temps above 95 degrees, heat stress in chickens can happen in lower temps with high humidity. It occurs when they are unable to regulate their body temperature to cool off. 

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How do you know if your chicken is in distress from heat stress: 

• Heavy panting
• Wings out from body
• Lethargic
• Difficulty breathing
• Unbalanced 
• Pale comb
• Unresponsive

Chickens will pant when hot to help lower their body temperature. They vibrate their throat muscles so warm moisture evaporates.

They will also extend their wings out from the body to allow air to circulate to help cool them down.  Ours do this frequently when the temps get above 80 degrees. I don’t worry too much as long as they look okay and are active. 

A chicken’s comb helps to regulate their body temperature. Birds with larger combs do better in hotter climates and birds with smaller combs do well in colder climates. 

A chicken’s comb may lighten at different times of the day and brighten back up. I notice when the girls drink ice water on a hot day, their comb reddens up. 

Just pay attention. If dull, monitor how they are acting. 

How to Prevent Heat Stress in Chickens

Make sure your chickens have plenty of cool, fresh water. We put several pans of water out in addition to their normal waterers plus a few with stones in the bottom that they can stand on. Try to place where they won’t be in direct sunlight. Chickens won’t drink hot water and without water they can quickly become dehydrated and overheated.

Adequate shade is also important to prevent heat stress in chickens.The sun can be brutal in the summer so making sure they have a cool area to escape to will help them.  In our backyard, it’s 10 degrees cooler in the shaded areas.  If you don’t have trees, use a tarp or a shade cloth. We put a shade cloth over the beehive and the bees seem less angry.

Make sure your coop has ventilation. This will allow hot air to escape out. If they don’t free range, add windows that allow cross air flow. A fan in the coop is also a great option. 

What should you do if you suspect heat stress in your chicken

Electrolytes – add to the water and make sure they are drinking. If not, give by a syringe.  I use Sav-A-Chick but there are several different ones on the market. You can even DIY your own:

• 1 Cup water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Dunk in cool water not cold. Dunk just the vent first and see if this helps. If not, dunk up to the neck. Rub water under wings and chest getting into the skin if necessary.

After this, monitor your chicken for improvement. If not, I would bring the bird inside.

Quarantine for a few days if necessary and continue with electrolytes. 

Other ways to help your chickens  stay cool

1. Place frozen water bottles in the coop or run. Chickens will stand or lay next to it. 
2. Put feed out in the morning and evening and remove during the day. Digestion raises the body temperature a few degrees. 
3. Place a frozen water bottle in drinking water to help keep it cool. I’ll put ice water out at lunchtime, which will last most of the afternoon but once it hits 100 degrees, I add a frozen water bottle to the waterer. 
4. Give frozen treats in the early or late afternoon. Only put out what the birds will eat. Leftover treats get mushy and attract flies.
5. Instead of dunking them in water, keep a spray bottle with cool water. Mist and rub into the skin under the chicken’s wings to help cool their body temp down

For more ideas on keeping chickens cool in summer, check out that blog post. 

If you live in hot climates, lighter breeds like Leghorns or Sexlinks do better. Heavy breeds or Dual-purpose chickens will have a harder time in hot climates. Trixie, our Buckeye, struggles the most. She’s a big girl and I watch her more closely than the others.

I’ve seen several posts this week where people have lost their chickens to heat stress. We had such a mild winter, I’m afraid this summer is going to be brutal. We are expecting several days in a row of temps over 100. I’ll be putting a new fan out in the chicken area plus incorporating several of these things into my daily routine.

What do you do to keep your chickens cool? I’m always looking for more tips. 

As always, if you are unsure of the treatment plan or your bird is not improving, contact your vet immediately.