The Chicken Caravan 10 parked under some trees for extra shade in the hot Summer.
Keeping your chickens cool this summer
As temperatures rise, it’s crucial to adjust your chicken care routine to prevent heat stress and ensure your flock stays healthy. Chickens don’t sweat, so they rely on panting, cool water and shade to cool down.
A chickens internal temperature commonly sits at approximately 41deg C. Once the outside temperature is near to this (especially if high humidity is also a factor), a chicken CANNOT cool itself down through its natural actions. This is a crucial time for owners to ensure they are using varying methods to help their flock keep cool. This is also necessary in a heat wave, even at lower temperatures than this, as consistent days of heat stress can be fatal for chickens.
Having your chickens pasture range is one way for them to be able to keep themselves cooler, due to being able to move about to various shade spots and also not stay as crowded. Below are some more ways that you can help keep your chickens healthy on hot days this summer.
Fresh, cool, clean water
Ensuring that your chickens have cool, clean water to drink from is essential in helping them to keep cool. Adding some troughs into shaded areas with cool, clean water is a good idea. As well as ensuring any permanent waterers are kept shaded, trying to keep the water cool. If it is going to be a particularly hot day, you can even freeze blocks of ice in old ice cream tubs etc, to add into your water sources to help keep the temperature down. You could even freeze some treats, like watermelon, corn and cucumber to feed to them during the hottest part of the day.
Specific electrolytes for poultry can also be added, as per the product instructions, to help restore any salts and minerals lost through panting and helps regulate fluid balance.
Provide plenty of shade
Chickens will naturally congregate in any available shade. Limited shade causes the flock density to increase, which, in turn, raises the local temperature. If possible move your Chicken Caravans near to some trees to add extra shade options. Where possible with weather conditions, have the doors of your Chicken Caravan opened out to provide some extra shade and air circulation, allowing hot air to escape. Making make shift shade areas with shade cloth is another great option, to help keep your hens comfortable. You can even add some misters near their coops to help with evaporative cooling and to cool the ground down.
The cooling power of a dust bath
Dust bathing is natural behaviour essential for feather maintenance and parasite control, but it also serves as a cooling mechanism during hot weather. When chickens fluff up and roll in dry, loose soil, it helps create a light cooling effect when they shake it off, drying off their skin and feathers. It also adds air pockets between feathers, helping them to keep cooler. As they dig into the dirt to lay in, this helps to cool them as the ground beneath the top surface is often significantly cooler than the outside air.
Keep a watch on your flock
Keep an eye out on any of your hens that might be suffering from heat stress so you can take action before its too late. Some signs of heat stress include the following:
Early signs – possible in temperatures above 27deg C (80f)
- Panting/Rapid breathing: Chickens pant with their mouths open to cool down.
- Holding wings out: They will spread their wings away from their body to expose the skin for cooling.
- Increased thirst: They drink more water to compensate for fluid loss.
- Reduced appetite: Chickens will eat less, which is a survival mechanism to decrease heat production from digestion.
- Diarrhoea: Can be a sign of fluid loss
- Pale combs/wattles: These can go paler in colour due lack of blood flow to the area. These can also darken as the temperature rises even more
Advanced signs – possible above 32deg C (89f)
- Lethargy: They become less active, sluggish, and may squat close to the ground, making them slow to respond to movement or food.
- Staggering and disorientation: Difficulty with coordination and balance.
- Darkening combs and wattles: In severe cases, the skin and combs may darken.
- Inability to stand: A critical sign that the body is failing.
- Seizures and collapse: The most severe signs, often leading to death if not treated immediately.
- Reduced egg production: Both the number of eggs and the quality of the eggshells will decline.
- Important Note: While we hope these summer cooling tips are helpful, they are intended as general guidance, not specific advice for your unique farming setup. Every flock and climate is different. Always monitor your birds closely during extreme heat and seek professional veterinary assistance if you are concerned about the health of your chickens. Use these suggestions at your own risk. Oxhill PTY LTD trading as Chicken Caravan is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from the application of these general tips.