Sometimes, high temperature may affect your chicken. Just like human beings, they also need to be cold or warm. They cannot survive in air-conditioned rooms, and if they could, they will not be healthy. Human beings are lucky whereby during summer times or hot weather, we may swim to cool ourselves. Birds are not fortunate when it comes to swimming. How can I cool my chicken?
It is simple with few doable adjustments. However, chicken resides in wild fowls; hence, some of them can survive in hot weather. They tend to release heat through their combs, feet and beaks. Therefore, if you reside from hot places, choose the right breed, i.e. lightweight chicken.
This article can provide detailed information on how you can be of help to these our little feathered friends during hot seasons. The item has simple ways on how you can keep your chicken cool all times.
How To Know When Your Chicken Needs Cooling
- They walk with wide-open beaks
- They eat less; meaning that they are uncomfortable
- Spreading their wings
How To Keep Chicken Cool
1. Use Ice To Cool Their Water
This is the first and most straightforward way to cool your chicken. What you need is to add ice in their water; they will cool when taking that iced water. It is advisable that during hot weather you replace drinkers with other several dishes. Scatter them enough in the pen so that your chicken can easily access water.
Shallow dishes are suitable for regular refilling. Regular refilling ensures their water is cold. More so, make sure you place these dishes under shades or add ice cubes during midday.
2. Freeze Their Food
This is another crucial tip to cool chicken. When chickens feed on cold food, they cool down. Usually, chickens love foods such as pineapples, bananas, apples, watermelons and strawberries. Therefore, what you need is to chop these fruits and then put them in a freezer. Wait for about two hours then remove them from the freezer and feed your chicken.
A mixture of yoghurt and fruits is another favourite food for chickens. Add some fruits into the yoghurt and then place the mix into their feeding dishes. You should avoid feeding them food that may take longer to digest. Therefore, please don’t give them maize corns or scratch; body temperature may rise.
3. Shading
Shading is an essential aspect when it comes to poultry farming. The only chicken coop is not enough to provide shade to your little feathered friends, especially during hot weathers. Trees are natural shading that can be of great help to your birds. They tend to hang under the trees for cold air.
However, sometimes you may luck trees. Don’t worry because you can use shade or tarp clothes though they will reduce ventilation. Just a trick, when you want to start poultry farming, site the house of your birds in a shady area. Alternatively, initial planting will ensure there is shade before you build a home for your girls.
4. Use a Mister
Misting attachment can be of great help to your chickens in hot days. Put the extension on the hose and hang it on the top of the pen or tree branch. These birds will jostle to stay under the attachment.
5. Ventilation In Their Coop Is Critical
Your chickens will enjoy when there is a free flow of cold and conducive air in their coop. Therefore, during hot seasons you may be forced to make adjustments on the chickens’ coop. For example; you may expand windows for more fresh and cold air.
Open these large windows during the day to cool down your birds and make a cross breeze. This means that if you reside from hot areas, plan well before building chickens’ house.
Due to technological advancements, you may use a fan in the coop. let it run during the day; this will ensure the pen is cool
6. Provide Bathing For Your Chicken.
Unlike ducks, chicken doesn’t play with water, so it is hard to expect them to get into the water. But, you can trick them by providing a muddy place. In the corner of their coop, station a dirty system. Your chickens will walk and play in that mud and get cooled.
Another way to provide bathing for your chicken is by creating dust bathing place. These birds don’t care about dirt like we human beings. Therefore you can give a Rubbermaid with soil to enable them to play and relax over it. You will be helping them cool their body temperature.
7. Keep Their Coop Clean
Spring is usually a significant period to clean deep aged litter from your coop. Deep litter method is suitable during the winter but not summer because when it breaks down, it produces heat. Therefore, utilize this clean the pen of your birds thoroughly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can Chickens Survive In a Hot Environment?
Chickens reside from wild fowls; hence, some of them can survive in hot weather. They tend to release heat through their combs, feet and beaks.
2. How Does Chicken Sleep In Their Coop?
It is advisable to leave a window open so that when your little feathered friends get hot. This will ensure that your chicken gets fresh and conducive air all over the night.
3. Can a Chicken Cool Itself?
Of course, yes. Chicken have their self-cooling mechanism that will use during hot days. For example, they may spread the wings to let in the cold and fresh air. More so, they may walk with wide-open beaks to also acquire fresh air.
Conclusion
To summarize, you should know that you are the only person who knows the well-being of your chicken. Therefore, if things get tough on their side, respond with immediate effect; that is if they become restless or take less food.
Consider the above tips to cool your chicken efficiently. I know you may have other ways to cool chickens, but the above ones are the best and simple. Remember, they enjoy much better when they are under excellent care.