Hello everyone. My chickens are panting already and it isn't even full summer yet. I did go out and removed them all from the coop and closed it because they were hanging out there instead of the yard. The whole yard is shaded at least right now. Are they hot just because they were hanging in there coop? What should I do to cool them down? Spray with water? Make some mudd for them to play in? I already put a terricota saucer full of water in there. Also, where should there water and food be? Yard or coop?
Thanks!
Replies
I have a small swamp cooler which I put in their run during the summer. It takes care of the problem. I was tired to stressed / dead hens.
I believe you can make a low budget version of a swamp cooler using water soaked burlap and fans. Keep the bottom of the burlap soaked in a bucket of water, lift the rest of the burlap up so the air will hit the wet fabric. The water should wick into the burlap and keep the burlap soaked. Coooooooool breeze = happy hens.
Lots of good ideas in others' posts!
Our meat chickens are panting because they create so much of their own heat. We have a fan on them and they seek out the breeze.
Our egg chickens aren't panting because they do have well aerated areas they can hang out in, but they will as the weather gets worse. Shade is good, but so is moving air. Also, as others have said, offer water as much as possible. I always put the food & water in the coolest, shadiest places. It doesn't matter if its in the coop or the yard.
Panting is normal, but it's good you're watching out for it so you can offer them ways to cool off.
I do remember when I went to the chicken workshop that we were told the chickens would pant. I think that all the ideas that Becky has offered are great. I have a ceramic plant tray and also a plastic kitty litter pan filled with water -- I like the idea of putting ice in it. The girls have shade from our mesquite tree and I planted some vines to grow over their coop as well. They like to settle in the just-turned compost because it's cool and moist. I made a hanging waterer recently and I'm going to add ice to that as well. I hate to watch them pant, but apparently chickens live through Phoenix summers, so I guess as long as we are doing what we must to keep them as comfortable as possible they'll be fine.
I'm new to chickens also. My chickens started panting yesterday, too. I keep 2 saucers of water and 3 drinking water systems available. I also put down grapes, cucumbers, water-type fruits and veggies, etc daily. I water the yard down every day and they are completely shaded under large trees at all times. They also have a dust area.
Is this panting something that is normal for chickens in the desert?
I have water in the coop and in the yard with a shallow tub for wading under a tree. Wading helps cool them off a lot. When it gets really hot I add an ice block to their wading pool. They also like dust bathing in moist (not muddy) sandy soil. I also alternate watering the trees in my yard so they always have some cool moist soil somewhere under a tree.
Some people use misters or even evap coolers.