I do not know what to do with the hen. I cannot bury in my yard as the soil is too hard to dig deep enough, not sure how to handle, can anyone help. :(
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I do not know what to do with the hen. I cannot bury in my yard as the soil is too hard to dig deep enough, not sure how to handle, can anyone help. :(
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Every afternoon I put out a block of ice for my chickens they love to stand on it. We also made one of these: https://robotfun.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/swampcooler/
I think it works okay. Wish it blew more forcefully.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Sorry to hear it, Laragene.
David Kennedy had good tips. Another cooling tip is using mortar-mixing pans or bus tubs and putting an adobe or other water-absorbing block or bricks in it. The blocks will absorb water and create cool surfaces as it evaporates and there will be enough water that it will take awhile for the tub to empty. Those frozen water bottles, milk jugs or 2 liter soda bottles will make the water even more refreshing (though that is, obviously, not enough to get them through the day or night).
susan
Sorry for your loss, Laragene. I also echo Linda and Kathryn's suggestion as I have previously buried chickens, but my dog always found them. Heavy shade and water are really key, though I would suggest that the shade need to be outside the coop, such as under a tree or awning, so that there is ample air circulation. Unfortunately, some coops can really heat up and radiate heat--especially at night. The chickens I've lost over the years always succumbed to the heat during the night (I found them first thing in the morning). When the overnight low is 90 or so, they really have no break from the heat, and if they are roosting in a heated coop, it can be overwhelming. I ended up keeping the mister on at night to help them. I use a Cobra mister, which is really a great way to keep the chickens cool, and it's also cheap. As mentioned, soaking the ground and providing some sort of a pan for them to wet their feet also helps. Additionally, I load up the chicken waterers with ice once or twice day so that they have super cold water to drink.
Sorry for your loss Laragene, I would echo Linda and Kathryn's suggestion about putting her in the garbage if you can't bury her.
Just to go over the main points of keeping them as stress free as possible in the heat.
Shade -- this is real shade from a tree or overhanging vines - not filtered and not a hard roof coop, but a place in the full shade of plants they can go to.
Wading pool - must be big enough to keep the water cool and, again, in the shade not in the sun.
Misting systems and wetting the ground are good aids, but shade and a wading pool are the best ways of allowing them to get out of the heat and sun.
Thank you so much for your kind words and suggestions.They have a very shaded coop and run, but I think that I hadn't realized how much water I normally have outside the coop, for lots of reasons in the yard, dog, watering, etc. On this day the chickens were roaming outside the coop and run, and the only water was in the coop and run area. I didn't have water out where they were roaming, even though the gate was open, just not enough water around. Not enough in the pools either, I think, and perhaps too small a dish (thinking how great it was they couldn't poop in it.) Very bad mistake. From now on I think when its hot I wont let them roam at all, they will just stay in the run where I can manage the heat better. I too water the run down, and place blow a fan over the wet area when I can, no mist system though. Thanks again.
I disposed of a hen I lost to an impacted crop last year in the same manner.
I water the dirt floor of my hens yard every day...not just water, but SOAK the ground. The 5 hens look like hell in the summer with muddy feet but they love it and remain as cool as possible! I also keep 3 pans of water down (I bought 2 plastic pans at Western Ranchman for approx $5each), One-4 nipple bucket waterer, and 2 chicken waterers, so they are always cool and moist. Never lost a hen yet. I am lucky that my coop and yard sits under 2 large trees. :-)
Best of luck to ya!
Hello Laragene,
So sorry to hear about your chicken. Anyone who has owned and loved their chickens can relate. I used to bury my chickens, but couldn't get down deep enough and my dogs would find them. So the last one that died, I put in a garbage bag and put her in the trash container. Sounds cruel, but once they are gone, they are gone. Besides having a fan for my chickens, I also bought a cheap mist system that I hook up to the hose. It really helps to keep them so much cooler. Just make sure the fan is placed behind the mister, so no water goes thru the fan. Or else the fan will short out and turn off. And it's best to buy a cartridge filter so your mist heads don't clog up. I've been down that road before too.