Topic of the Week - Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer

khind said:

3KillerBs expressed a concern about dunking them to below the neck just before bedtime. She may be right - I'm not sure. But i found her argument compelling enough to again just dunk the feet & cup to the undercarriage and no further. Three birds I've done this with seemed to like it and they remained calm after getting put back on the roost.
I'll also clarify that I did this right as they were putting themselves to bed, and not once they'd gone into a deep sleep (just in case...).
From now on, I think I'll also bring a light towel to quickly and very lightly soak up excess from their feathers if they seem to need it.
I know some people have given booty baths for very vent feathers, and have deliberately waited to give them soon before roosting time on very hot days, to no I'll effect that they ever saw.

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I started dunking feet and cupping some water up to their breasts, only until they stopped panting or slowed their panting significantly, then I put them back up to roost. We also added a fan that blows up underneath them. I think that’s really the lifesaver. They seem to love that air! They all race to get the best spots.

— I’ve also figured out a way to cool my Omlet Eglu by removing the Poop tray underneath and just using the roosting bar tray, so that the outside air is exposed and that fan I mentioned has access to the birds & coop.

— We had to place some hardware cloth over the slot that the tray would normally occupy, but definitely worth the modification. We will just remove cloth whenever the cool weather comes back around and replace the tray to seal the coop back up for warmth.

— Attaching photo to remind you of the Omlet Eglu set-up, and what tray area I’m speaking of looks like… They we’re so hot and sealed up in there before

Tram said:

I would disagree with the wind comment, only because I have hens who will sit down in front of the fan. Even when the mister is off because humidity level is to high.

Wind blowing over their combs and waddle removing the heat.

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Agreed! I experience the same thing here with my birds!!! My Roo has a real love affair with the fans. Whenever he sees me walk out with one he gets all excited and hogs all the air by laying in front of it…the hens hate him for it…Just kidding!! LOL!

Tram said:

LIQUID NAILS® Projects & Foamboard Adhesive (LN-604)
Doesn't melt the foam, regular liquid nail is solvent based.

Also, Lowe's or Home Depot have the radiant barrier foam.

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Thank you! My metal roof is too tall for the chickens to reach while roosting. Do you know, if I do glue this radiant barrier foam to the metal roof, would i then have to install plywood or something under it (as a dropped ceiling, as it were) for it to work? Or would it work well enough alone?

khind said:

Thank you! My metal roof is too tall for the chickens to reach while roosting. Do you know, if I do glue this radiant barrier foam to the metal roof, would i then have to install plywood or something under it (as a dropped ceiling, as it were) for it to work? Or would it work well enough alone?

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If they cannot reach it then don't worry about adding anything else. The Styrofoam will knock out the radiant heat coming from the metal roof. Of course depending on the thickness of the foam.

Can I use this reflective packaging on the south side of my coop?. Or will the chooks get into it and eat it?

Idaho Chicken Bungalow said:

Can I use this reflective packaging on the south side of my coop?. Or will the chooks get into it and eat it?

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I do not have any experience with that material. It doesn't look like something they would mess with. I know they like to peck at Styrofoam. Not sure how long that would last in the sun though.