Home to Roost Helping city folks raise chickens!

With this mini-heat wave we’ve been having, I’ve been getting questions about chickens and heat.

When temperatures reach the mid-80s, your birds will probably start panting. In temperatures above 100, your birds may suffer heatstroke.

Chickens don’t have sweat glands, so they have different ways of releasing heat from their bodies. Combs and wattles serve as radiators to release heat. Their feet also provide a cooling mechanisms. Chickens will pant, releasing heat through their mouths. You may also see them standing with their wings away from their bodies. A good dustbath in a shady spot with cool soil also helps.

Here are some tips, excerpted from my class on chickens and heat.

1) Provide fresh, clean water – and lots of it.

2) Freeze 2-liter bottles and put them in the coop to cool it down. Your birds can snuggle up to these portable AC units.

3) Remove excess bedding, which traps heat.

4) Feed a mash or a crumble feed, rather than a whole-grain food. Grains generate heat as they are metabolized. Remember, though, that birds may not accept the new food immediately.

5) Provide shade.

6) Provide frozen, cool treats, such as watermelon.

7) Allow them to dustbathe in shaded areas.

8) Set up a sprinkler in a shaded area outside the coop/run.

If you notice that the birds are listless and lethargic (signs of heat stress), consider bringing them into a cool basement. Even a few degrees cooler would help. It’s best to change temperature slowly to prevent shock to the system.

As always, keep an eye on your birds and know what’s normal for them. This will help you catch problems before they become life threatening.