Chickens are not Suited for Hot Temperatures

Chickens are often viewed as sturdy animals that can adapt to various conditions. However, when it comes to dealing with heat, the reality is quite different. Chickens, in fact struggle in high temperatures. It's crucial for poultry keepers, whether for commercial farming or backyard chicken keepers, to understand the challenges chickens face during hot weather.

THE NATURAL HABITAT OF CHICKENS

Chickens trace their origins back to Southeast Asia, a region known for it tropical climate. However, this does not mean chickens are built for extreme heat. Over generations, domesticated chickens have been bred for specific traits, often at a cost of their natural heat resistance.

Most chicken breeds prosper in temperature climates featuring mild winters and summers in their native tropical homes, chickens benefit from abundant shade and water sources, which help them stay cool. Without these essentials, chickens can swiftly suffer from heat-related stress.

HOW HEAT AFFECTS CHICKENS

Chickens are surprisingly limited to their ability to manage body temperature. As temperatures rise, they can experience heat stress, which poses serious health risks.

Signs of heat stress include:

*Panting: Chickens will open their beaks and breathe rapidly.

*Wing Spreading: Birds will push their wings from their body to release heat.

*Reduced Egg Production: A hen loses energy to cool off, leading to fewer eggs.

*Increased Water Consumption: They need to drink more to stay hydrated.

*Reduced Food Intake: Chickens may stop eating when temperatures rise.

*Lethargy: Reduced activity levels may indicate overheating.

In extreme case, high heat can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal. Research shows that egg production can drop by as much as 30% after chickens experience prolonged heat stress.

If you happen to see a chicken not normally active and very lethargic, they are close to death and has now become a medical emergency.

How to deal with a chicken in a medical emergency:

Keep a tub of cool water ready. AVOID using cold water, as it can shock their system. Immerse them in water up to their neck and keep them there for a few minutes to slowly reduce their body temperature.

Having a tub with lukewarm water on standby during extremely hot days is a good idea.

Adding some electrolytes to the drinking water will help hydrate the bird.

We offer Chick' N Swell Electrolytes here at the Ranch, as well as other Chick' N Swell Products.

Visit chicknswell.ca

STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING CHICKEN COOL

Keeping your chickens comfortable during hot weather involves understanding the signs of heat stress and using effective strategies for relief. Here are some practical ideas:

Provide Ample Shade

Establish shaded areas in chicken yard. Whether using natural resources like trees or building your own shade structures with tarps or wood, ensure your chickens have numerous spots to escape direct sunlight. Research suggests that shaded environments can lower the risk of heat stress by up to 50%.

Ensure Constant Access to Fresh Water

Hydration is vital. Chickens must have access to cool, clean water, continually during hot days. In extreme heat, consider adding ice cubes to their drinking water, helping reduce their temperature and keeping them hydrated.

We use insulated poultry nipple waters that helps keep the water cool in the summer.

How the use of the cold water benefits chickens is a bodily function they were provided with called Excretory Heat Transfer.

The cold water passes through their body, cools it down and the heat is transferred to their droppings and excreted out of their body. That is the reason they have runnier droppings in the heat of summer.

Use Fans and Windows to Increase Airflow and Circulation

Make or install as many windows as possible in the coop, preferably on all four sides if possible. The more cross-breeze you can generate from windows, the better off the birds will be in the heat of summer.

Install fans to keep the air circulating. This tip is particularly valuable in humid areas, moving air can make a significant difference in temperatures inside the coop.

Chickens create a lot of dust from constantly generating new feathers. The motor of a regular fan will not stand up long to the dust in the air. The industrial fans have a closed motor to help prolong the life of the fan. You could be replacing your regular fan every year or two from the motor burning out due to the extra dust and also safer to use an industrial fan.

We use industrial fans in our coops along with as many open windows as possible.

There are two styles of industrial fans, depending on the size of your coop and its set up.

Bigger coops can use an industrial floor fan, if you happen to have limited space in your coop it would be better suited for a industrial wall fan.

Limit Cooling Treats:

The most important thing you can provide your chickens is cold water. Chickens consume less food in the heat of summer, for that reason they need to be eating their nutritionally complete chicken feed as it has all the vital nutrients they need. Cooling treats do not benefit chickens at all and can end up malnourished from the lack of proper nutrition needed.

Instead of cooling treats, put ice in their drinkers or frozen water bottles to keep their water cold.

Due to increased water intake on hot days, a chickens droppings can appear loose/watery/runny, which is completely normal. The passage of large amounts of water through the digestive tract is a method by which chickens cool themselves. This process is known as excretory heat transfer.

For more information please refer to my blog, Backyard Chicken Coop Essentials

Final Thoughts

You need to worry about them more in the summer than in the winter. With their high body temperatures of 107 degrees, wearing down jackets and no sweat glands. The heat of summer can be fatal, especially in a coop lacking windows for air circulation. If you can't imagine yourself in your chicken coop overnight with the night time temperatures, imagine how they feel.

The most important things you can do in the extreme heat to help your chickens to survive is clean, cold water and provide plenty of shade.

Treats like watermelon are of no benefit, as the watermelon contain sugar calories not helpful or beneficial to the chicken. Chickens naturally eat less in the summer, as food contains calories and calories are a form of heat. For that reason, cut down on the extra foods and treats. Feed them their chicken feed only as it has all the nutrients and vitamins they need, as they are consuming less.

Add frozen water bottles or ice to their drinkers to help keep the water cold. Chickens will not drink water that is warmer than their body temperature.

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