It's HOT. Over 100 degrees with the heat index. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep my chickens cooled off? Will they go in a kiddie pool if I fill it with water? I let them out of their coop to roam the yard for a couple hours daily, and I did put some ice in their water today. The coop is shaded and they don't seem agitated, but what else should I be doing?

I've read that they will use a shallow kiddie pool, but have never tried myself. I have soaked hens with bad butt in water and they don't seem to mind that. If you try a kiddy pool, be sure they have easy access in and out and let us know what happens. I don't get overly hot (it's 84 today which is way too hot for me, but I do sympathize with you folks who regularly hit the 90s and triple digits. Personally, I'd move although that is not always an option.

Sadly, this summer has been really abnormal in Michigan. It's usually only real hot for a few days. It's been miserable for weeks now. My Texas dog loves it, but I can't breathe!!!!
I'll try the baby pool and see if they like it :)
Also, @Bonehead, can you explain 'bad butt'??? This is my first batch of chickens and I've never heard of that...

Remember a heat index is how it feels for a human who sweats and is cooled by evaporation, Chickens don't sweat, a heat index is meaningless to them. They will ventilate to cool off. If you see a chicken on a really hot day they will be breathing very fast to cool off, and will be holding out their wings for shade. They do very well in actual 100 degree days. They will crawl under things for shade, or dig themselves into the dirt. I've had chickens my whole life and never have lost one due to heat. I have seen them walk into a water puddle, but never lie down in one. I always laugh when I go to the fair and see people who have fans blowing on their poultry. Fans only provide relief for things that perspire.

How about just one irrigation sprayer? That what I would like to run through on a hot day. But I don't have feathers.

One with a low flow rate, like 5 GPH or lower. If you run them off city water pressure (45 PSI) or anything over 30 PSI, they come out more like a mist than a spray. Or use a pressure regulator to cut it down to 5-10 PSI and get just a feeble spray at even lower volume.

I don't know if you can splice a 1/4" irrigation tube directly into a garden hose, but even one foot of irrigation mainline with a garden hose fitting would let you screw the mainline into your hose, and stick a 1/4" tube (Rigid Riser) into the mainline, and a jet sprayer onto the 1/4" tube.

Or go fancy and also buy a stake.

Mizshelli said:can you explain 'bad butt'??? This is my first batch of chickens and I've never heard of that...

Near as I can tell, it's like a yeast infection of the vent. I'd read you can soak their rear in a vinegar/water mix and did so a couple times. I'm not much of 'hands-on' with my chickens, though, so catching her is problematic. We just call that one hen Bad Butt Karen. She's one of two that has an actual name - the other one is Sissy, my weeding hen who follows me around in the garden. The rest are either one of the Blonde Squad (Buff Orphingtons) or the Redheads (Welsummers).

I have a shallow feed tub with water in it for the barn cats; the chickens like to stand in it on hot days - and our summers are always hot and humid. Humidity does make a difference to hens in that when they ventilate (pant) they are benefiting from evaporation in their mouths and respiratory system. I keep a fan running in the coop area to keep fresh air circulating. I also have never lost a hen to overheating.

Thought I would share a picture of my 'chicken dog' and his BFF, Chocobo Chicken. The dog loves his chickens and they love him. This particular one follows the dog around everywhere when I let her out of the coop. The dog has been up close and personal with the chicks since they were babies, and they all are quite attached to each other.

During really hot days and weeks I put ice cubes in the water bowls. They really appreciate it and will come running when I add ice. Also if I water down the area where they are hanging out in the shade or leave the hose on just a drip really seems to keep them from panting.

They like standing in this shallow bowl with a little water, it's actually a ceramic plate for under a pot. The ceramic doesn't seem to absorb much heat so the water is always relatively cool. Every now and then one of the hens will stand in a taller water bowl, but not very often.

wildflowers said:During really hot days and weeks I put ice cubes in the water bowls. They really appreciate it and will come running when I add ice. Also if I water down the area where they are hanging out in the shade or leave the hose on just a drip really seems to keep them from panting.

They like standing in this shallow bowl with a little water, it's actually a ceramic plate for under a pot. The ceramic doesn't seem to absorb much heat so the water is always relatively cool. Every now and then one of the hens will stand in a taller water bowl, but not very often.

I guess they only want their feet to be wet.

Well, perhaps there's some truth behind the term "madder than a wet hen."

Funny Pork Pal, I know that people who show chickens give them baths. I'll bet that's a trip.

I freeze watermelon for my flock - they seem to love it and I've caught a couple hens just laying down next to a frozen half on really hot/humid days. Mine don't like a pool but seem to like it when I wet an area of grass for them to cool off.