How to Keep Chickens Cool in Summer

Wondering how to keep your chickens cool in summer? Here is our best advice for making sure that your flock remains safe this season!

How to keep your chicken coop cool in summer

One way to keep your chicken coop cool in summer is, (if possible) to move the coop into a shaded spot in the backyard. This could be under a tree or in the north-facing side of your house that doesn’t get as much sun. This means that it will be nice and cool when the girls want to go to bed in the evening, or if one of them wants to go in to lay during the day. The Eglu chicken coops are so easy to move that you, on a really hot day, could effortlessly move it around the garden as the sun moves. As well as this, the Eglu chicken coops’ draft-free ventilation system will further help to keep your hens cool!

Change the water at least once a day

Your chickens will drink more in summer, because just like humans, it’s a natural instinct to stay hydrated. To minimize the risk of algae in the water, as well as dust and dirt from the chickens, change the water in their chicken drinker at least once a day in hot weather. Place the drinker in a cool, shady spot on the run and make sure it’s really cold when you put it out. 

What to feed chickens in summer

Dried corn and grains take longer to digest than pellets or fresh food, which wastes energy and heats the body unnecessarily. The chickens will not need to eat as much in hot weather, and if they were to get hungry during the day, your backyard will be full of bugs and fresh green material at this time of year.  Check out this summer recipe for Frozen Berry and Crumble Molds for some summer feeding inspo!

Try these tasty treats!

If you have some of your own delicious homemade ice lollies in your freezer, then make some space for more! Have your chickens tried some mouth-wateringly fresh watermelon? Not only is it super tasty and refreshing, but it’s also a great way to cool down. Pop the chopped watermelon pieces into your Caddi Treat Holder and put it in the freezer. There you have it, your chook’s very own ice lolly!

Chickens shouldn’t be left alone for too long

When it’s really hot outside it’s important that chicken owners keep an eye on their flock to look for signs of overheating. An open beak, panting and wings held away from the body are signs the chicken is hot. 

Don’t cover the run completely

Covering your chicken run with a lot of covers might seem like a good idea to create a shady spot, but if you don’t let air circulate, it’s likely to become a boiling tunnel of warm air. It’s extremely important to have ventilation, so that fresh air can move around. This goes for your coop as well. The Eglu chicken coops’ cleverly designed ventilation system allows air to circulate in the coop at all times, keeping it nice, cool and fresh even on the hottest of days. Choose a few darker chicken run covers to give your pets shade on the run as well.

Can chickens get wet in summer?

You can leave a small paddling pool or shallow containers out for your chickens to cool down in, but it’s unfortunately not very likely your hens will use them. It might be better to create a mud bath in a corner of the run; chickens are much more likely to approach mud and sand to cool down than water.

Don’t play with your chickens

Interaction with the chickens might lead to more movement for them, which increases their body temperature. If you want to spend time with your chickens, or need to pick them up for health checks, do so early in the morning or late at night when it’s cooler.

Do chickens stop laying eggs in summer?

You’re probably getting fewer eggs than normal during the warmest weeks of the year. That’s completely normal, chickens don’t lay as much when they are hot, and some go broody and stop laying completely. Although the eggs won’t go bad if you leave them in the nest box of an Eglu for a day, eggs in the nest can encourage broodiness and result in egg eating, so it’s good to collect them all as soon as you discover them.

Be consistent with cleaning

It’s always important to keep the coop nice and clean for your girls, but maybe even more so in summer. Parasites and pests are stronger when it’s warmer, including red mite, so make sure to use a bird safe disinfectant and cover roosting bars and perches in mite powder to prevent problems at least once a week.

All chickens are different!

If you have a flock with mixed breeds or have had chickens in the past but now own a different breed, remember that different chickens need different care. Some breeds are much better than others at handling heat, and some really struggle. Read up on the breeds you’ve got here, and take extra care of vulnerable birds.

Make sure that your chickens are well equipped for any season with Omlet’s range of chicken products

This entry was posted in Chickens