Helping Hens Beat The Heat

Backyard hens are beloved and contributing members of our household. When the summer heat of Texas rolls around, we do our best to keep these gals cool and comfortable. Here's how we help our hens stay cool all summer long:

Create a Cross Breeze: Hens have a resting internal body temperature of 104 degrees. To help them stay cool, place multiple fans through the coop to create more airflow throughout the hen house. We use these electric camping fans but will eventually upgrade to solar powered fans. 

Cold Foot Baths: Grab some shallow tubs from the Dollar Tree and fill them with iced water. Train the birds to sit in the cold water when they are heat stressed. It's important to always cool down a hens body temperature first before giving them frozen treats to eat so that they don't shock their system. Judy Garhen is demonstrating this technique below, she even trained the baby chicks to do the same. 

Sun Safe Snacks: Withhold feeding hard to digest foods like cracked corn or giving Apple Cider Vinegar in water which can increase metabolism and raise a hen's resting temperature. While these treats aren't safe for the summer, they work great to keep hens warm in the winter. Freeze chunks of watermelon for summer treats instead or fill up Tupperware with kitchen scraps before freezing for a fun activity to beat the heat. The hens will slowly peck at the frozen scraps and gradually cool themselves down while doing it. 

Spray It Down: Lower the coop's temp during the hottest point of the day by spraying down the coop floor with water.  Misters are a great way to keep a constant light mist without making a mess. I also like to lightly mist over the gals when I see one really struggling. 

Dust Baths: Hens utilize creating more pockets of airflow through their feathers by rolling in the dust. Make sure your ladies have access to a dust bath by designating a corner of the coop or by filling a dish tub with sand for them to roll in.

Frozen Water Bottles: Place bottles of frozen water in the nesting boxes, around the coop, and in front of the fans to create cool air flow through the hen house. Any hens still laying will appreciate the cool relief in their nest box and some even prefer to stand right near the frozen bottles for a break from the heat.

I hope these tips and tricks help you and your hens have a safe and enjoyable summer. We experienced a 6 day 111 degree temp heat wave just last week and my hens managed to stay happy through it all. That said, older birds are much more susceptible to heat so when all else fails, bring that overheated hen inside. A good hen is worth an eye roll or two from the hubby!