# How to keep cool in Arizona



## mikephx (Nov 18, 2015)

Being that my chicks are only 6 weeks old now and it's still only December, I may be a little early in asking this, but I am literally developing anxiety over next summer! Here in Arizona we see temps as high as 120degs sometimes throughout the summer and can bet everyday it to be right around 100-110. How do I keep my Plymouth barred rocks cool come summer!? We're doing ok in the coop with a red heat lamp right now but cooling the coop is not going to be as easy! Do i have to build a coop and add a window shaker!?!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Some people use misters. I dont know how to set them up or anything, never used them. Providing shade helps. I use fans. I have box fans in the pens to keep the air circulating. There's also a fan inside each hen house and I let them run most of the time until the change to cooler temps. The fans blow air out of a vent, fresh air is sucked in through the other vents providing indirect airflow. You dont want air blowing directly on the chickens.
I also fill waterers with ice. It's imperative that birds have cool drinking water. Its a challenge for sure. I know one chicken owner who lived in Arizona and used an air conditioner for his coop.
I'm sure other folks will chime in with their experiences and ideas.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

AC? Or a swamp cooler? I knew breeders who resorted to the swamp coolers since the air is so dry. And everything else that dawg listed. They also used frozen treats like watermelon, that kept them hydrated and gave them something cool to nosh on.

Misters are easy to set up. And like most things in life the more you spend the better they perform.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

I live in Mississippi so it's pretty hot here in the summer but it's a wet heat instead of a dry heat. We used misters this past summer but the nipples on the misters kept clogging up (due to the iron content in our well water) so we just jerry-rigged our hose with a nozzle on it so it was kind of a homemade mister and it worked wonderfully. The mister lowers the temperature by 10-15 degrees and we also put ice in the waterers.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

robin416 said:


> AC? Or a swamp cooler? I knew breeders who resorted to the swamp coolers since the air is so dry. And everything else that dawg listed. They also used frozen treats like watermelon, that kept them hydrated and gave them something cool to nosh on.
> 
> Misters are easy to set up. And like most things in life the more you spend the better they perform.


It was an actual a/c the guy was using out there in Arizona. As a matter of fact he mentioned that it stopped working one day and had to buy another. He was a dentist, he could afford it along with the light bill. 
I give my birds watermelon only on rare occasions, it causes watery diarrhea.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Misters would work great in Arizona, not so much with Florida's humidity. You may want to think about that. I have most of my chickens living in secure covered pens with a dog house to lay eggs in. Last year it was summer in a pen and in the coop for cool weather. Now they just stay out.

I freeze soda bottles to put in their water. Shade is a must. Fresh cool water every day. I have fans running. On really bad days I sit out and run water on the ground and they all stand in it and stop panting. Sometimes one will get overwhelmed with the heat and breath so fast they can't drink and I soak them in pan of not cold water. You have to keep an eye on them.

My daughter lived in Yuma for 3 years on a military base. I've seen temps go to 113 degrees. Words can not describe how awful it is. It's like sticking your head in an oven. Then it doesn't even cool off at night. I'll stick to my 90 to 95 degrees with high humidity .


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I agree with you Karen. I'll take the 95 degrees and 95% humidity over an oven any day. If I see a hen having a rough time in the heat, I'll bring her inside the house for the rest of the day/night and get her hydrated as best as I can. Then return her out to the pen the next morning.


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## mikephx (Nov 18, 2015)

Thanks for all the tips guys!! I'm really dreading the unavoidable heat that WILL be coming!! I like your idea dawg of just bringing them in if all else fails.. I have the space so it'll work! I'm going to try to get by with ice water, fans, musters, AND a swamp cooler I think!


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