# keeping cool in the heat



## JC17 (Apr 4, 2013)

Today, it got up to 90* in Michigan. To keep my broilers from broiling (lol), I put a wet towel and a fan in their favorite shady spot. The evaporation from the wet towel takes heat out out the air, making the area a bit cooler. They have access to water at all times. They still sit there panting, but seem a little less miserable.


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## blblanchard (Mar 12, 2013)

I freeze a gallon of water and put it in their bucket (that we use as a water reservoir). I also refrigerate watermelon and give them some of that nearly every day. I'll also flood part of their run, and they seem to like that. It cools their feet, which in turn cools their whole body.


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## Itsacutefuzzball (Mar 16, 2013)

Ha! If you think 90* is hot, we get to over 100 here in lil' old Tucson.


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## JC17 (Apr 4, 2013)

Itsacutefuzzball said:


> Ha! If you think 90* is hot, we get to over 100 here in lil' old Tucson.


In Michigan 90* is HOT. I think the highest we got recently (last year) was 110?


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## rkendrick (Jun 11, 2013)

Our llama catch pen is next to the chicken run. The llamas have a mister on the fence between so when it hits 90, we keep the mister on 12/7. The chickens were not pleased at first. By the time we got the nozzles situated, it was 100 and the chickens decided this wasn't so bad after all. As long as the gravel is damp and not them, life is good. Likewise, my 28y/o Arabian gelding has his _own fan and shade canopy_ by the back door---put up just for _him_---and gets rinsed down at least twice day. He has an ice block (milk jug) in his personal water tub. The rest of the herd has to make due like normal horses, out in the pasture, shade trees, a pond or a water trough but no ice cubes and hope the wind keeps blowing. In Oklahoma, we have WIND. But if the chickens look stressed, I'll talk my hubby into a fan for them, too. It might be from the second hand shop, but it'll do. The things we do for our friends, eh?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Last year my CX were out foraging in 98* weather and 65% humidity but keeping mostly to the shaded areas along the woods and lying down a bit in the middle of the day....but mostly they were foraging. Wouldn't have known where to put a fan ....


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