# How do you keep your birds cool



## sean (Nov 7, 2014)

With all this heat now. What does everyone do to help cool there birds off?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Fans, misters, watering down the coop. For those east facing windows you should probably put up shade cloth to keep the sun from heating up the inside of the coop first thing in the morning. You can try a shallow pan of water for them to stand in to pull heat out through their feet. They might need a little help with the idea but after a time they get it and will climb in on their own.


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## Barredrockmom (Jun 27, 2014)

I have 6 hens on 1/2 acre and I keep water all over the place. I use old bird baths and put the tops on the ground. I have 6 water locations. One in the run, and 4 water baths that they can stand in and one under the deck. This is so one dish or two will always be in the shade.

With the drought in California and water restrictions, I can no longer run the misters. I'm home all the time and put cool water in their dishes a couple times of the day.

The coop has large windows facing east. I open them at night and close them during the day. Our coop is double walled and insulated. In the later evening I open the coop and start the window fan and turn it off when it reaches about 75 degrees in really hot nights. Or leave it on all night for those stagnant hot nights. The east is cool and the west is the time that makes my coop bake. On that side is a long slit of a window so most of the west heat stays out.

I planted lots of butterfly bushes that shade them in the afternoon if they like. They go under the deck for really hot days.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sean is in your neck of the woods Barred, so your tricks should work for him.


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## sean (Nov 7, 2014)

Think I'll try putting a kid pool in the run with just a lil bit of water in it. My coop is covered by a shade tree most of the day accept in the mornings.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

i live over 9,000 feet.. it does not really get hot... I provide lots of shade and cover in case the sun does get going. I make sure there is a bunch of water for them, and like others in various spots so some is always in the shade.


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## Barredrockmom (Jun 27, 2014)

We have this clay and sand soil, if you can call it soil and it gets hot on their feet. I do have a lawn but cannot use the amount of water needed to keep everything alive. I love gardening and just hate to loose my garden. I like the English garden look and most are herbs and mints as well as drought tolerant trees but even in this heat they are having a hard time. That's why all the water dishes, so they can stand in the water to cool off. It is kind of cute to see them wait in line to use one when there are more to use. Silly birds.


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## chickens4me (Jun 28, 2015)

It hasn't been too hot here so far, but I have lots of kiddie pools waiting to be filled. Chickens will not only stand in it, but have watched them actually lay down and roll around . Used to have Midget white turkeys, and they would each have their own pool to swim in, lol.


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## MichaelZ (Feb 27, 2015)

I raise meat birds in a 2ft high tractor with a metal roof on half. The metal part would get very hot except I have a tarp over the metal half and part of the open half and the metal part stays cool. For a coop or run you could accomplish the same with a large tarp to shade it.


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## xmasbaby (Jul 7, 2015)

You can try freezing 2 liter bottles and placing in coop and free range areas, my easter eggers ride them or snuggle up when it's hot


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

xmasbaby said:


> You can try freezing 2 liter bottles and placing in coop and free range areas, my easter eggers ride them or snuggle up when it's hot


None of mine ever went near them. I finally decided I was wasting my time trying to convince them it would feel good and gave up.


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