It’s 10 degrees cooler today than yesterday, but it’s still humid and in the high 80’s, which means that my hens remain in danger of getting heat stroke. The girls in the big barn have a shady spot with loose, cool dirt that they laze in during the day. Here’s Agnes, heading in. Mazie is in the back. Agnes looks fine. Her beak is closed, and her wings are held naturally at her side.
On the other hand, Tina Turner and Siouxsie are being drama queens. They’re panting with open beaks. Their wings are held out from their sides and down. And just look at Siouxsie, leaning in to her best friend. Oh! How miserable!
I’d be more concerned, except these girls are active and often in the sun. They’re behavior in the heat shows how true to type they are!
I’ve been worried about the persistently broody hens, Coco and Lulu. Even with the fan rattling on high, the henhouse is hot and stuffy. The nesting boxes are metal. But, here’s Coco, mouth closed and calm. She’s fine, albeit useless. Oh, well.
I know that to soothe itchy hens you give them a warm water bath with epsom salt.Is there such thing as giving chickens a cool water bath? I don’t know if this would help them cool down or just make them go crazy!
Tory, mine don’t get a bath but they get a shower!! THEY HATE IT!!! but it cools them off. I simply turn the garden hose nozzle on “shower”. I’ve seen them look for worms coming to the surface in harder rains then my shower setting.
Terry, thanks for the chuckle in regards to the girls of polish decent.
I have four broodies right now in mid 90 degree heat with humidity to go with it and they look as comfortable as if it was 65 degrees. Like yours not a sign of heat stress. I’ve often wondered why.
I think broody hens handle heat differently; their metabolism is adjusted after all to produce only one huge poo a day, and that poo contains all the hen’s smells. Sweat, preening oil, breath, all the scents that could attract a predator when a hen is vulnerable on a nest under a hedge go into the poo, so possibly re-chanelling all their bodily fluids that way helps them regulate body temperature.
Our heatwave starts tomorrow apparently (I thought we were already having one) and I worry about Duck, she’s been panting but still pottering today. I may make them a ‘wallow’ to sit in!
I didn’t realize about the hen’s smells all going into the poo – although if I’d thought just a little bit, that’s an obvious conclusion! For my readers who have never had a broody hen, you don’t know disgusting until you see a broody hen’s poop of the day.
I give my bunnies a shower when it’s hot here. Like the hens they hate it but it sure cools them off quickly. My friend who has her chickens & bunnies living together here had her hubby set up a misting system for them. Works great!!
I just ADORE the picture of Tina and Siouxsie! What personality!