Hot weather - hens struggling!

[Sue]

Is everyone else's birds struggling with this hot weather? I have three birds who have Myco/IB who are struggling. They are walking around with their beaks wide open and obviously struggling to keep cool. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep hens cool in this weather? They have lots of fresh water containers around the run and are obviously drinking it. Their poos are very watery, which has not been helped because I have just had to inject them with more Tylan because they were getting very wheezy. The wheeziness is now a bit better. I have posted another query about the Tylan.

 

[Wrigley62]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QS9vImpq2lE

Hi Sue, this is a youtube video that I saw a couple of weeks ago. The lady hooked up a couple of small fans to keep her girls cool. It's worth a shot.

 

[karminski]

sorry to hear girls are not to good all i can say is make sure theres as much shady areas as poss i have 2 of mine go around with beaks open etc and its worried me a bit .

 

[chrismahon]

Ours are all a bit hot but fortunately there are plenty of trees and the breeze has got up. We just have to keep an eye on the waters to make sure none get knocked over or poo'd in.

Hotter in France but less humid. They will be living in a wood so great in Summer but Winter may be a problem.

 

[Gavin1985]

Our hens seem to be doing not too bad. Got up to 28 today (South west scotland) though it's been low to mid 20's for the past 4/5 days now. Been checking them regularly and they seem to be ok. Not very active during the mid afternoon but not too hot either.

 

[Drumbeater]

My ladies are doing OK, although it's been extremely hot. They're roaming round the garden, and spending most of their time under the bushes where it's cooler. They're also taking soil baths using the slightly damp soil in what used to be the flower beds.

 

[Sue]

The problem is my girls started eating all the greenery in and around their run so we had to move it, so they haven't got much left now!!!

 

[BabyBantam]

Just an idea - could you water down one of their dust bath areas with water from the fridge so it's cool and damp? I've got the opposite problem, mine need suncream as have taken to lolling about sunbathing with legs and wings at all sorts of odd angles. Very amusing to watch, but frightened the life out of me the first time I spotted them.