Summer is here which means your backyard chooks will need a little extra TLC to help them thrive through the warm months. Before you leave home for the day, check what the temperature is going to be, and ensure your birds are adequately protected from the heat.

1. Provide Adequate Shade

• Place your coops and chicken runs under trees and vines for shade. 

• If you cannot grow anything in the short term, then shade cloth or hessian (burlap) is a great help. 

• Letting your chooks out to free range for the day means they can find their own cool spot.

Allow chooks to free range and find a shady spot to keep cool, like this hen heading for the mulberry tree.

2. Keep the Coop Cool

Small coops turn into ovens very quickly in hot weather. 

• Spray down the roof. A coop with a water sprayer on the tin roof will be 10 degrees cooler inside on a hot day. 

• Use fans to keep the air flowing inside the coop. Go for battery or solar operated fans if you don’t have access to power.

• Avoid overcrowding, making sure there’s enough room for all chickens.

• Large bowls of water which they can stand in are also a great asset in hot weather. Put a brick in the large bowl so the birds can easily climb out. 

3. Serve Cool, Fresh Water

Poultry will not drink hot water so they will dehydrate very quickly without access to cool water. When dehydrated they won’t eat. So providing access to cool, fresh water is crucial.

• Small quantities of water get hot very quickly; offer large bowls or troughs to keep the contents cooler.

• Place frozen ice bottles or ice cubes in the water bowls help to keep them cool.

• Give your chooks multiple water sources or consider installing an automatic water system to make sure they’ve always got water on hand.

Ensure chooks have ample supply of cool, fresh water throughout the day, and consider adding electrolytes to help prevent dehydration.

4. Adjust Feeding Routines

• Serve food in the cool of the mornings and evenings, and avoid heavy feeding in the heat of the day as this can actually increase a chook’s body temperature.

• Offer frozen fruit or veg such as frozen peas, watermelon or corn as a cooling, nutritious treat.

• Avoid sugary and salty foods as these can dehydrate your chickens even more.

5. Provide a Dust Bath Station

• Create a dust bath station in the shade where the birds can bathe and regulate their body temperature. 

• Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth in the dust to help with pest prevention.

Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled in the dust of your dust bath station or in nesting boxes can help prevent pests.

6. Give Water Soluble Vitamins

Chooks and other birds can become vitamin depleted in hot weather as they sweat, losing soluble vitamins such as vitamin C. 

• Give water soluble vitamins before and during hot weather to help your birds cope and recover better. 

7. Be Alert for Signs of Heat Stress

Even with all the tips above, chooks may still experience heat stress. Monitor your chooks for warning signs such as:

• Panting and rapid breathing

• Holding wings away from the body

• Loss of appetite

• Lethargy or slow movements

• Discoloured combs and wattles

What to do if you notice signs of heat stress:

• Move the chicken to a cool location

• Offer cool water

• Use fans and misters to cool the area further

• Add electrolytes and water soluble vitamins to the water

• Use a damp cloth to gently cool combs and wattles

May you and your chooks be happy this summer!

For further information about caring for chickens we recommend readingBackyard Poultry - Naturally by Alanna Moore.