With summer upon us, the days are getting hot – something your chooks are pretty sensitive to. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you maintain your flock’s comfort throughout the season.

Chickens really do feel the full brunt of summer heat.  In January we’re focusing on what you can do for their environment to reduce their stress levels. Just like humans, when it gets really hot we prefer a bit of space.  Take a look at your flock’s coop and run, if there are signs of bullying or they’ve gone off laying.  They may be feeling stressed.  Consider expanding their space, or create separate areas for some chooks.

Thank you to everyone who shared photos and videos of their flock living their best summer lives! Stay hydrated!

Champion Layer

  • 16.5% protein
  • 4% calcium
  • Short cut pellet
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Grains & Greens

  • 18.5% protein
  • 4% calcium
  • Grain, seed and Lucerne mix
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Golden Yolk

  • Probiotic to improve gut health and help manage heat stress.
  • 15.% protein
  • 4% calcium
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Top Layer

  • 16.5% protein
  • 4% calcium
  • Mash
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Ensure they have shelter from the sun

Your hen house should insulate your hens against extreme temperatures, especially radiant heat.  Excessive heat can put your chooks under stress, halting their egg production.

Make sure your flock has ample space to spread out

Chickens lack sweat glands so need space to regulate their temperature. They cool down by spreading their wings and using their plumage to move air across their bodies.

Ensure easy access to feeder, drinker and nesting boxes

Making sure that your chickens have everything they need within close proximity can prevent them moving too far and overheating.

Ensure they have cool, fresh water at all times

Like all living things chickens need to stay hydrated. Pay particular attention to the temperature of the water during the summer. Try and avoid black plastic containers, as they will heat up very quickly in the sun.

Provide access to dirt for dust bathing

Dust bathing is a great way for chickens to cool themselves down. It removes direct sunlight from their feathers and skin, cooling them down. You may notice that they will also dig down into the dirt to find comfort in the cooler layers of the dirt.

MicrosoftTeams-image_Humidity

To learn more about taking care of chooks in summer read this months article:

Keeping Cool, No Sweat

The fact that chickens don’t have sweat glands means that we have to ensure we take steps to help them to keep cool during summer. This is even more important in regions that experience high humidity.

Find out what can you do to keep your chooks cool.

READ MORE

Summer can be hard on hens.

Our Chook Book is a free guide that contains everything you need to know about caring for your girls.

Download a free PDF copy of the Chook Book today

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