Beat the Heat: Hot Tips For Keeping Your Chickens Cool This Summer

August is hot. You’re hot. Your chickens are hot. 🥵

But unlike people, chickens can’t cool off at the community pool, eat popsicles, or sit inside in front of an air conditioner. Or can they?  💦🍦🥶 

Keeping chickens cool in summer is critical for their health and comfort. In this blog, our EGGsperts share tips for helping your flock beat the heat. ️🐓 

Let’s dive in!

1. Keep The Fresh Water Flowing

Nothing is more important than keeping chickens hydrated 💧 and that can be a challenge, especially in the summer. Here’s our advice:  

• Use a large capacity chicken waterer (or multiple waterers) that will hydrate your whole flock for at least a full day.  
• Use a Float Valve Kit with your watering system to keep fresh, cool water flowing as your chickens drink.  
• Avoid dark colored poultry waterers that absorb heat from the sun.  
• If possible, keep your waterers, hoses, and any other water sources in the shade.  
• Refresh water daily – and do this chore in the cooler, early morning if possible.  
• We recommend Auto-Fill Cups or Big Auto-Fill Cups, which allow your chickens to wet their wattles while they drink, helping to keep them cool.  

✨ Pro tip: Freeze recycled water bottles and place frozen bottles in your chicken waterer to keep the water cool. Or you can use blocks of ice – direct from your ice maker or freeze your own in any size container. 🧊

2. Keep the Breezes Blowing

Proper ventilation in your chicken coop is important year-round, but in the summer it is imperative to keep the air moving. Your flock may spend the majority of their day outside, but the hens will come in to lay their eggs. The coop should be a shelter, not a sauna! 🌡️

• Every chicken coop should have vents positioned near the roof, so hot air can escape as it rises.  
• Cover your coop windows with predator-proof screens so you can open them up and let the air flow. 🪟

• Consider adding fans to keep the air moving. Make sure the fans have enclosed blades for safety! Place frozen jugs or blocks of ice in front of the fans for an air conditioning effect! 💨
• Keep the air moving after the sun goes down! If you can, leave your predator-proof windows or vents open to let the cooler night air in.  

3. Throw Some Shade ☀️

No, we’re not talking about a hen’s expert use of side-eye. 😒 Chickens love the sun, but they need to be able to retreat to the shade to cool down when necessary. 

• If your run isn’t covered, hang a tarp or shade cloth over the top, or position one in your yard. 
• Plant fast-growing bushes or sunflowers near your coop or run, or fence in areas that have existing tree coverage.  
• Set up umbrellas or a temporary lean-to style structure. ⛱️

•  Make sure your chickens have access to their coop, or another structure.  

4. Snacks and Chill   🍉

Cool them off with healthy, hydrating snacks!  

• Watermelon, cucumber, or zucchini  
• Fresh, leafy greens, fodder, or foraging  
• Frozen vegetables or fruits – Try freezing fruits and veggies in a muffin tin with water. 🧊 This fun DIY frozen treat for chickens also provides peck-able enrichment for your flock!   

⚠️ Remember that treats and snacks should make up no more than approximately 10% of a chickens’ overall diet.  

🔮 Should you skip the corn and corn-based scratch during the summer? It’s true that corn is high in carbohydrates and uses more energy to digest. However, corn shouldn’t be a problem if it’s fed as part of a balanced diet - and as long as your flock has access to a well-ventilated coop, plenty of shade, and fresh, cool water.  

5. Summer Chicken Care / Life Hacks  🛁

During a heat wave, step up your summer chicken care game with these hacks: 

• Set up a mister on low to gently cool the air in the run. ❄️
• Fill a shallow pan with a few inches of cool water. Add some ice cubes and bricks for the chickens to stand on. Your chickens will love having a spa moment! 
• Freeze blueberries or cut other fruit into small pieces and use it to fill your treat dispensers! Enrichment + hydration = the happiest, coolest chickens on the block! 🫐

  

6. Know the Signs of Heat Stress 🚨

Some chicken breeds are better suited for warmer climates and will adjust more easily to high temperatures. Breeds with larger combs, smaller bodies, and lighter colored feathers, such as Leghorns, tend to be more heat tolerant.  

Even when we take precautions, some birds may still struggle. 🥵 Chickens cannot sweat, so it’s important to know the signs of heat stress in chickens: 

• Panting or open-mouth breathing
• Lethargy
• Wings held away from body
• Pale or discolored combs and wattles 

If you notice those signs, act fast!

• Move the chicken to a shady or cool area.  
• Mist the chicken with cool (not cold) water, or gently dip her feet, legs, and belly in cool water. Do not use ice or cold water - a rapid drop in body temperature can cause shock. 💦
• Provide an electrolyte solution (homemade or store bought).  
• Keep the chicken indoors or in a cool space for 24 hours or so, to observe her behavior.
• Provide hydrating and nutritious foods, such as watermelon, grubs, and scrambled eggs, and lots of fresh, cool water. 🐛
• Do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian if the chicken doesn't steadily improve. 🏥

🌟 Bonus tip: Free range your chickens in the evenings, when the sun is not at it's hottest, and both you and your flock can enjoy being outdoors. 

Peace of Mind

At RentACoop, we're here for every step and every season of your chicken-keeping journey. Take a look at some of our most popular summertime solutions below, and if you have any questions or need more summer chicken care tips, reach out to our EGGsperts anytime at info@rentacoop.com!

Coolest regards,

~The RentACoop Team 🐓💙