Although chickens aren't scared of water, they're not particularly fond of it. Chickens' feathers are water-resistant and work as a raincoat. So spraying them with water won't cool them; you'll have to soak them to get the water to their skin. It'll just give extra stress.
They may enjoy walking through a cool puddle to cool their feet off, and a nice mist can cool surrounding air temperatures by up to 20 degrees. If you live in an area where hot weather is a regular occurrence, setting up a mister system is a great way to help keep your chickens cool.
Chickens cool themselves by panting – so cooling the air with a fine mist or wetting down the ground and their dust bathing area (with a hose) is very useful. You're not trying to wet the birds, just the surrounding air.
Remember, chicken feathers are merely water-resistant. A hard rain or a long time out in wet weather can saturate the feathers beyond their ability to repel the moisture. And if that dampness is combined with prolonged chilly weather and damp ground, it can be a recipe for potential health issues.
On a normal day hens' don't really care to get wet, but in the heat they will tolerate wetness because it cools them down. Using the mister two or three times a day will cut back on the amount of water you use and be less likely to create a muddy mess in the coop.
Chickens may not like sprinklers but they LOVE misters. Believe it or not, chickens don't mind a little water to paddling about in. Many backyard pool owners who have chickens have often reported that their hens like to float around like a duck.
Wind and rain can cause a chicken's feathers to become waterlogged, causing the cold to penetrate to the skin and making it difficult to maintain body temperature (like wearing wet clothes on a cold day). This is why it's really important for their feathers to stay as clean and dry as possible.
You may have some hens that are more than happy to hang out in a rain shower, or peck through the puddles in the aftermath. But, some chickens may avoid precipitation at all costs. As a general rule, hens will seek shelter once a sprinkle becomes more of a drenching experience than an enjoyable shower.
Chicken feathers are somewhat waterproof, so letting them out is fine. Letting your birds out prevents overcrowding, boredom and the diseases that go along with a wet chicken coop. Not all birds appreciate going out, but almost all will seek shelter and dry off before they get dangerously soaked.
Neglecting to clean out your chicken coop regularly puts your flock at risk of infection. People who don't clean out their chicken coops regularly can lose chickens to diseases that could easily be prevented with regular cleaning.
Make a spray out of the following:
one tablespoon of garlic powder or crushed garlic, one teaspoon of clove powder and/or thyme and/or wormwood added to two cups of lukewarm water. (Clove, thyme or wormwood essential oils can be used instead.) Spray the birds twice weekly with this solution.
–Chickens do not like to have water sprayed on them, but if temperatures are very high, and the chickens seem worrisomely stressed, go ahead and give adult chickens a light misting with the garden hose or spray bottle.
In high temperatures, chickens will drink up to twice as much water as during temperate conditions. If birds do not have quality water, they are less likely to eat or lay eggs. Here's how to keep chickens cool through hydration: Provide extra waterers so each bird always has access.
Chickens don't like drinking lukewarm water, they like drinking nice cold water. So when you're heating the water, make sure you don't heat it up too much. The purpose of heating the water should be to prevent it from freezing. To heat the water you can either make your own heater or buy a pre-made solution.
Placing Your Feeders & Waterers
They function best if placed in the run instead of inside the coop. Chickens don't usually eat after they go to roost, which is about 30 minutes before dusk. The best place for your feeder and waterer is where your chickens spend the most time during the day.
Keep the Water Clean and Palatable
Nobody likes to drink dirty water, including chickens. Water that contains pine shavings, dirt or poop may cause chickens to stop drinking. Chicken also prefer cool water, making it necessary to re-up their waterer more in the summer months than in the wintertime.
Yep – your chickens can definitely eat bananas!
Bananas are a lovely treat for your flock and a great way to make use of the overripe ones. However, they are high in sugar, so moderation is key.
Install a roof to protect your chickens from the elements such as rain or snow. Always ensure the roof is high enough though to allow the chickens to get plenty of natural sunlight. The other obvious benefit of a roof is it will stop rain drenching the chicken run.
A rainy day can be a good day for a chicken to forage more widely than normal. On overcast days, the extra cloud cover can provide a little additional camouflage from flying predators. To chickens, rain and fog are opportunities!
A chicken's body temperature lowers when it loses more heat than it can produce. Huddling together, holding a foot up to their breast, or puffing their feathers are all signs that your chickens may be cold. Prolonged cold stress can reduce performance and lead to death.
Depending on where you live in Australia, the climate can pose a threat to your chooks. It can be roasting in some parts of Australia, and freezing in others – frequently, chooks can experience both of these extremes within a pretty short space of time.
On sunny days, chickens will position themselves to absorb the sun's warmth, and on cold nights, they will huddle together in a tight group to share body heat. Chickens can even slightly lower their internal metabolism to better resist cold snaps.