Spicy or Mild?

God it's hot. Here's what we are dealing with and I swear its even hotter than 102 degrees. That lovely red exclamation mark isn't a thunderstorm advisory. That my friends is a heat advisory saying to stay your ass indoors. I can't do it anymore, I just can't. I live outside when I'm not rotting in the box(work) and this weather just makes me grumpy. 


Not only that, it's like a full time job trying to keep these ladies from frying. I read on the Poultry Forum that a few people have lost chickens yesterday and today from the heat. I go to great lengths to keep mine alive. The following are tips you can do to keep your ladies healthy in this heat. 


*A box fan on high in the shade with a bag or block of ice in front of it. It acts like a swamp cooler in some ways and cools the air significantly around that area, sometimes even ten-fifteen degrees. The girls even like to stand on the ice and cool their feet while the fan blows on them. I do this when it's deadly hot like today, over a hundred degrees. And I happened to find a nice man who sells ice for 99 cents. What what. 
Exhibit A: I think Bridget even has goose bumps. 

*Electrolytes in their water(any feed store should have these for poultry)

*Lots of Shade!

*I have a mister that is set on a timer. It goes off twice a day. I put the box fan by it and the girls love it. It also cools the area around and when the mister is off, the ground is still wet. They like to put their little bellies on the moist ground and that cools them as well. 

Here's the set up I use. It's high tech I tell ya. 

*Cold frozen treats. Stick a cucumber or tomato in the freezer and let it freeze. Give it to them and they will be your best friend. 

*Ice in their waterer

I have yet to lose one so far. Last year was ridiculously hot and this year is looking like it's going to be the same. Grrrrr.