Caring for Chickens in the Summer

There are different things you need to think about when it comes to caring for chickens in the summer, or different seasons in general.

As you can guess keeping fresh water on hand for your chickens is going to be extremely important in the summer.

Chickens dissipate excess heat from their combs, wattles, beaks, and feet. Meaning, any surface area that isn’t covered in their built-in down jackets!

Signs of Heat Stress – panting – breathing with beak open and tongue moving up and down – standing with wings out, away from the body – decreased appetite – pale or discolored waddles and/or combs

Provide Shade This is one of the most simple but crucial measures.

Cold Fresh Water Provide a constant supply of cold fresh water.

Cool Treats Provide cold, refreshing, high-moisture treats such as watermelon and other fruits and veggies.

Ventilate the Coop It is always recommended to provide good ventilation inside a chicken coop, but even more so in hot conditions.

Keep the Coop Clean During hot conditions, keep the coop as clean and tidy as possible. Reduce the bedding layer inside the coop to no more than 2 inches deep to prevent trapping in heat.

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