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- Dealing with Summer Heat
Summertime brings environmental conditions that backyard poultry flocks must cope with. Birds need to maintain a constant body temperature in order to get rid of excess heat through their build in body mechanisms they use to get rid of heat.
Birds sometimes spread their wings out from their bodies to increase surface area to increase heat loss. Other times you might notice them lying in shady areas or in contact with a cool surface. Another option is to use fans on birds such as the commercial poultry houses use to move air over the birds to cool them.
In order to deal with heat, utilize management practices that help maximize the bird’s ability to get rid of heat. Some important things a backyard flock owner can do are as follows:
Provide water to prevent dehydration. Birds cool themselves through panting which works because of moisture evaporating in the lungs. Without water poultry can die very quickly. Cool water helps birds keep cool and increase water consumption, while hot water can lower consumption. Keep waterers out of direct sunlight and replace water often to help keep it cooler.
Eating and digesting feed produces heat. Feeding birds during cooler hours of the day will help.
Shade provides a place to get out of direct sunlight and reduces radiation heat from the sun. Shady areas will be cooler and provide relief from the heat. Caution, sometimes birds will move to the darkest areas even if it is hotter than less shaded areas. If this area is enclosed and does not have good air movement the radiant heat from the birds can cause a rapid temperature increase and death in birds.
Air movement over the birds is one of the best ways to help birds maintain their body temperature during hot weather. Try to place housing to take advantage of air movement. Remove brush and low hanging limbs close to chicken enclosure to increase air movement. Keep wire and pens clean and free of debris. Fans can be used to help with cooling.
Humidity can cause problems. As the humidity increases it becomes more difficult for birds to dispel heat. Increase ventilation during these times.
Sometimes growers spray water or dunk birds to wet them during hot weather. This can lower body temperature but if birds are housed in an enclosed area with no ventilation this can lead to an increase in humidity causing problems.
Maintain birds in good pasture by watering the area where they are going to be. Green vegetation is cooler than dead vegetation and bare ground.
Meat type birds have a harder time cooling themselves than smaller egg type birds. Also lowering the number of birds in areas allows them to spread out to more to reduce heat.