The temperatures in Las Vegas blow in at over 115 during the middle of summer. Keeping a flock of chickens cool and comfortable during these heat spells is an important task. My A-Frame Coop is set up just right now. After the Cornish Rock disaster in May, I made my chicken shelter a top priority.
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| A-Frame Chicken Coop Interior - The Chickens are right at home in their Gypsy camp coop. |
I know my coop looks a little ghetto, but it works and below I have shared a few tips and techniques that seem to keep these birds comfortable. A rigid schedule has to be maintained or the hens will not lay eggs out of discomfort. In the summer time, the coop needs to be cool enough to help the birds keep their body temperatures down. It also needs to be roomy enough for their grazing and pecking needs.
Video: A Visit to the Coop
First: Chickens Need Lots of Shade
The best coops and chicken shelters cast a wide shadow across the space a chicken has to graze in. Combine this with adequate scratch room, the hens will stay where they belong and be cool and cozy during heat waves. The shade in our coop area is achieved with a plywood roof, a bamboo screen, and an old dust ruffle with a white center sheet placed over areas that would be sun exposed. In cooler weather, the sheet will be removed. The more shade the better. The coop I managed to build is a bit ghetto and a little gypsy, but it works for the girl's needs.
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| Ghetto Coop |
Ideally, a coop should be entirely secure and invasion proof. Where I live there are no animals that would threaten my chickens so they are able to roam in and out as they like. If you have predatory animals secure hardware mesh down at least a foot surrounding your coop.
In the first image, you can see the roosting bar, the water containers, and a plastic box containing the chicken's feed. The shaded area is large enough to give them room to wander without being right on top of each other. The plaid flannel blocks sun from the west end while the odd white sheet with the dust ruffle reflects the sun off of the top of the coop. Ideally, I would have painted the roof white for the same effect. I am developing this coop as I go and as I see the need to alter it for the health of the birds.
There is a chicken wire fence running around the exterior of the structure, but I leave it open as of late because the hens climb up to the top of the a-frame roof and leap off into the garden. The roof section is about four feet tall. I'd rather not have them testing their wing capabilities. They only float down so there is a possibility for them to get hurt. Chickens do not fly very well.
Second: Chickens Need a Lot of Water
Water is essential to any living creature's survival. This goes without saying. It is the best way to keep an animal cool during extreme heat. Looking around the internet for ideas on keeping chickens cool, I found a few forum threads that suggested large tubs of water be set around coop areas. They mentioned ice and even mud for allowing the hens a place to cool their feet.  |
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Ice Therapy
I save half gallon milk jugs and rinse them as I use up the contents. They are then filled with water to about two inches from the lid area, sealed, and dropped in the deep freezer. They will be solid after about 5 hours. I rotate five or more of these in and out of the compartment as needed. I use four in the outdoor coop and two more large jugs in the small hutch I also keep. I use three five gallon buckets altogether. The ones in the A-Frame are kept with a lid on them so that I can reuse the water. It is usually cool and chills quickly when I change out the jugs. The idea here is to drop the interior temps by a few degrees and make the space more livable. The one in the hutch area is left open so the hens there can have an additional water source.  |
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Opt for An Air Cooler
I have been told that there are chicken folks that have a real shed for their birds complete with a swamp cooler or an A/C wall unit built right into the shed. I just love that idea, but at this time I cannot build something like that. That is one of those someday projects. I have looked around at different solutions and will invest in a unit such as this Honeywell Evaporative Air Cooler. This is an affordable piece of equipment and can be brought camping or to a beach area. It is something I am considering investing in.
The cooler will have to be placed in a box of some kind so that it does not collect bird droppings. It will be just the thing we need to deliver a cool area to these precious birds. The more comfortable a hen is the more likely they will produce eggs, even in the wretched months of summer.
Chicken Popsicles
There was a meme going around Facebook that showed a confetti of fruits and veggies frozen in ice. It looks like a nice snack for keeping chickens cool and entertained. The mix looked like about two cups of goodies to about four cups of water then frozen in a large bowl and removed for pecking. I have not made one of those, yet, but I do offer the hens watermelon occasionally. They are skeptical at first but once they taste it - it disappears fairly quickly. posted from Bloggeroid
Tuesday, May 31, 2016Summer Heat and Animal SafetyAlways Remember - Animals are Fragile!
The temperatures are rising outdoors and this means the additional danger of high heat comes with it. Our pet's health should be on the forefront of our concerns. I made a fatal mistake this week with my flock and this is something I am going to be upset about for quite some time. I feel the need to share it so that others do not make the same mistake I did. Prevent animal tragedies by studying the environment they will be sheltered in BEFORE you move them into that location.
Do not ever forget HEAT KILLS! A Backyard Flock
I am already experienced with egg laying hens and this year I thought I should learn all I could about chickens. This included the butchering process. I brought home four birds including two Cornish Rock hens in March. I now know that I do not possess the mind or heart that can do what needs to be done for a fresh chicken dinner. I can catch, clean, and eat a fish, no problem, but chickens are not something I can kill. I'm ok with that. The thought about getting these birds ready for the table was looming over me like a bad dream. What happened yesterday proves I am not capable of dressing a bird unless it is of extreme necessity. It also taught me the value of planning completely to ensure the safety of my animals.
I have a small set of chickens in my backyard and I felt the birds needed a bit more space to run around and be comfortable. They have a good sized hutch on a shady side of the property, but I wanted to give them a play yard. I thought that giving them room to roam in a fenced in area would be doing them some good. Little did I know that it would be a tragic event for two of my birds.
Cornish Rock Hens
The white chickens are a special breed specifically produced for meat. They are Cornish Rock hens. (Well, one is a hen the other is a rooster that crowed for the first time just this very morning.) The birds quickly put on weight. In a short time, they are too big to use their legs and will just sit and eat and drink until they are butchered. They have fragile hearts because of their fast growing bodies and are prone to heart attacks.
The chickens were getting huge. They are only a few days shy of three months old and they are the size of small turkeys. The feed store told me they would grow fast, but this was crazy fast. At just two weeks old they had already doubled the size of their adopted sibling sisters.
Free Ranging Chickens
Free ranging chickens are certainly happier birds, but I am told chickens don't really care where they are as long as they are fed, their water is clean and so is their coop. They just go about their chicken business fairly happy where ever they are. I have seen this with all of my flocks. They generally just mutter along through the day. They do get chattery around feeding time and that is all the fuss I have had from my birds.
I let them out to run as often as possible, but I am very cautious about time outside. A free ranging flock with peck at everything laying in the area they have access to. My small flock last year destroyed my garden beds both flower and vegetable. Funny, they never bothered my herb bed. (Preseasoned chickens anyone?)
An issue arose that had me feeling guilty about keeping my birds hutch bound constantly. I wanted them to free range, but I also needed to protect my garden which had I had invested quite a bit of time and funds to establish. I want them to have a good life with me and I care for each of them as if they were little kids. The idea arose to give them a run so they could stretch their wings and legs and allow them roaming room. I designed a pen area with a small triangular shelter and went to work on the plan. Mind you this is still in beta test mode....
Outdoor Sheltering
As I thought about the new coop I would build I came up with a solution that would be multi-purpose. I built a lovely triangular shelter. The idea was to allow the birds to step up onto a small shelf in the unit and be protected from the sun. It would have hay on it for comfort and be easily accessible for a resting bird. I would add a box underneath to double as a nesting box and add roost bars and an extended roof later. They are not laying eggs yet, so the nesting box can wait. For now it would give the birds a yard to roam in. It would also double as a wintering shelter. The interior would have a small hook to attach a heat lamp. There would be a safe distance between heat source and animals and hay. I could use it as a brooder, too, if I needed. One would only have to set a plastic bin in the space under the lamp and the chicks would be comfortable and safe.
The yard area was about seven feet by seven. I drove in the fence posts last week. The coop was set inside the pen area and I strung up the chicken wire but I had not secured it completely. I still had a lot of work to do here. It was usable as is - fenced with four-foot high chicken wire and secured. I thought they were safe. Or so I believed. I did not account for the effect of the full sun on the shelter's full afternoon temperatures.
A Tragic Move
I placed their water and their food out in the pen. I set a shade cloth up over the back end of the run so the shade would help protect the birds. I put them out in the chicken yard in the morning on Monday and the last I looked in on them it was around 9:30 am. I went to get my rest for the night and did not check back on them until 2:30 in the afternoon. They were delighted. Pecking grass and ground, they milled around exploring their new home.
When I woke back up, I went to see how the chickens were doing. To my horror, both the white birds were laying on the shelter shelf. Both of these beautiful birds had died. The other birds were sitting up around them unharmed. I am not sure if it was the heat or their hearts, but. I was crushed. What started off as an idea to help them cost these two sweet-faced birds their lives. I couldn't have done any worse if I had thrown these birds in my car and shut the door on them. I will carry this tragic accident with me for a lifetime. The Memorial Day weekend will always stick in my mind as this day, this sad moment.
Prevent Animal Tragedies
Examine the area you want to shelter your animals. What is the high temperature during the hottest day of the year where you live? This day was still somewhat cool where I live and it still killed these birds. Put a lot of time and research into what you will be providing for your animals. Please, do what you can to explore every option before you put an animals life in danger unknowingly. Mistakes like this do not have to happen if you plan ahead and you plan well.
This situation may have been avoided if I had set a thermometer up in the shelter and observed it. It would have also been prevented if I had just brought the chickens back to their shady area before I went in for my day's sleep. This accident has left me grieving birds I was going to butcher. It just goes to show me how I would have felt had I wielded a hatchet on them.
Be Prepared for Pets and Summer Heat
Prepare always to prevent harm to any animal you have. Keep an eye on your dog when you are opening the car doors. People I know in Florida has a puppy get in their car and they did not notice it there until it was too late. My dog constantly tries to get in my car when I return with groceries. His want for a ride may cost him his life. I double check my car before I lock it up. I make sure he is never in there with the windows up. I take him with me if I am going to be away from the car for any length of time or I leave him safely home.
During hot months, bring your animals inside or somewhere cool. Give them lots of water. Keep them safe and comfortable. Preparedness for your animals is as important as prep for your family. They are family whether they have fur or feathers...
Rest in peace Henry and Henrietta.
Keeping Chickens Cool Articles: http://www.thehappychickencoop.com/7-ways-to-keep-your-chickens-cool-during-summer/#comment-7261 http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/beat-heat-helping-chickens-survive-high.html Chickens in the BackyardThe Cost Of Fresh EggsPlease, check with your local ordinances before purchasing your chicks. The neighborhood I live in allows up to three in the yard without a rooster.
Raising these birds were challenging, but rewarding. They needed me to feed them twice a day, provide fresh water, and clean cage droppings on a regular basis. You must be ready to spend a few minutes several times a day to keep your flock healthy. The times I check the prices on a dozen eggs at the store tells me I am doing the right thing. Free range, brown eggs are up to $4.62 a dozen. That is pricey protein and ridiculous when you realize you have space and dedication for raising your own egg laying birds. When you figure the cost of eggs, it becomes clear that homegrown eggs are cost effective if you account for the cost of the eggs, the cost of storing them, the time it takes to shop, and the unknown factor of how these birds were raised. The initial price of the chicks is under $3 for a basic laying hen. The feed runs around $17 and will last about a month. They take a twice a day routine to feed, water, and maintain. I feed mine when I wake and when I get home from work. Generally, 5 pm and 5 am are good times to tend the coop. |
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| Egg Holder |
How To Tell If An Egg Is Fresh
I mark my eggs with a permanent ink marker so that I can track its freshness. The eggs I give away are alway less than ten days old.
Drop an egg into a deep bowl of water and if it floats it is to be discarded. Eggs build up a space of oxygen as they age. A fresh egg will sink right to the bottom of the container. Dry the shell before cracking so as not to drop the exterior matter into your cooking project.
Should You Sell The Extra Eggs?
That question is explored in this very entertaining video. There are quite a few things to know about fresh farm eggs. The condition of the yolk is generally brighter than store bought eggs. The shells are slightly different and of course, there may be details present in a fresh egg that are not found in eggs produced in high quantity farms.
People that are used to the bleached white shells and light-yellow yolks may not be comfortable with a fresh, grass fed chicken egg.
Egg Recipes
Eggs are fairly easy to prepare, A list of ways to use up your egg stock is a great way to rotated the gathered goods and keep the menu fresh, too. This might read like the shrimp list from Bubba's dialog in the movie Forest Gump. If you find there is something left out of the list, be sure to add it in the comments area below.
- Fried
- Scrambled
- Boiled
- Poached
- Egg Sandwiches
- Breakfast Burritos
- Omelets
- Quiche
- Stir Fry
- Egg Pancakes
- French Toast
- Baked Goods
- Egg Drop Soup
While I am sure there are more recipes for eggs, this is a hefty list and should help with the egg rotation.
What To Do With All Those Egg Shells
Egg shells are high in calcium and are easily ground into a meal that can be placed in the backyard garden area for soil additive. The shells can be processed through a grinder or hand crushed for easy distribution. It is a great way to add this vital mineral when planting new tomatoes or peppers and various other plants. Just add a few sprinklings of the shells when setting the roots.
Word has it that they can also be given back to the chickens for assistance in their egg production. I have been told this by several chicken farmers. Simply sprinkle the small pieces around their scratch area. While I do not care for this use, I can see the reasoning. To me it is like eating one's own fingernails. Its kinda gross, but some things about keeping chickens are a bit distasteful.
Set the shells aside so that they may dry completely. I do not rinse them out. When they are set, I bag them up and wait for a day when I have the time to do the crushing and then add them to a glass jar to keep them for later use.
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