Chickens are the perfect examples of power rangers; in laying eggs, digging soil, and entertaining us, these curious birds are the best.
We love to see them playing, crawling, and peaking in the sunlight of midsummer days. But summer temperatures are the real enemy of chickens which is generally the prime cause of heat stress and overheating.
The main mantra of having a full flock of happy and productive chickens is to keep them cool and hydrated.
Therefore, you need to know, “what temperature is too hot for chickens?” Well, this article is all about the temperature and tips for reducing heat exhaustion. Read along to know more about the ideal temperature for chickens!
What temperature is too hot for chickens
The normal temperature tolerance of a chicken’s body is around 103.0F°. Therefore, more than 103.0F° temperature is harmful to chickens’ health and upbringing!
Yet, you should observe the flock’s condition. If the weather is too hot and the temperature increases between 78 to 90 degrees, one should start cooling their chickens. Make sure the coop is placed in a breezy and shady area.
It will be best if you install a cooling fan inside the coop. On hot sunny days, try to wet the surrounding soils of the coops. Also, sprinkle water on them regularly. It will help them to tolerate hot temperatures and humidity. Here are the build a Chicken coop out of pallets if you are interested.
How Chickens Cool Themselves
We humans generally do sweat in unbearable hot weather. It helps us to stay cool and calm. But chickens don’t have sweat glands.
Hence, their body process of absorbing heat is completely different from ours. The normal temperature tolerance of a chicken’s body is around 103.0F°. So, more than 103.0F° temperature is harmful for chickens’ health and upbringing.
When the temperature is higher than normal temperature, chickens start to disperse moisture through their breath. High heat makes the chicken lethargic and droopy.
They drink too much water to stay cool in hot weather. It helps them to maintain the PH balance of their body.
Drinking an extreme amount of water helps chickens to reduce the chance of having heat stress. Also, Chickens spread and flutter their wings to release their body heat.
Sign of heat stress in chickens
When the ambient temperature reaches 80 degrees, it becomes very difficult for the chicken to survive. Heat stress is caused by increased temperature. The normal temperature of a chicken is 103° to 104°.
Therefore it’s quite clear that chickens can easily tolerate the freezing weather. Overheat and Heat stress can lead to damaged organs, egg deformation, and death. One should take necessary steps as soon as they see the following signs of heat stress.
- Rapid breathing and panting is the most common sign of heat stress.
- Combs and wattles become pale and dull due to heat stress.
- Start to display droopy and inactive behaviors.
- Chickens stopped growing and gaining weight.
- Chickens will face major problems in hatching and laying eggs.
- Chickens start producing deformed and soft-shelled eggs.
- They stopped eating and drinking water.
Necessary ways to keep your chickens cool in the hot temperature
Almost all the signs and symptoms of heat stress are quite alarming. A lot of people drop the plan of raising chickens due to this summer temperature crisis. But you don’t have to worry!
Fortunately, minimal intervention and precautions are enough to keep your chickens cool in hot weather. Following tips and measurements will help you to keep your chickens cool at high temperatures.
Fundamental care:
Always stay updated about the weather and environment where you want to keep your chickens. Observe your chickens behavior and stay ready for every response from them.
Try to give them nutritious freezing treats. Avoid offering food which requires excessive time to digest. Such as corn and grain.
Make sure that your selected place temperature is not more than 90°. Otherwise, it will become too risky and uncomfortable for your flock.
Provide comfortable shade:
The most simple and important precaution is to arrange a comfortable shady place to rejoice on hot days. A dust bathing area will keep them cool and refreshing on sunny days. Chickens love to rest under the shade on sunny days. Therefore, designed the yard with several roosts under the sunshade of the trees.
Availability of cold water:
Make sure your flock has enough sources of clean fresh water. In the summertime, if chickens do not get a sufficient amount of water they will suffer from seizures. They need to drink water often to survive.
It’s best to add some ice cubes or frozen treats to their sources of water. Also, make sure to place the water containers in a cold place with enough shade.
If your chickens are already suffering from heat stress, then add some electrolytes to their waterer. It will keep them refreshed and hydrated.
Dunk chickens frequently in water:
Though it sounds extreme, it is also an option to keep your chicken cold in hot weather. If your chicken is constantly showing all the signs of overheat, then you need to go with this way. This is the quickest process to save chickens from heat strokes.
You will be surprised to know that, chickens actually love to dunk on a cold bucket of water. 1 to 2 minutes is enough to cool the chicken’s internal body temperature.
Still Have Questions?
What hot temperature can chickens tolerate?
Overheating is deadly for chickens’ health. Though, chickens are adaptable to weather fluctuations. But they become inactive and lazy in hot weather. It’s wise to keep them in moderate or cold weather. Usually, chickens can tolerate 100° to 104° Fahrenheit. It may also create major problems in a chicken’s egg-laying process.
Can chickens handle heat?
Yes, chicken can tolerate heat. Their body is made in such a way that it can adapt to any weather. They have more capacity to handle warm temperatures than humans. But if the temperature is closer to 100 degrees Fahrenheit then it will become too dangerous for them.
Can hot weather kill chickens?
Heat can be a severe issue for chickens. If the temperature reaches 40ºC (104ºF), humidity becomes a serious matter for chickens. Overheat leads to heat stroke which is fatal for Chickens. In fact, 20ºC (68ºF) is also harmful to chickens. Because it may cause mild heat stress.
Can I spray my chickens with water?
Yes, you can do it to keep your chicken cool and dehydrated. Chickens actually love to have water spewed on them. Chickens get very stressed and annoyed during high temperatures. Therefore, keep a spray bottle of cold water or flower mist. Daily water spraying will help ones to keep chicken stress-free and cool.
Can chickens get too hot in their coop?
Sometimes chickens get overheat on their coop due to the closed detention. So you should keep the temperature of the coop tolerable and moderate. Keeping the coop cool is necessary to make your chickens comfortable and fresh during excessively hot weather. Use a dull or dusty roof to cover the coop. Also, clean the surface and litter regularly.
Should chicken coop doors close at night?
Yes, chicken coop doors need to be closed at night. It will protect them from nighttime predators. If you face any problem in closing the door of the coop, buy an automated door. You might wonder how the chickens could gather at night time. But, you don’t have to worry because they will return to the coop automatically as soon as it gets dark.
What do I do if my chickens are in extreme heat?
To keep the chicken chilled and cool every farmer should follow some measurements. Fundamentally arrange a shady space for your chickens. Make sure your chickens can get an adequate amount of water daily. To keep the rangers refreshed you can add ice or frozen treats to the water jar. Also, don’t forget to ventilate the coop regularly.
How do you tell if your chickens are too hot?
It’s not so difficult to understand whether the chickens are overheated or not. Generally, chickens spread their wings whenever they feel too hot. Chickens comb and waddle lose color and fade due to overheating. Also, chickens stop laying eggs when they feel discomfort or extremely hot. Misshapen eggs are the biggest alarm for you to understand that your chickens are overheated.
Closing Thoughts
What temperature is too hot for chicken is not difficult to find out actually. Besides detecting the temperature, this article will also give you all information about keeping chickens cool, hydrated, and secure in excessive heat weather.
Like humans and other animals chickens also get irritated during high heat. Overheat is the prime cause of chemical imbalance in their body.
What’s more, Heat exhaustion can create a large negative impact on chickens hearts and lungs which leads to seizures and death.
No animal will suffer for a long time in hot and uncomfortable weather. Hence, it’s our responsibility to keep the temperature ambient for chickens.
