Surviving the Summer Heat: A Chicken's Guide to Staying Cool

After traveling to the gorgeous Smoky Mountains with my family last week, I realized that the summer heat in Michigan is nothing compared to the heat of the South. However, it has been quite hot! The only thing thriving in this sauna are the ten monster-sized zucchinis we found growing in our garden after being gone for five days. Thankfully, my neighbor's little boys thought our overgrown zucchinis looked like bazookas, so they had quite a fun afternoon playing with them. Kids out in the country have so much fun with simple outdoor things! Of course, I saved a couple of monsters to make zucchini boats and zucchini bread for my family.

Keep cool, it's HOT outside!

Fortunately, for most people, the summer heat is manageable with a nice cold pool, lots of ice cream, and a working air conditioner. Unfortunately for my chickens, my husband is not extending an open invitation for my feathered flock to enjoy the air conditioning inside our house.

Understanding Chickens and Heat

Chickens greatly prefer cold temperatures over hot. The harsh winter weather is much easier for them to handle than the summer heat. The main reason for this is that a chicken's natural body temperature is around 107 degrees Fahrenheit, which is significantly hotter than our 98.6 degrees. On top of having a higher body temperature than humans, chickens are covered with feathers that trap heat easily. Most of our winter coats are filled with goose feathers to help insulate against a cold breeze. Chickens have that feather insulation for both summer and winter, which doesn't help them with the heat. This is also why people do not need to heat their coops in the winter. Chickens LOVE the cold!

To help them through the hot summer months, chickens must have a constant supply of water and shade. Without these, they can easily suffer from heat stress or heart attacks. I have about ten water stations throughout the farm that I restock daily with cold well water. Sugary treats like watermelon and frozen corn should also be limited in their diet, as sugar increases their body temperature.

I've placed several fans in the roosting and egg-laying areas to keep the stagnant air moving and to deter flies. However, sometimes even those tactics aren't enough to help. I had a hen pass away from the heat this week while trying to lay an egg, so I'm not kidding when I say that chickens absolutely cannot stand summer. It's quite hard on their bodies.

The Importance of Dirt Baths

Dirt baths are a BIG way chickens try to regulate their body temperature. During this time of year, I find them taking unlimited dirt baths. Other farm animals, such as pigs and horses, use the same tactic. Dirt acts as a natural air conditioner on the farm. The cool dirt feels great on their bodies and helps clean off any bugs, especially flies, or parasites that may be on the chickens. I’ve attached a video of the girls taking a group dirt bath this afternoon. Aren't they cute?

A Chicken's Daily Schedule

The hens have developed a very specific summer schedule through their amazing survival instincts. This helps them keep cool during the hottest times of the day. Here is their schedule:

The chickens are having fun pecking through the garden weeds I picked from the garden this morning. Even the baby chick on the middle left is loving pecking at the weeds. Nothing goes to waste on a farm; everything is food for the chickens.

Morning Routine: 6:30 AM - 10:00 AM

The automatic chicken door opens at 6:30 AM. Chickens free-range in the front yard, where there is no tree coverage, eating grass and finding bugs. They take turns going inside the roosting area to lay eggs in the morning. The senior birds in the pecking order get dibs on laying their eggs first.

The chickens are in the woods trying to keep cool in the shade. They also appreciate the protection the trees provide from hawk and eagle predators.

Midday Shade: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, chickens from the lower pecking order get to lay their eggs inside the coop once the senior girls are done. The entire flock moves into the woods next to the coop. The shade and the dirt help them cope with the heat. They all take dirt baths simultaneously.

During their afternoon stroll, the girls found a friend to walk through the yard. That same deer comes back every afternoon to walk with my chickens; it's so sweet!

Evening Free Range: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

From 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, chickens free-range in the front yard again as the sun begins to set in the west.

Nighttime Routines: 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

At 8:00 PM, the senior hens in the pecking order start filing inside the coop and arranging themselves on the roosting bars for the night. If some of the younger hens try to pick a favorite spot at this time, the senior hens will fight them off the roosting bars until it's the appropriate time. The pecking order can be BRUTAL!

By 8:30 PM, the lowest of the pecking order make their way inside the coop, and the automatic door closes for the night.

Conclusion: Nature's Amazing Creatures

I find the chickens' schedule very interesting and inspiring. It is all done by the natural instincts that God gave these feathered animals, not by me training them or shepherding them around the yard. The hens can figure out how to stay somewhat "cool" in the summer and how to add heat in the winter, not individually but as a flock family. They are absolutely amazing creatures!

Looking at the clock as I finish this post, it's 8:19 PM, time for the senior girls in the pecking order to find their favorite spot inside the coop for the night. Night, night everyone!

Thank you for reading my Country Squawk,

Kelly