Hot Weather - Keeping chooks cool?

[julesapple]

Our chooks have plenty of shady areas where they can roost etc in the warm weather (25c in my garden today) but I'm wondering if they'd like being misted?

My daughter uses the garden hose on the 'mist' function to mist her hawk and he really enjoys it. Does anyone think the chickens would benefit from this?

Jules

[MaureenHall]

I did it today for my lot and they all ran for shelter Must have thought it was raining! Anyway, once it was off and the ground was nice and damp again, they all had cooling dust-baths

[ginger ninger]

A friend of mine has an old dustbin lid half buried in the ground filled with water in with his chooks...and they love it. I have a budgie that like's to sit under a dripping tap in the kitchen, but I think a chook could be a bit too big for that

[julesapple]

I might give them a spritz tomorrow, see if they do like it. Their dust bath is shady, mainly to stop any rain getting in to it, and it's being well used of late.

Jules

[Bramble-Poultry]

i lock the doors to the runs and then spray them. i also put up tarpaulins to provide some shade

pnce they have got a good drench then i let the in the house to sulk again

[Flummery]

I put panels of fleece stretched over frames around the run to keep the sun off. They also have a chair in the run that they like to doze under, where it's shady. When it's very hot I lob a couple of ice cubes in their water.

[lindyloo]

i have elder trees planted around the run and house. there are patches of sunlight, for sunbathing, and a cool breeze coming thorugh from below the branch level. elder trees repel flys and midges, so have an extra bonus. ( in folklore, they repell witches too, which is always re-assuring!)

[tamsin]

I have greenhouse shading over my aviary (has rabbits in but same principle).

[MrsC]

I was going to get the hose out for my girls today, they were warm, they have lots of shade but they were still hot. I noticed their combs were not as red today, is this the heat do you think? They all layed today and were their usual selves.