How to keep chickens cool in the heat. Tips wanted!

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Wishin' you luck. Will enjoy hearing how it goes.
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Hi everyone! Need some URGENT advice super quick! I own a flock of 6 pullets (3 Australorps, 3 ISAS) - I'm interstate on holidays at the moment and checking on the weather back home one day is scheduled to be at 42C/108F degrees!! I'm really worried about my flock as they do tend to struggle a bit with the heat (open beak breathing etc). My uncle is looking after them and we've made a plan of:
-frozen/refrigerated watermelon
-frozen water bottles for the run
-raking back bark for dirt bath areas
-ice chunks in water supply
-hosing down the bark and misting the chickens manually
-dunking them in water if necessary

Also the run area the flock is in is covered completely by palm trees so its generally about a couple of degrees cooler.

I'm thinking about getting a proper mister for those 2 days that will be up in the 40s/100s as well as maybe a fan... if I did would this and all the other precautions I'm taking be sufficient for helping my chickens to survive? I'm stressed out with it as I really would hate for one (or more) of them to suffer and die.
They've never been in heat up in the 40s - high 30's at the most. Should I stick to my plans and see how it goes or pre-plan some carriers and bring them inside under the AC??
I'm aware that sometimes it is just too hot etc. but is 42 degrees in that range where chickens will most likely die? My grandfather has always had chickens and doesn't really do much when its hot and he's never had any die on him... Any other tips would be helpful on this!!
 
Im in Phoenix and it wil get up to 115 in july & august. i bought a thick plastic cement mixing tub from home depot and clay bricks in water..the bricks stay cool & they can stand or lay on them to cool their body temp down. i really didnt want misters since my coops floor is plywood with dirt over it. the only other option in Phoenix would be an AC unit out there! my dad always laughs at me & says "how do you think the chickens lived out on farms everywhere in the old days?" -in other words -spoiling the hens
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- but we love to baby them
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I'm in phoenix where it gets to 115 in july & august. i got a cement mixing tub & red clay bricks from home depot. the bricks stay cool all day in water so they can stand or lay on the bricks to cool down body temp. i just wish theyd get on them more often!
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its only thing that seems to work other than having an air conditioning unit on them
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K-12 Chickens said:
The temperature I've read that chickens start to be in danger of overheating is 90 degrees. There is a major heatwave that is pushing the heat index past 100 degrees! So I was wondering if anyone had tips on keeping chickens cool because I do have two Buff Orpingtons that are starting to molt a little because of heat stress. Imagine wearing a winter coat in over 100 degree heat! Whew, makes me sweat thinking about it. /img/smilies/hmm.png  My chickens are free-range and don't like getting wet anywhere except their feet so I've been filling a pan of water and setting it on the ground for them to step in. Most of them don't step in it but one of my two Silver Laced Wyandottes will put both feet in the pan and actually start scratching in it as if it were dirt. I've also been feeding them cold watermelon. All tips and ideas for keeping chickens cool will be greatly appreciated! /img/smilies/big_smile.png
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it gets super hot here in phoenix & i bought a plastic cement mixing tub and some red clay bricks from home depot. i put the bricks in water for the chicks to stand on..the clay bricks stay cool all day even in 115 degree heat so they either stand on them to get their body temps down or lay against the outside of the tub since the bricks keep the outside or the tub cool too
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i also freeze 2 liter bottles every night & set them out with a dish cloth wrapped around them so they can lay against it during the day. ive heard a tip of freezing water in milk jugs and hanging them inside the coop with a fan pointed towards it ..kind of like a swamp cooler cooling & circulating the air. it gets so hot here & i really worried about them in the heat but then my dad laughs at me & reminds me that the old farm chickens never had air conditioning in the old days & they did fine...lol ..
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It really helps if you can place things near the coop to help cast shade on it & reflect the heat away from it.
Bushes & trees are awesome if present, but not very portable if not
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Other possibilities are a piece of plywood leaned at an angle against a sunny side of the coop, tall barrels placed nearby, a bamboo-type roll-up shade hung near the outside of the coop such that it is a few inches away from the wall, etc.
It is optimal if the things you use for shading are light in color, so they reflect the most light & heat.
 

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