Summer weather is coming

[Shadowglare]

Hello my BYC peers. I've had chickens for 3 years now and I never tried raising baby chicks during late spring early summer weather.
What are some ways to keep the chicks cool during summer weather while I'm working?
I was thinking a frozen water bottle, misting the air and frozen fruit.
The brooder is in my workshop. But it gets really hot in there.

 

[Debbie292d]

How old are they?

Your frozen water bottle is a great idea as you can have backups or just keep freezing the same one each night. I'd wrap it in an old towel so if they perch on it, they won't freeze their feet. If you have a lot of birds in there, you could freeze a larger item, like a 2-liter bottle.

Do you have a fan you can run in there not on them, but in their area to circulate the air a little bit?

 

[mcdze]

thats almost my exact scenario right now, its really too hot in the garage during the day and theyre just over a week old .. they need lots of water if its hot ... the plan is two-fold depending on weather ... tomorrow theyre going into a wire pen in full shade out back, covered with a piece of tin, secured with a cinder block on top .. highs are in low 90's in the day, and 65-70 at night, so at 1-2 weeks, i should rotate them back to the box in the garage where temps will likely stay above 75 at night, they wont need additional heat if theres no draft .. after 2 weeks they can stay in the wire pen 'covered' by a sheet at night to block draft if these conditions hold, but if it cools below 65 or it rains etc, i'll rotate them back to the box at night .. after 3 weeks they can pretty much stay in the wire pen no matter what, still cover it with a sheet and secure it well at night .. be sure its weighted down with a cinder block or two so racoons etc cant tip it .. move the pen around daily and wash the spot in with the hose and it gets easier from there .. start training them with food, feed and lock them in the coop while the others are out etc .. not too much food, you want them hungry again to go back to the pen, by 4-5 weeks you can get them to go anywhere you want without grabbing them and everybody is 'on the program' lol ..

 

[Shadowglare]

How old are they?

Your frozen water bottle is a great idea as you can have backups or just keep freezing the same one each night. I'd wrap it in an old towel so if they perch on it, they won't freeze their feet. If you have a lot of birds in there, you could freeze a larger item, like a 2-liter bottle.

Do you have a fan you can run in there not on them, but in their area to circulate the air a little bit

thats almost my exact scenario right now, its really too hot in the garage during the day and theyre just over a week old .. they need lots of water if its hot ... the plan is two-fold depending on weather ... tomorrow theyre going into a wire pen in full shade out back, covered with a piece of tin, secured with a cinder block on top .. highs are in low 90's in the day, and 65-70 at night, so at 1-2 weeks, i should rotate them back to the box in the garage where temps will likely stay above 75 at night, they wont need additional heat if theres no draft .. after 2 weeks they can stay in the wire pen 'covered' by a sheet at night to block draft if these conditions hold, but if it cools below 65 or it rains etc, i'll rotate them back to the box at night .. after 3 weeks they can pretty much stay in the wire pen no matter what, still cover it with a sheet and secure it well at night .. be sure its weighted down with a cinder block or two so racoons etc cant tip it .. move the pen around daily and wash the spot in with the hose and it gets easier from there .. start training them with food, feed and lock them in the coop while the others are out etc .. not too much food, you want them hungry again to go back to the pen, by 4-5 weeks you can get them to go anywhere you want without grabbing them and everybody is 'on the program' lol ..

They will be 2 days old

How old are they?

Your frozen water bottle is a great idea as you can have backups or just keep freezing the same one each night. I'd wrap it in an old towel so if they perch on it, they won't freeze their feet. If you have a lot of birds in there, you could freeze a larger item, like a 2-liter bottle.

Do you have a fan you can run in there not on them, but in their area to circulate the air a little bit?

They will be 3 days old. I don't think I have an extra fan.

 

[Debbie292d]

They will be 2 days old

They will be 3 days old. I don't think I have an extra fan.

At 1 week old or less, they should be at 95F.

Then next week, 90F.

So I think you've got a couple of weeks to figure out ways to keep them cooler as I wouldn't now unless it gets hotter than 95 there!

 

[Lvchickenmama]

Following for tips! They’re in my shed currently and it’s about 90 in there but the high later this week will be 99 so I know it will only get hotter. I have a fan over the top and a frozen water bottle inside that I switch out.