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FlufferChick

In the Brooder
Apr 10, 2025
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Hello! I’ve been lurking for quite a while, but this year I’m finally taking the plunge into chicken ownership and decided to officially join the site.
I’m located in Central Florida, so any tips for keeping chickens happy in hot humid climates would be greatly appreciated or any tips really that you wish you knew starting out. I plan on a small flock, literally- I’m loving adorable bantams. Very excited to start! I look forward to being a part of this great community as well.
 
Howdy, :frow and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy :ya to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

So glad you decided to de-lurk!
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Thanks for joining our community! :celebrate
 
:welcome

Hi, several years ago I had a flock in central FL. You'll want tons of extra shade (either natural or man-made) and a very, very well ventilated coop. Cooling treats such as watermelon and wetting down the ground of their run can help keep the birds more comfortable. You might want to pop in on the FL state thread to get other tips: Florida state thread

Best wishes!
 
N F C said:
:welcome

Hi, several years ago I had a flock in central FL. You'll want tons of extra shade (either natural or man-made) and a very, very well ventilated coop. Cooling treats such as watermelon and wetting down the ground of their run can help keep the birds more comfortable. You might want to pop in on the FL state thread to get other tips: Florida state thread

Best wishes!
Click to expand...
Thank you for the tips! I will definitely bookmark the Florida thread too and check it out.
I’m looking forward to watching chickens of my own eat watermelon in the summertime now, hopefully by next summer :)
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC! :frow We're glad you're here!

We're in Wisconsin, so mostly dealing with keeping them alive over winter; however, that said, we get a few weeks of scorching heat in the summer too. Ours free range so hang out under the hostas in the yard. I save ice cream buckets so freeze them half full of water and fill the rest of them up, and set them in the shade around the yard. You can also freeze bottled water, just fill them back up to about an inch from the top and freeze. Float those in the buckets. They always have cool water doing something like this. I put electrolytes in there too if I see hens panting.

The coop has an exhaust fan that runs to circulate the air, but any fan will work to do that. Just keep drafts off of chickens.
 
Debbie292d said:
Hiya, and welcome to BYC! :frow We're glad you're here!

We're in Wisconsin, so mostly dealing with keeping them alive over winter; however, that said, we get a few weeks of scorching heat in the summer too. Ours free range so hang out under the hostas in the yard. I save ice cream buckets so freeze them half full of water and fill the rest of them up, and set them in the shade around the yard. You can also freeze bottled water, just fill them back up to about an inch from the top and freeze. Float those in the buckets. They always have cool water doing something like this. I put electrolytes in there too if I see hens panting.

The coop has an exhaust fan that runs to circulate the air, but any fan will work to do that. Just keep drafts off of chickens.
Click to expand...
Oh using ice cream buckets is clever, perfect size for it too. I’ll be using that idea, thanks! I’ve read people place frozen water bottles for the chickens to lay on in the shade too. I’m starting to think part of my freezer will be the chickens’ cold pack section…
 

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