Chickens in Summer: Ways to Cope with Hot Weather

[@rahmanhalim4476]

Very classy elegant chicken keeping indeed... The way you guys keep your chicken defies all the stereotypes about chicken and chicken rearing being messy... Bless you for your endless generosity All the best!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks so much!

[@houndsbaybassets]

I am so glad I found all your videos and have been working my way through them, I found them so helpful and informative, what a wonderful set up you have.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you, we are always happy to hear if you have questions

[@bgtrev]

Enjoyable as always, it is good to compare techniques, we use the same means but as temperatures here easily hit over 40 degrees Celsius in the summer we also place frozen bottles around the garden in the shaded areas also in the mud baths and sand pits for all the chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits to use, they just collapse around them.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Those are really good ideas. One extra thing I do is regularly hose down the sand baths for the chickens. They seem to like it!

[@renegade5214]

All your chickens are so cute and fluffy.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You are so kind

[@esthereos6134]

❤❤❤❤Wonderful. Thanks.❤

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Our pleasure!

[@susanpiper4041]

Great practical, no-nonsense tips. Thank you.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You're welcome! I'm really glad it was helpful

[@nicobass1966]

Thanks very much

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@lynseynowik3062]

Very useful, thanks! Best chicken keeping series on youtube.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh I am genuinely blushing 😊 Thank you so much!

[@gallopingg1]

GREAT INFO EVERY TIME.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you so much😊

[@meenajaganathan1962]

Hi madam new videos super very good videos nice videos I am India Tamil Nadu thank you

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you!

[@anayoung7738]

very helpful thank you

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm glad 👍

[@tinageiger9559]

I turn on the garden hose and flood a section of my yard. They like walking thru water and can pick thru mud. Let them cool their legs, it helps tremendously

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Interesting idea 💡

[@afarmerslife2092]

Great video

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sultanmahmud5500]

Very beautiful chicken.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you 🙂

[@MrsBlueEyedBlonde]

Your videos have helped me so much! Thank you for your time!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you so much Liz 🙂

[@griseldaosorio9664]

What a great video, I have been learning a lot from your chicken keeping videos that I am gonna start implementing some ideas into my flock, thank you 🙏

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad it was helpful! You've made me smile

[@joashford9973]

Great video, thanks for the tips, i sell my free range eggs and found the condensation and sun really difficult to keep the eggs cool and the boxes dry, will definitely try this trick thanks for your help😁

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I am so glad it was useful ☺

[@joashford9973]

@@EnglishCountryLife I tried the trick for selling my eggs and it worked! The boxes were dry and cool, thanks🐔🐓

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@joashford9973 I'm so glad it was helpful 😁

[@robertteague6342]

There is a video on KZbin on how to make a drinker from an Igloo 5 gallon cooler. The ice will last for 4 days inside it even with the cooler in the sun. You can even keep the drinker outside of the run with red drinker cups inside the run. That gives the chickens a little more space inside the run.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great idea!

[@samerbako2358]

Hi English country life I’d like to as you a question can Orpington’s live with both light Sussex and cream legbars

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Definitely yes. Hugh

[@amberjordan5231]

Thank you for all the great information. We love your videos

[@EnglishCountryLife]

So nice of you. Thank you

[@jasonflatt4059]

Hi, I love all of your videos! They are very practical and interesting. Do you have a website where you sell your eggs?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We do sell fertilised eggs in early spring but it's a limited season normally Feb to Apr, We have always used Ebay. Our eating eggs are sold at the gate and we sell out normally as soon as they are put out,

[@alexg.9241]

I love your chicken videos! Do you have any problems with predators, cause I see you free range, thank you for sharing your helpful tips!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! Great question. We have never lost a chicken to animal predators in all our years of keeping them. We use Hotline electric poultry fencing and Chickenguard auto openers/closers. The combination of the 2 works very well. You can see them in this video about Safety & Security kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX3NkpednreietU Having said that we have lost chickens to 2 legged predators i.e. thieves. We now have remote cameras on the chickens which alert us to humans in the enclosure.

[@amandabuckley167]

Hi Fiona, can you send a video or advise on how to check I have hen Orpington and not cockerels when I pick them up next week, they will be about 12 weeks old

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Amanda. If you are on Twitter I'll post something for you tomorrow to show you the difference. My account is @TheFloofLady

[@amandabuckley167]

yep been following Floof lady :) xx

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@amandabuckley167 Hi Amanda. I've just posted 2 pictures. Let me know through Twitter if you need more to help you

[@HusniArsyah]

The lifting mechanic's feeder, I just wondering the chickens quite smart to understand that system, so when they feet land there and they notice the top of the feeder will be opened up. Did you teach the chicken? or they learn it by themself?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The feeder can be propped open and they learn that food is there. It can then be left half open so they get used to movement. Finally it can be closed & they are nervous at first but within a day or two they get used to it.

[@HusniArsyah]

@@EnglishCountryLife : I see.. I never realize the chicken can be that smart, glad to hear it :D

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@HusniArsyah They can be very smart for food 😁

[@johncspine2787]

You can add a neoprene back brace cut to size to the drinkers to insulate them! This will keep it cooler much longer with the ice in there..

[@johncspine2787]

I put two together around my mash pot when I brew beer..it helps keep the mash at the proper temperatures..

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great idea!

[@jafethtitosoto4005]

🎉

[@EnglishCountryLife]

🙂

[@Dawn-di1qs]

i live in hot and humid zone 9B in Florida. ihave installed a fan with a timer into the coop next to the screened window inside. It keeps the air moving to keep the hot air out and the mosquitoes out.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great idea!

[@donnakuhl2419]

I have one roo and he chose one of 11 hens to mate. alot...she is loosing her feathers on her back..how do I help her stay away for a break? she follows him everywhere...and roosts next to roo, but she looks beat up..any suggestions? leave her alone and allow nature or segregate her for a bit? she looks haggardly...but you can't separate her and my roo..they are buddies...not sure what to do..he mates with all other hens but her most of all...

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We use chicken saddles to prevent feather wear kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIPbnIuNn69ghNU

[@tonymatthews445]

Have you measured the difference those pop bottles make in the coop?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Not to the overall temperature but sometimes the chickens sit next to them so they seem to enjoy the coolness. I doubt they lower the air temperature by a great deal

[@johncspine2787]

In the US, residential or backyard chicken owners are not allowed to sell their eggs. We can give them away, however..

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Interesting. I know there are lots of feeding and care differences but I wasn't aware of the selling of eggs restrictions. Thanks. You've taught me something new 👍

[@susanengland2]

The laws vary from state to state. We are allowed to sell our eggs from home.

[@stephroberts3402]

Hi, do you have any tips for stopping hens being broody? Our hen’s just raised three healthy chicks but has just become broody again! We can’t have any more chicks as we don’t have enough room in coop! Please help!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The bad news is that being broody is a hormonal imperative so just like puberty in humans, it can't be stopped from starting. The good news is that there are 2 ways to deal with it once they do go broody: 1) Let them sit with no eggs. This is what I do. They naturally break within 2 - 5 weeks. 2) Make it uncomfortable to sit. I am uncomfortable with this method but I know many including vets that use it. The idea is to make the hen sit on open mesh where their underside is exposed to cold air. Many people put a dog cage propped up on bricks so the mesh floor has clear air under it and then pop the broody inside. Good luck

[@keonaskywalker7675]

I have a moulting hen, her back is bare and the other hens peck her back and have made her bleed. What should I do? You advised not buying chicken aprons/saddles what are the other options?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Are you able to separate her while she recovers? If not, them try spraying her back with purple wound spray. It does 2 things; 1st it is an antiseptic so will help her injury, 2nd the colour will disguise and red from scabs or blood which makes it less attractive to the other hens to peck. If none of that works, then fit a saddle. Any discomfort from the saddle will still be less than the pain of being pecked until she bleeds. Let me know how she gets on. Good luck!

[@keonaskywalker7675]

@@EnglishCountryLife thank you so much for the quick reply. I’m a 1st time chicken keeper and it’s unpleasant to see her being attacked even though they were the best of friends. I will go to the pet store to buy the spray tonight.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@keonaskywalker7675 I hope it works

[@SoupMagoosh]

Our hens don’t want to sleep in their hutch, is there anything we can do to make them sleep in there. Your videos are very useful, thank you 😁

[@EnglishCountryLife]

If it's in hot weather that they won't go in it's probably that the coop is too hot. First thing to check is do they need a bigger coop. In hot weather hens will want to spread themselves out so they don't overheat from their neighbours body heat. You could try adding some ventilation by creating some air holes or use the ice bottle trick I show in the video. Does that help?

[@SoupMagoosh]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks for the tips! Got some bottles freezing in the freezer now. Might i just say, you have a wonderful garden!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@SoupMagoosh That's so kind of you to say. Thank you

[@donnakuhl2419]

Thank you..very humid hot in missouri USA..I'm using your ice idea for water and coop

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm glad the ideas are helping 😊

[@gedbob1]

After the first hot day little chick was panting but since she has been lethargic, for 2days hope she recovers she is usually the lively one

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Is she showing any other unusual signs or is she lethargic from the heat? If it's only the heat try some of the tricks in the video and it should give her some relief.

[@gedbob1]

She had a poopy bottom I gave her a warm soak and cleaned her up, this has perkerked her up the best she has been for a few days both chicks seem to be starting a moult, they both look a bit scruffy in certain areas,

[@ApiaryManager]

Do you add electrolytes to their water? I noticed this on someone elses channel who keeps poultry and I thought it was a good idea, particularly on hot days.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi. Personally I don't add anything to the chicken's water. Everyone has to do what they feel is right for the health of their chickens so if you feel this is the right thing, I'm not at all saying it's wrong. For me, I would only take electrolytes myself if I was ill and very dehydrated so I do the same for the chickens. In the recent hot weather the chicken's health has been very good so I don't believe our chickens need any additives in their water.

[@meenajaganathan1962]

Hi madam

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hello 😊

[@donnakuhl2419]

what do people do with the babies that become roosters? around here, in Missouri USA, no one wants roosters, to eat or have...so I have 8 baby chicks, what do I ethically do with any roosters? drop them off at a nearby chicken farm, kill them? what do people do?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Some people manage to sell a few but most are surplus. We raise them to full grown and then process them as table birds. We know that others find this difficult (despite eating chicken) so it has to be a personal decision

[@donnakuhl2419]

I collect eggs everyday but I have another hen who really wants to brood..she will lay on one egg for 3 days..I pick her up and make her go outside..I do understand the prolactin hormone deal..this hen wants to hatch babies..should I allow it?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

If you have space for more hens AND if you have a plan for the cockerels, why not?