Chicken Care: Keeping Chickens Cool in Hot Weather

We're having unusual weather in the UK this year, with the rainy Summers being replaced by hot, sunny weather.

Chickens can't sweat like us; they have to find other ways to keep cool. They pant, drink more water and seek shade. In really warm weather you may want to make them more comfortable with the following ideas.

    1. Provide shade. If you have a moveable run, place it under a tree,or shady place. Just keeping your hens out of direct sun will help considerably. If your run is stationary, wet a white sheet and sling it over the run. Make sure the sheet is white as this will reflect the sunlight away from the run, and if it is wet the water will begin to evaporate, taking the heat away with it. The sheet may need dampening again throughout the day. If your chickens are free-range, they should be able to find shade under a bush or tree themselves but it's good to try one of  the above ideas anyway, so you can be quite sure they have a cooler place to go.

    2. Water Trough. You could try lining a shallow tray with pebbles and then filling it with water. The hens will stand in this to keep cool. Another option is pouring water  onto the ground to form a muddy puddle. They can sit and scratch in it.

    3.  High water content food. My hens love watermelon in hot weather, and it really does help to keep them cool. Other high water content foods can be given and are enjoyed, particularly if they have just come out the fridge!


   4. Ice. You can place a few ice cubes in the water hopper to keep the water cool in the day, or you can freeze a plastic bottle filled with water and place it in the run. The hens can sit next to it to keep cool.

    5. Hose Pipe. Hosing down the run a little will keep the ground cooler and if you use a spray attachment then you can spray your hens too! This should only be done if they want it and if the spray is fine. Don't actually hose down the chickens, or soak them, this is not good for them! However, a mist spray will help keep the air cool and moist.


I hope these ideas help and I hope you and your chickens enjoy the rest of the Summer!

Chicken Care: Chicken Coop Maintenance and Beddings

Cleaning

Regular cleaning is important if you want healthy, happy hens. This can be anything from a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly clean, depending on how many bird you keep, the coop and the system you use.

Cleaning out the chicken house is something that puts off quite a few people from raising chickens; but it needn't be such a burden!
However, once a year, the whole coop will need hosing down and disinfecting with a mild bleach solution or poultry disinfectant.

Here are a few of the most popular systems for cleaning and are fairly economical.

The Deep Litter System.
This system is most frequently used with large numbers of hens, and large coops. Instead of cleaning the droppings out, you just add new bedding over the top, stopping the hens from treading on it. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation for this system, and clean the whole thing out once a year. Long straw doesn't work for this as the moisture runs through. This system works best in winter, providing extra heat on cold nights.

Spot Cleaning.
I currently use this system because my coop is relatively small and I currently only have a few hens. You will need a small trowel or scoop. Scoop the droppings out daily or every few days. Again, long straw can be used but is not too suitable because it is difficult to scoop out the dropping without taking all the bedding with you! This system is good for composting because you add a little bedding with plenty of manure to the compost heap every few days or it can be added straight on to the garden.

Regular Cleaning.
It is possible to give a good layer of bedding and change it all weekly to monthly. I usually use this if I go away so my "hen sitter" doesn't need to clean them out much, if at all. Not the best system if the perches are near the door, because the hens will have to walk through the droppings to get into the coop.

Bedding

Type:                                                             Pros &Cons:                                                                          

Long Straw - This can be quite cheap if you buy in large bales from a farm, however you will need to be extra careful of mites and lice. Red mites may also hide inside the straw. It is not the most absorbent litter, and can not be used for spot cleaning. Good insulator and great for composting or mulching. I have heard from a couple of sources that it can cause crop impaction, but very rare. Hens like it in the nest boxes.

Chopped Straw - Better absorbency than long straw and can be used for spot cleaning. Mites may still hide in it but it's much less likely. Despite it's disadvantages, I have used this for years, and found it perfectly adequate. Can be insulating, and great for composting and mulching. 

Oilseed Rape Straw - I didn't even know this existed until recently, but I am completely converted! It  smells nice, can be composted, very absorbent, insulating, if chopped, great for spot cleaning and dust-free. It's also one of the cheapest and most economical beddings.

Hay - Can harbour fungi, but if replaced regularly and kept dry, works OK, good for nests but don't use for chicks or broody hens. Not the best absorbency, not good for spot cleaning.

Hemp - Hemp bedding, such as Aubiose, is good to use. Sorry, I have never used it for chickens, but sources say it works well, with good absorbency and dust-free.

Woodshavings - Best if dust extracted. Very dusty shavings should not be used. Needs a lot longer to rot down than  the other beddings I have talked about, so will need to be in a separate compost heap. Very absorbent and great for most cleaning systems (see above).  

Sand - Absorbency OK, not good for composting but can be reused by sieving the sand through and using the droppings on the compost heap. Not at all insulating. 

Leaves, bracken, etc. - Some people do use these as bedding. Can't give an opinion on dried leaves, but bracken is a good insect repellent and used to be frequently used in the olden days, but apparently should not be consumed by the chickens, so I wouldn't risk it!

Newspaper - Not very good absorbency, and there is some debate about whether the ink is bad for them. Good insulator.

Chicken Care: Feed

One of the most important aspects of responsible chicken keeping is clean, fresh food and water.

There are many different feed types, and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. I'll list as many as I can here, but you may want to do further research elsewhere. The following feeds are the most commonly found and popular, and I believe you can find them in both the UK and US, if not other countries too.

Bonnie and Daffy help  themselves to pellets.
Credit: birdbrain99 (author)

Pellets - Probably the most popular feed, I use this for my birds. It should contain at least 16% protein for healthy, laying hens. Layer's Pellets provide most of the essential ingredients to keep your hens healthy whilst laying. Layer's Pellets should only be used after 18-25 weeks of age, or when the first egg is laid. Before that, Grower's pellets should be given. You should not feed grower's pellets to laying birds, either. If you have cocks and hens, layer's pellets are fine to feed to all of them.

Mash - This is quite a popular option too. Basically it is the same as pellets, but it has not been compressed into pellets. It is finely ground into lots of bits or a powder. If you don't have much space for your chickens, this will stop them getting quite so bored as it takes longer to eat than the same amount of pellets. However, I don't feed it often to my hens because of a beak problem one has. She finds pellets easier to eat.
You can mix mash with a little water to make a kind of paste but if you do you will need to change it a couple of times a day so that it doesn't go sour. My hens adore it though, so I just give it as a healthy treat sometimes! You can leave it dry, but depending on how fine it is the chickens may be able to pick out their best bits.

Mixed corn (also known as "Scratch") is a great treat.
Credit: birdbrain99 (Author)

Mixed Corn - This is best not fed as their main feed, but it can be given in small quantities scattered on the
ground or in straw where the chickens will be able to
scratch around for it, keeping them active and preventing them from becoming bored. I tried mixing it in with the chickens' pellets,  but they just chucked all the pellets out of the hopper, so I was basically feeding them corn and wasting a lot of good food! So it is best to choose another feed and just use corn as a supplementary feed.

Oats - These must not contribute a main part in you chickens' diet as oats have hardly any nutritional value and your birds can run fat. I only feed as a very occasional treat and in the morning in winter when I scatter some down with the corn when the birds need the extra energy to keep warm.

Chick Crumbs - It is especially formulated for chicks and should not be fed after this stage.

Extras - Your hens will enjoy kitchen scraps, but this shouldn't be a main part in their diet. Make sure there is not a high sugar or salt content. They will love lettuce and salads but if you notice that their droppings look runny they could be eating too much greens or other foods so limit these, and if you notice that a certain food is having a negative effect on your chickens' health stop feeding it. There are many lists available on safe foods for chickens on the internet and in books, so please do your research before feeding. This article is a great starting point! As a rule, don't feed chicken scraps that are mouldy, off, or you wouldn't be ok about eating yourself.
If your hens are not free range then they will enjoy a bit of grass just make sure you cut it very small as it can cause Crop Impaction. It is advised not to feed grass cuttings from petrol lawn mowers.

Grit - This is not strictly a "feed", but should always be available. They use grit in their digestive system to help grind up the food. Oyster Shell grit should also be available, as it is an important source of calcium. You can by these online or at poultry/farm shops. If your hens are free-range they are unlikely to need normal grit, as they will probably find enough around, but Oyster Shell grit should still be provided.

How much will a chicken eat a day?
The average hen will eat about 110 - 150 grams a day, but it depends very much on the breed, where they live, the season, etc.

How often do I need to clean the feeder, and what do I use?
Clean out the feed hopper/trough immediately if it gets soiled or you notice any algae or mould.  If not, every month or so. Use a safe poultry disinfect, and follow the instructions on the label carefully. Otherwise, you can use an ecological washing up liquid and rinse well.

Where should the feed be placed, and when should I feed the chickens?
The hopper should be placed in a dry, sheltered and light area, where the chickens can access it easily. It is best if they have their main feed available at all times, but treats, corn, etc. can be given when you like (as long as it's not enough to fill them, preventing them from eating their main feed) and as long as you've established a good routine.

Hand feeding is one of the best ways to tame chickens!
Credit: birdbrain99 (Author)

• Do not use feed after the best before end date.

• Store the chicken feed in a cool, dry place.

Chicken Care: Daily Routines

Why?

Your chickens benefit greatly from a daily routine, as they

 are creatures of habit.

Credit: birdbrain99 (Author)

It is really important to establish a daily routine with your birds. Chickens love order and are very habitual. They like to know what-happens-when, and it is good also for you. A daily routine is made based on you and your hens' needs. It should be reliable and realistic.

What do I need to do on a daily basis?

This reallly depends, but the most you'll need to do is:

1. Check for eggs
2. Spot clean coop
3. Fill up food hopper
4. Check water
5. Feed kitchen scaps/greens/corn
6. Lock them up at night
7. Let the out in the morning

What do you do?

I do all the above.  A routine will come naturally once you have had your chickens for a while. Here are my basic chicken jobs timetable for the summer, though. It starts at 06:30 am - 07:30 am.

Early Morning: Let hens out. Spot clean the nestbox (Bonnie sleeps in one at night so I have to clean it before they lay otherwise the eggs get soiled). Bring up/check water. Scatter a jar of mixed corn around the runs ( I feed a little under a jar for six hens).

Mid morning: Fill up feed hopper (there's usually some pellets left over from the day before so there is food when they come out the coop first thing.)  Feed any greens. Check for eggs.

Early afternoon:  Spot clean the rest of the coop. Give any kitchen scraps. Another egg-check.

Evening: Lock them up in the coop for the night. Check water/bring down if needs cleaning to return in the morning.
I will often then go up throughout the day just to see them.

What if I'm away most of the day at work/school?

 If you aren't at home most of the day, like me, then you can easily do it all in just a couple of trips, one morning and one evening. Such as this:

Early Morning: Let them out. Spot clean coop (though this isn't necessary: you could use a deep litter system so you need to clean much less often). Fill/check food and water. Give them any scraps.

Evening: Check for eggs. Lock them up. If you're back early enough then maybe you could feed them extra treats now.

Less Frequently.

As well as everything you do daily, there are things that need to be done weekly, monthly and yearly also. These include:

• Cleaning out coop - which I do every couple of months, but if you do a deep litter system you'll only have to do that a couple of times a year.
• Disinfect and wash the coop. This needs doing once a year, unless you've had problems with red mite or illness.
• Clean Feed hopper. This needs doing less frequently than water. I do it every month or so (read about it at the bottom of this post); depending on how large it is, how many chickens you have, how much food you put in and what feed you use.
• Health check. It is good to do this every few days. I will write a post about this soon, and add a link here when I do.
• Treat for worms and mites. Treat for worms a couple of times a year but some people don't bother at all unless they see signs. The only product I would use for worming is Flubenvet as it is the only properly tested product. Do Not use Verm-X because it killed one of my hens which would still be alive and well if I'd used Flubenvet (long story)!
• Replace run litter. Depending on what you use (another thing I need to write about), it needs to be replace once to four times a year.

Notes.

Don't let them out really early some mornings, and then later other mornings. They are likely to start shouting when they aren't let out early and can disturb neighbours/you/your family!!

If your birds are partly free-range it is good to also set up a routine for when they will be allowed to do this and for how long.