How to Keep Backyard Chickens Cool in Summer Heat, Without the Internet Nonsense
- Cathy Tiffany
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
It's in the 90's this week in central Ohio and the heat index is due to be over 100°. Many new backyard chicken owners (and online observers) wonder and lament how to keep their flocks cool in such temperatures.
While there are loads of online - and sometimes ridiculous - methods, to be honest, the real ways to keep your hens healthy in the summer are really simple:
1. Provide plenty of fresh, clean water. Rain or shine, hot or cold, this is the number one most important thing to keep your flock healthy – and alive, honestly. I make sure that above all else, my chickens have plenty of water to drink. On the rare occasion we leave for a weekend in the summer and I need a chicken sitter, I go over the water requirement about 12 times. I’ll still add an extra waterer, even over the 2 gallons we already provide.
2. Provide adequate shade. Everyone needs to get out of the heat. Our chicken enclosure, aside from the coop, has a roof with an overhang and their more “outside” area is completely in the shade, surrounded by bushes and trees. You can add shade cloths of varying sizes to provide shade if you don’t have bushes that are big enough to provide shade.
To provide context, we live in a suburban setting, within city limits. The city ordinance does not allow 24/7 free-roaming of chickens, who would be able to find a shady spot on their own. This is also why I’m so focused on providing adequate shelter, enrichment and nutrition because confined hens can’t do it completely on their own.
3. Be sure to get the right chicken breed for your area. I wouldn’t get a Nordic breed for my Texas ranch, nor would I get a warm climate breed for my homestead in the Alaskan wilderness. Pick the right breed for your area and your flock will be better able to tolerate the weather conditions.
Some other things we do:
· If it’s really hot out, I add electrolytes to the chicken water, just in case. It may not be necessary in otherwise healthy chickens, but something I tend to do in extremely hot weather.
· In their coop, which is the other half of our plastic shed, we run exhaust fans to move the air. While I’ve been pretty happy with the shed/coop combo, I underestimated just how hot the interior gets. The exhaust fans were worth the investment. The shed also came with skylights…which is great until it’s sunny, and then we’re right back to blazing hot. I put up shade cloths over the skylights which helped a ton.
Summer Chicken Tips I Don’t Rely On:
I’ve seen loads of videos showing owners putting their chickens in pans/trays/saucers of water because “chickens absorb heat through their feet and this cools them down”. Chickens aren’t ducks. They don’t just stand around in water. Maybe it’s just my chickens. If you have a friend and that works for them, then they’re a better chicken trainer than me. I’ll just stick with the tried and true methods mentioned above.
Giving chickens ice cubes filled with corn. Nothing wrong with this, but how long will the ice cube last in 90°+ weather? I like a popsicle in the summer, too, but it’s not going to keep me cool throughout the day. Again, it’s not gonna hurt, but not an all day, every day solution.
Some summer chicken tips are harmless extras, but I don’t treat them as the main plan. In real heat, I focus on the basics that matter most: water, shade, airflow, and checking on the flock.
That’s really it! Plenty of water and shade. Of course, there’s all the other things to do to take care of your flock, but this is a friendly reminder of summer considerations.
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