As the weather is starting to warm up, think about how your birds will be affected by heat … most birds will enjoy a nice sunbathe, but excess heat can be harmful.

How hot is too hot?

The ideal environmental temperature for most birds is 17°C to 25°C (63°F to 77°F). Above 25°C, birds start to become affected and start to make adaptations to cope with the heat. Above 30°C (86°F) birds are significantly affected and will show signs of severe heat stress. In extreme circumstances this can make your birds very unwell or even kill them!

How do birds adapt to get rid of excess heat?

Chickens don't have sweat glands, and getting rid of excess heat can be tricky. They rely on the respiratory system to blow off excess heat, of course birds have to be different….they do a special type of panting called a gular flutter, which is a rapid movement of the throat to increase air movement, which helps to get rid of excess heat.

Chickens will also spread themselves out to lose heat by evaporation. They will also look for somewhere cool to rest against such as a cool wall, or cool patio slabs to exchange heat (by convection)

Body heat is generated by metabolism, (there are other factors involved) but simplistically, it kind of makes sense that to reduce heat production, birds will eat less and produce less eggs.

What can I do to keep my birds cool?

Fluids - birds will lose a lot of fluid when hot, mainly due to losing water through breathing. It's essential to provide cool, fresh drinking water, with added electrolytes and a sugar (e.g. dextrose, glucose, glycerol) to help replace the losses, a good quality multivitamin will likely have all the ingredients. Try and place drinking water in the shade.

Cool the coop - ideally try to place the coop in a shady spot. If coops are poorly ventilated, heat can build up to uncomfortable levels and take a long time to cool down. Ensure the coop door is open and the ventilation holes are open fully to let the maximum air flow through.

Shade -if you don’t have any direct shade, try to make some or even relocate to a different area of the garden. Trees and large shrubs, or even large planters are ideal for providing shade. Use a sheet or a parasol to keep direct sun off the ground.

Cooling the birds can be hugely beneficial. Ensure birds have access to a dust bath. Garden sprinklers or a spray bottle is ideal to create a fine mist. Menthol can also be sprayed in the environment (not on the bird) this has a cooling effect.

Flystrike - birds will drink more, and eat less in hot weather, this can upset the guts and cause wet faeces - keep a close eye on those fluffy butts! Dirty vent feathers are an invitation for fly strike!!!

Signs of mild heat stress and normal adaptations:

drinking more, eating less
less active
seek shade
expose poorly feathered areas (outstretched legs and wings) to lose heat

Signs of increasing heat stress :

open mouth breathing / panting (gular flutter)
produce less eggs or soft/ pale eggs
wet faeces

Please keep a close eye on your birds during this time.

If you are concerned please book an appointment with the Chicken Clinic, or contact your local vet.

Hot weather!

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