Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention
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I’m not exactly mechanically inclined but I am creative. And my chickens’ health is important to me. So when I checked on my chicks yesterday afternoon and found them listless and panting, I knew something had to be done right then!
Chickens can suffer from heat exhaustion. Especially the dark breeds like my Rhode Island Reds. To cool off, the chickens will stand with their wings drooped down and held away from their bodies so the air can circulate. If that doesn’t do the job then they will open their mouths and pant like a dog. If that doesn’t do enough to help them, they will faint from the heat. If you find a chicken in this state, you may be able to revive it with a cool bath.
I knew that if my chickens were panting that the heat could become dangerous quickly.
I gathered a piece of leftover fencing and nails from the garage. I opened one door of the coop and tacked the fencing to the inside of the door frame. The fencing didn’t quite reach the ground. I found a scrap of T1-11 and tacked the bottom of the fencing to that. When the opposite door is closed, it overlaps the fencing. Then I hung a clip fan on the shelf to try to keep the air moving.
It’s not exactly secure but the chickens haven’t tried to test it. I still close all of the doors at night to keep predators out. At least my chicks are much cooler during day now.
No baked chickens today!
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At some point, we plan on cutting a window into the upper portion of the barn. But, since I don’t have the tools for it, it’s one of those projects I can’t currently tackle.
I suppose I could use the chain saw, but someone would probably end up in the Emergency Room, and I’d like to avoid that.
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