Chickens survived the heat-wave

It's finally under 100 in the chicken coop & the chickens are back to their normal business.  They rode out the heat wave under the hydrangea in the side yard with occasional hose showers. 

This morning, because it's not so stinkin' hot today, we decided not to let them out in the side yard (they poop on the breezeway and it makes letting out Moses (the dog) logistically difficult, so the side-yard is not normally chicken-territory).  They protested loudly for a few hours, but they seem to have forgotten by now.

We picked our chickens because they're pretty cold hardy breeds & I'm not sure what that means about their heat tolerance, but I'm glad to see them relaxed, not-panting, and seemingly happy.

Neighbor chickens met their chicken maker

I'm so sad to report that several neighboring Bexley Chickens died today in the heat. We were really worried about our girls yesterday, too. It seems now like we weren't overreacting to their panting & labored breathing.
Poor neighbor chickens. They really do hate the heat. :(
For now our three girls seem to be staying cool enough by hiding under the hydrangeas - fingers crossed that the heat breaks soon because the next step is boxing them up for an afternoon in the basement (inside a box) and that doesn't sound pleasant for anyone.

Chickens go free range!

Our ladies have been suffering through the recent heatwave (multiple days in the 90s) and we thought that giving them some more room to roam, and an opportunity to find some shade might help them cool down a bit. So this morning, in a bit of patriotic fervor, Andrew freed the hens to forage in the grassy strip just outside their run. The ladies didn't waste a minute and were happy to have some grass to eat and some more land to explore. The new territory promises the opportunity to enjoy a slight breeze and get out of the sun. It means a little more hassle to keep the dog away from them, and some chicken poop to hose down, but if it helps Peggy, Joan, and Sally stay cool, it's well worth it.

Heat Wave Day 2: Trying to Cool Off

We read that one way to help the chickens beat the heat is to give them a shallow pool of water to stand in. We set it out yesterday, and no one took the dip. Today was a different matter, and here Peggy and Sally (though not at the same time, of course) enjoy the pool.  You can also see the umbrella we have set up to give them some additional shade.

Ever seen a chicken pant?

It's hot out today. 100 degrees according to the tv, 110 according to the thermometer in the chicken run. The ladies are digging holes to keep themselves cool & panting. This video shows Joanie demonstrating the chicken pant - notice the open beak and heaving bosom? We've given them a birdbath, picnic table umbrella, frozen water bottles, & an occasional hose misting. I hope they'll be just fine.

Adopt Henry, a young cuckoo maran rooster

A friend of Bexley Chickens has a bunch of hand raised pullets - but one turned out to be a rooster. If you're looking for a sweet tempered, pet roo (for your yard, not for the stewpot), Henry might be your guy. Lynn thinks Henry would make a good breeding rooster - he's friendly & beautiful.
If you think you can give Henry a good home, leave a comment with you contact info - I'll pass along Lynn's phone number.

The picture above is a cuckoo maran that looks like Henry.

Nothin' doin'

I think the strongest testimony for the no-big-deal nature of a couple of backyard chickens is that there's been nothing to post about for weeks. The chickens are out there just doing their thing. When it got really hot a few weeks ago, we put up the patio umbrella for them to have a little more shade. They've been enjoying scraps from the early summer produce haul (I highly recommend situating the coop near the house for more convenient scrap sharing). But, basically, they're just living the chicken high-life and sharing their eggs.
I'll try to think of something splashy to share soon.