Summer Success for the Flock

Believe it or not, in most cases it’s more difficult to care for chickens during the blazing heat of summer than it is during winter. Unlike us, for the most part chickens seem to take winter in stride. However, during the intense summer heat, you may notice that your chickens eat less, drink more water, and lay fewer eggs. These are just a few of the things that can happen during soaring summer temperatures. This article will focus on how chickens cool themselves, how to recognize heat stress, techniques to keep your backyard flock cool, summer nutritional needs, free-ranging tips, composting suggestions, and we’ll even touch on gardening with chickens.

How Do Chickens Keep Cool?

Chickens do best when the outside temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the optimal temperature for chicken health, egg laying, and brooding eggs and chicks.

Chickens maintain an internal body temperature of around 106 degrees. Chickens maintain this body temperature using a few intrinsic techniques.

There are cold-hardy chicken breeds and