A chicken that is holding their wings away from their body can be a cause of concern
It’s not normal for a chicken to do this
Question is – Why is your chicken holding wings away from the body?
One of the reasons why your chicken is holding their wings away from their body is because they are in danger of heat exhaustion
If this happens you need to act immediately by cooling your chicken down
Heat exhaustion can cause your chicken to die
How Do You Tell a Chicken Is Overheated?
During the summer months it is very important to keep an eye on your chickens
If they get overheated they can become stressed, lethargic, suffer from a heatstroke and even worse death
Your chicken would also be panting heavily and crouch slightly
They reason for crouching is it helps in removing heat from their body through the un-feathered areas under her wings
That is why you would see your chicken holding their wings away from their body
These are all signs to look out for if a chicken is overheated
So what should you do if you see your chicken become too hot?
Let’s find out
How To Keep Chickens Cool In The Summer? 6 Awesome Ways!
Keeping your chicken cool in the summer will prevent heatstroke and keep your chickens cool of course
Here’s some pretty awesome ways in how you can protect your chickens from the heat in summer
Provide Shade
An obvious one but an important thing to remember
Make sure you have shade available in their coop or wherever your chickens hang around
If it’s open land then you can put up umbrellas.
If your chicken finds it hot they can take cover under the umbrellas
Another thing you can do is use reflective materials to cover the roof of their coop
You can also buy a parasol
They’re pretty huge and will provide lots of shade for your chickens
Access To Water
Make sure there is fresh water available everyday
Leave it in the shade so it doesn’t get hot during the day
Adding ice would be a good idea to keep the water cool
Place the water close by your chickens wherever they hang out
This will keep them hydrated
Cool Treats
Who doesn’t love frozen treats on a hot day
I’m sure chickens would love them!
You can give your chickens some frozen fruits and veggies
Get Some Misters
Misters are a cool way to keep your chickens cool
Did you know misters can cool the surrounding air by 10 to 20 degrees!
Another idea you can try is attach your hose either on top of a branch or the top of your chickens coop and leave it on for the day
Do be careful because you can definitely run up your water bill
Increase Airflow
During the day, you can leave the windows open in your chickens coop to allow air movement
You can also set up fans to ensure air is circulating
Baby Pool
If you don’t want to use the misting method how about getting a baby pool and fill it with ice cold water
Your chickens would sure enjoy dunking themselves in icy cold water on a hot day
A great way to keep your chickens cool
Hopefully by adopting these methods, it will keep your chickens cool during the summer months
How Hot Is Too Hot For Chickens?
In general temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit can increase the risk of heat stress and other heat related illness in chickens which can include death
Try to keep their temperatures below this to ensure they don’t get too heated
Can You Spray Your Chickens With Water?
Look, chickens would not like to be sprayed with water and it’s something you shouldn’t do
But if the temperatures are really high and you see the symptoms of heat stress in your chickens then you should lightly mist them with water to keep them cool
Otherwise if they are okay then there is no need to spray them with water
Do Chickens Stop Laying In Extreme Heat?
You may notice during the hot days your chicken stops laying eggs
This is because they reserve their energy in the heat because the heat is taking a toll on their body
That is why it’s important to ensure your chickens are kept cool during summer
Wrapping Up
If your chicken is keeping their wings away from their body it’s a sign they are suffering from extreme heat
It’s very important to act quickly and cool them off because if they get overheated it can result in death
During summer you should try your best to keep them cool
I’ve listed 6 awesome ways on how you can help keep your chickens cool which should help you
If you are still worried about chicken if they are feeling hot you should take expert advice from your vet on what you should do