A lthough chickens have their own mechanism to adapt on the weather outside, during these exetremly hot days if we see them panting, with wings away from a body, this is the sign they had too much of the sun and they need help to cope with long hot summer day.
Despite regularly summer care tips we have already given in one of our previous articles you should take into consideration, the proper summer diet can make easier your chickens flock to survive this long tropic summer. The same as we are , chickens also should consume light and fresh food too, avoiding so much corp an other cereals. While consuming corns of scratch they use more energy to digest them, which increases the body heat.
Instead of these type of feed we can offer our chickens fresh melon or watermelon, because it will keep chickens not just cool but also hydrated, than cold cucumber, whole head of cabbage or cocked and boiled broccoli and cauliflower. Even a raw or cocked carrot would be fine too.
All of the mentioned is good addition for their pellets and crumble feed, however if you are willing to cook to your flock you can completly replace these type of feed during summer time. Among other things that are recommended for your chickens flock during summer time are included all sort of berries especially strawberries, pomegranates especially their seeds, bananas, even grapes, pears and apples, and from vegetables tomato, lettice, spinach and other greens.
You can serve them all sort of cooked fish and other sea food. They adore cooked, but not so salty pasta and believe it or not the yogurt is good choice too as very good for the chickens digestive systems.
Off course don’t forget clean and fresh water where you can even add poultry electrolytes which will alleviate heat stress. In that case we advise to change the water at least once in 24 hours as it can change the quality and cause bigger harm than good.
