In this Purely Vetted episode, Dr. Blayne Mozisek joins Nikki Husted from @purelychickens for a live conversation all about heat stress in backyard chickens. They cover the most important things you can do right now including shade, air movement, and fresh water, and why dust bathing is more important than most people realize. They also tackle some of the viral tips that go around every summer, including frozen treats, misters, and wetting your birds down, and what actually works versus what sounds good but can make things worse.

Dr. Blayne walks through exactly what is happening inside your chicken when she is panting with her mouth open, wings drooping, and slowing down in the heat. He explains the science behind respiratory alkalosis, why panting causes thin eggshells in summer, and how electrolytes and sodium bicarbonate can help protect shell quality and keep your flock laying. He also walks through exactly how to cool down a chicken safely using tepid water and a thermometer. Bonus: why chickens stop drinking ice cold water.

Whether you are searching for chicken heat stroke symptoms, wondering why your chickens stopped laying eggs in the heat, or trying to figure out why you are suddenly getting soft shell eggs in hot weather, this episode has the vet-guided answers.

For the full heat stress article and more resources visit:

7 Critical Signs of Chicken Heat Stress and How to Stop It

If you’ve got questions about your flock email us at info@thepoultrydoc.com

0:00 Intro
0:03 How to Keep Backyard Chickens Cool in Summer
0:05 Shade
0:06 Fans
0:07 Misters- When it’s good and when it’s not
0:09 Dust Bathing
0:11 How to Cool Down a Chicken Coop
0:11 Should You Wet Your Chicken Down in the Heat?
0:12 Frozen Treats
0:13 Should Chickens Drink Ice Cold Water?
0:14 Should You Feed Scratch in Summer?
0:16 Loose Droppings in Summer
0:19 Broody Hens and Heat Stress – Extra Risk
0:19 Signs of Heat Stress in Chickens
0:19 Chicken Panting Open Mouth
0:20 What Temperature Is Too Hot?
0:21 When to Intervene
0:21 How to Cool Down a Chicken with Heat Stroke
0:22 What Temperature Is Dangerous for Chickens?
0:25 Why Are My Chickens Getting Thin Eggshells in Summer?
0:25 Do Electrolytes Help Chickens in the Heat?
0:26 Sodium Bicarbonate and Shell Quality Explained
0:26 Natural Supplements and Essential Oils for Chickens
0:29 Shade Cloth, Ground Access and Air Movement — Final Recap
0:30 How to Contact ThePoultryDoc.com