crankycookie Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I know what some people have had some success cooling their flock down with water misters and since my girls did look distinctly uncomfortable even at 11am in the morning, I was thinking about installing some for them in the run. I just had a couple of concerns: I have 2 silkies and was admonished to keep them dry since they aren't waterproof. I imagine that probably doesn't apply in 90 degree heat, but I wanted to make sure. Secondly, I don't get home until around 8pm and most misting systems just screw directly into a garden hose. I don't want to keep misting them throughout the day and into the much cooler evenings when things might get too damp and clammy, possibly making the wood shavings stinky and bacteria ridden. Should I not attempt this idea since I don't have good control over the application of the mist? I have tried misting the standard girls with the mist nozzle on the hose and they beat a hasty retreat. They didn't want anything to do with it. The mister will have a much finer spray, but I'm not sure if I'll be stressing the ladies out with a constant mist. For the record, I was thinking of getting something like http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-20066-Portable-Outdoor-Cooling/dp/B000P0KSXO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1279225293&sr=8-1 or http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-10057W-Arizona-Outdoor-Misting/dp/B000JJT9MM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1279225293&sr=8-3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Hi, I am also in the LA Area and my girls are having a tough time with the heat. (105 today) I have been misting them with a hose every hour or so but some kind of timing device would be useful in case I go out. I wonder if there is such a thing? Something like a sprinkler timer but will come on every hour. I have been putting ice packs inside the coop at night but the poor girls are panting. I think I am going to rig up some sort of sun shield over the coop to try to deflect the worst of the heat. Does anyone have any design ideas (I have a cube) Colette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankycookie Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 I spread a silver tarp (something like http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Layers-Silver-Tarp/dp/B002GQ933G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1279319723&sr=8-3) over the the roof of my WIR to help reflect some of the sun and did notice that it did help with the temperature inside. Doing some research, I did find some timers for garden hoses (http://www.google.com/products?q=garden+hose+timer&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=M99ATLjWGIu8sQPMrdyIDQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CE8QrQQwAA - I didn't know they existed!) Sadly most of them seem like they cap out at 2 hours of "on" time, but I figure that will cool the girls off during the hottest part of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 How about getting a double timer and running two hoses. That way you can have 4 hours of time in the hottest part of the day. I think I am going to have to also install misters on a timer. It is dangerously hot now. Good luck Colette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 How about getting a double timer and running two hoses. That way you can have 4 hours of time in the hottest part of the day. I think I am going to have to also install misters on a timer. It is dangerously hot now. Good luck Colette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
