Stressed Out

Work, school, traffic - all these things stress us out every day. They make us cranky, put strains on our relationships, and have even been proven to make us sick and take years off of our lives. Surprising to some, even chickens get stressed out. They can be stressed from many things, but it is our jobs as their caretakers to limit these stressors, and minimize the damage when stressors cannot be avoided.

Some seemingly small things such as moving a chicken from a breeder or feed store to your home, or moving can be stressful. If you think about it, you are taking a chicken away from everything he/she has known and turning their world upside down. Here are some ways to keep your bird relaxed during the drive:

• Bring a small cat carrier or another fairly dark but well-ventilated container to transport your chicken in. Chickens relax in dark environments, so this will help to calm your bird. There are even custom chicken carriers made for show birds, so if you transport your birds often, it may be worth looking into.
• Keep your car cool. If this means turning on the A/C in the summer, please do it. Remember, chickens would rather be too cool than too warm.
• Turn down your music. Please don't drive your chickens around town with your music turned up loud.
• Pull over and take breaks. Let your chicken drink on these breaks and check on them to make sure they are doing ok.

Heat is another major factor that can stress chickens. In the summer, temperatures can easily reach the 90's and 100+ degrees. No chicken is built to withstand those temperatures for extended periods. Here are some tips to keep your birds cool this summer:

• Keep shade available to your birds at all times. Direct sunlight will make your birds even warmer than the air feels outside. Your birds can die if they get heat stroke.
• Keep water available at all times. If this means getting multiple waterers, then do it. There are also automatic waterers available that hook up to your outdoor spigot and provide an ever available stream of water.
• Provide a fan. This can give your hens a source of moving air that they can stand by if they are overheating. The fan can blow up under their feathers and get cooler air close to their skin.
• Provide a mister on extremely hot days. Some birds appreciate being able to stand under a mister. These are available at most home improvement stores and even Walmart and Target.
• Provide a pool of 3-4 inches of cool water for your chickens to stand in. The birds can easily cool their body temperatures several degrees quickly by standing in a pool of cool water. This can be vital in recovering from mild heat stroke, or preventing overheating.
• Provide frozen treats. You can freeze fruits and veggies into a large ice block that the chickens have to work to get to. This "popsicle" is great for a snack, good for cooling the birds, and excellent for entertainment value.

Following these tips should help keep your birds from getting stressed in most situations. When in doubt, just try to keep your bird in the dark, keep them cool, and keep them quiet. Here's to happy birds!