The dog days of summer aren’t limited to man’s best friend- our chickens have been keeping a low profile in this week’s high temperatures when they weren’t being chased back into the run by thunder and lightening storms. I love wicked thunderstorms, but I think my flock could live without them! This photo looks like it was taken at night, but it was actually taken in the middle of the afternoon just before the storm hit.

If you are having challenges keeping your chickens comfortable in high temperatures, I have lots of suggestions for keeping chickens safe in the heat this summer here. In terms of emergency preparedness, I always keep a bucket of cool water near the chickens in case someone begins looking wilted, lethargic or pale, which is often a sign that the bird is in big trouble and needs its body temperature lowered immediately. Submerging the bird up to their neck in cool water can be a lifesaving measure.

I was amused by the reaction to this photo on my Facebook page this week. While I predicted that the hen I Photoshopped onto the cup would be the focus of attention, my summer chicken yard shoes stole the spotlight!  This is where I got mine and I’m waiting for pink to come back in stock in my size!

Rachel (Bantam Cochin Frizzle) enjoyed sunning sprawled out on the mulch in the late morning hours before it got too hot out.

In other news this week, Frieda, my white Silkie hen, hatched one of the eggs she has been incubating for the past 3 weeks. The seven other eggs from my backyard hens didn’t hatch. That was surprising and disappointing, but the Serama chick that hatched is quite the consolation prize.

Nobody appreciates the high heat less than Bertha, my Partridge Cochin, who is heavily feathered and the heaviest bird in my flock. She spent most of her time in the shade behind the chicken coops, which is significantly cooler than most other locations in the yard.

The Light Sussex chick I hatched from P. Allen Smith‘s egglets is getting HUGE!

These three are inseparable. The Silver Spangled Hamburg behind the white birds is fairly flighty as is expected of the breed, but the Light Sussex and the other, undetermined breed white bird, are BFFs.

These Silver Gray Dorkings are also P. Allen Smithletts. The one in front is a cockerel and the other is a pullet.