Wondering How to Keep Chickens Cool? Try These 5 Cluckin’ Good Summer Recipes

Greetings, featherless friends!

Friends, if this heatwave continues, I might spontaneously combust. And don't get me started on the egg shortage fiasco—because frankly, how are overheated chickens supposed to focus on laying? 

But fear not. I know a thing or two about how to keep chickens cool in a heatwave.

As your resident feathered heatwave survivor, I've curated 5 hydrating treats to turn your heat-stressed chickens into connoisseurs of cool. These aren't just snacks—they're emergency climate control.

Now, onto the recipes!

1. Frozen Fruit & Veggie Watermelon Medley 🍉 

In search of the perfect cool treats for chickens? Hydrating fruits (like watermelon, cucumber, and berries) will please even the most discerning palates. This electrolyte- and antioxidant-packed melody will help combat dehydration in chickens and keep your flock looking and feeling like the queens they are. 

Elevate your hen’s dining experience by using the watermelon rind as a biodegradable "platter". Zero-waste is very chic, darling. 

You'll need:

• Half a large watermelon
• Fruit (i.e., strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, bananas, grapes, raspberries — whatever you have on hand — this is a great way to use up fruit that has been sitting in your fridge!)
• Veggies (i.e., cukes, squash, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc. — use what you have!)
• Water as needed for blending

How to prepare:

1. Slice your watermelon in half.
2. Remove, cube, and reserve the center flesh, leaving only the rind.
3. Blend the watermelon chunks with a little bit of water in a blender or food processor.
4. Add the fruits and veggies of your choosing into the rind.
5. Cover the fruits with the watermelon slurry and add water as needed.
6. Freeze until hardened and serve for pure poultry pandemonium.

2. Yogurt & Herb Popsicles🌿

Nothing thrills my flock like when the featherless folk come bearing frozen goodies, and these Yogurt & Herb Pops are among our favorite hydrating chicken snacks. 

Plus, probiotic-rich yogurt can help ward off illnesses. (Sour crop? I don't know her. )

 The best part is fresh herbs like mint have a cooling sensation, offering much-needed respite for overheated chickens (Looking at you, Gertrude!) 

You'll need:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of chicken-friendly herbs, like mint, basil, parsley, or cilantro (let your culinary creativity run wild, darlings!)

How to prepare:

1. Mix plain yogurt with chopped herbs, freeze in small cups or an ice cube tray until solid.
2. Pop the yogurt treats out of the cups and serve

Pro tip: Run some warm water along the sides of the cup, and use a butter knife to loosen them up.

3. Chilled Cucumber & Melon Salad🥒🍉

Treat your girls like the VIPs they are with a refreshing cucumber and melon salad!  

Veggies like lettuce and cukes, help regulate our body temperature and quench our parched beaks. Plus, apple cider vinegar aids digestion and nutrient absorption! Two hens with one stone (er…salad!) 

You'll need:

• 1 large cucumber

• 1 head of lettuce

• 1 cup of melon

• 1/3 cup Apple cider vinegar

How to prepare:

1. Chop the cucumber and lettuce and place them into a bowl

2. Pour apple cider vinegar into the salad and mix well.

3. Chill before serving.

4. Frozen Veggie Mash🫛🌽

Even a humble bag of frozen peas becomes beak-chattering respite for our panting wattles in this summer heat. But darlings! If you truly wish to spoil your discerning hens? This nutrient-packed frozen veggie mash is magnifique and far superior to, well... other offerings.

You'll need:

• ½ a bag of frozen sweet peas
• ½ a bag of frozen corn
• ½ a bag of frozen squash
• ½ a bag of mixed veggies (optional)
• 1 can of plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Water as needed
  
  

How to prepare:

1. Blend all the above ingredients with water as needed
2. Serve as is or freeze into cubes.

5. Electrolyte-Infused Ice Blocks🧊

These electrolyte-infused ice blocks are an eggs-cellent way to keep chickens cool in hot weather (and combat heat stress and dehydration!) Add them to a bowl of still not sparkling water or place on your finest serving tray and let us peck them like popsicles! I prefer mine poolside, naturally. 

You'll need:

• 1 cup of blended watermelon

• 2 tbsp of honey or sugar

• 1 large pinch of sea salt

• 1 pinch of baking soda

• 1 pinch of potassium chloride (optional but highly recommended!)

• 1 cup of water

• Ice cube trays

How to prepare:

• Mix the ingredients below well and pour into an ice cube tray.

• Freeze until hardened, 2-3 hours, then serve as is or in a bowl of water.

Bonus Tips for Keeping Chickens Cool in Summer☀️🌡️

• Provide shade & ventilation in the coop.

• Ensure fresh, cool water is always available.

• Avoid high-protein feeds (they generate more body heat).

• Offer treats in the morning/evening when temps are lower.