Chickens need cool water in the Summer and a cool pan of water to stand in to cool off their feet!
(Note make sure the water about 2 inches is in the shade to remain cool and you change water daily.)
I have learned over the years that sudden weather changes causes bacteria in the soil to go from dormant to active and this is what can get chickens to become ill.
If you are in Texas (or anywhere actually) and the weather changes suddenly, this can create a bad living environment for your chickens. Its not only the drop on pressure, or the temperature but the problems can lie in the chickens health and how they can handle the changes. A typical fall in Texas can range from nearly 90 - 105 degrees in the day time dry weather, and suddenly drastically change to 35 or 40 degrees and a "blue norther" full of a sudden downpour and several inches of cold rain.
We use "misters" in our coop area with a large fan and a mister hose (actually its a hose nozzle that is broke!) It works just fine to spray lots of cool misty water into the coop and the added benefit is that the chickens will still lay eggs all summer.
Its no surprise that in Texas a heat spell can be bring devastation to farm livestock. This includes chickens. When the temperature rises above 95 degrees for most of the afternoon your chickens will need relief from the heat. There are several things you can do. First, be sure that the chickens have a covered area or shady plants to stay near for a cool spot. Second, make sure that chicken have fresh cool water and that the water is in a shady area too. It won't help your chickens if the water container is in the 100 degree heat. The water is too hot to drink. Read more:
