For poultry raisers, heat stress is a real thing, and keeping chickens cool during higher temperatures can spell success in business. The science is there but don’t worry as it’s not really that too difficult to follow. After all, most chicken breeds can handle changing weather and with proper vaccination and housing, can still survive on their own. But more than what your chickens need such as proper protection from predators, feeds, water, and medicine, shielding them from heat remains an important factor if you want to keep them well.
Heat makes it hard for your hens to lay eggs. Like all living things, your broilers and laying hens also react to stress in a way that it disturbs their bodies. And as we all know, heat can be easily contained in both our bodies and the place we’re in without anything to cool the air off.
Imagine going for a siesta during a brownout and sweating all over. You surely wouldn’t be able to get any shut eye because you’ll have to fan yourself anyway, right? The same can happen to your chickens when they are left in your hot bakuran without any available shade. Heat stress can lower their energy and no matter how resilient your chickens are, they are known to be the more sensitive species when it comes to temperature changes. What’s worse is that they can’t just flap their wings to cool off so you’ll have to go the extra mile for them if you want to keep them healthy.
The simple solution is knowing how to use a greenhouse shade net to give them a cool place in your bakuran to seek relief from the hot sun, and more of what they need to keep their body temperatures at bay.
Ano ang Greenhouse Shade Nets?
No. It’s not the same as a lambat nor range nets. Greenhouse shade nets like what Philippine Ranging Nets can provide are specialty nets that are durable and can do the job when it comes to shielding your chicken from natural heat and light.
Now, most people would think:
“Greenhouse shade nets? Pang halaman lang yun diba?”
On the contrary, these types of nets are also used in poultry raising whether traditional or free-range. They disperse both light and heat from the sun and can be used in chicken housings or portions within your bakuran depending on their mesh size which are now available via Philippine Ranging Nets in 30%, 60%, and 80% varieties.
Why does mesh size matter? Because chickens need some sunlight too. You wouldn’t want to deprive them of the natural vitamins and minerals that the sun can give them so you’d have to balance the amount of sunshine and cooling that your chickens get all the time. In fact, hens need at least 16 hours of sunlight and 8 hours of shade a day to keep them laying those protein-rich eggs. Totally depriving them of sunlight messes with their normal sleeping habits. During colder months, farmers also use artificial light in the form of a 40-watt bulb per 100 square feet to simulate the effects of the sun.
And that brings us back to the importance of shade nets during higher temperatures. The nets off set heat and light to give your chickens just the right amount for them to stay healthy and reproductive. Aside from this, they also protect your hens from pests and bugs so you can think of them as a super kulambo for your chickens.
Here are more tips you can do to keep your chickens cool during hot days.
1. ‘Wag hayaan uhaw ang mga manok
To get the most out of your greenhouse shade nets efforts, make sure every inahin gets their fair share of cool drinking water as hot water turns them off and makes them even more prone to dehydration.
By simply making a couple of water containers with automatic waterers available to them throughout the day and ensuring that they are cold to the touch, you’ll encourage your hens to drink more water which can be very good for them!
If you are going to sleep during the hot months, freezing a bucket of water and leaving them overnight for your chickens is another good way to hydrate them without doing too much work. Give them added merienda treats in the afternoon by putting in some pakwan, kamatis, or pipino in their frozen water delights that give them electrolytes!
Providing them with dust baths which they love also help them cold down along with misters that can lower heat temperatures by 20 degrees depending on the area.
2. Pansinin ang pinapakain sa mga manok tuwing tag-init
If you think your chickens are suffering from too much heat, add around 17 to 18 percent of protein plus milk or sunflower seeds to their mash diets which can increase their appetite.
While you’re at it, lower their carb intake from corn-based feeds as this can lead to higher body temperatures during hot weather. Both heat and a poor diet can give chickens a stroke so be very careful how you feed them during hotter months.
3. Bigyan sila ng tamang hangin
Siesta or not, your chickens need proper ventilation throughout the day both in the coop and in your bakuran. Open the windows in their coop during hotter days and or install screen doors to let more air in. Like us, your chickens appreciate fans too as they let the air flow especially for laying hens in nesting boxes. Just make sure your fans won’t cause any fire especially if you have flammables like tarps or makeshift shade nets lying around in the area.
Freeing some space up for them if you are into free-ranging also works wonders for your chickens’ heat management and ventilation but you should always install the proper fencing to keep predators away from your brood. Free-range nets are also among Philippine Ranging Nets line of quality, proudly Filipino-made products.
Check out more of what Philippine Ranging Nets offer for poultry raising by visiting www.philippinerangingnets.com or sending us an email at [email protected] or call +63977 007 0228.
Philippine Ranging Nets provide Filipino-made multi-purpose nets mainly used for free ranging chickens and other poultry. Trusted by top-breeders, PRN’s top quality affordable ranging nets are available nationwide.
