Your Birds and Weather
By: Mama Gozzard

I know that many of us live in extremely warm and humid areas of the country. Did you know that some breeds of birds are better suited for different areas of the country which helps them to acclimate and thrive better. And if you are in a warmer region, are you aware of the many ways to help reduce heat stress in your birds. Older birds can adapt to almost all temperature extremes through gradual exposure to the elements. When the temperatures gradually change and shift, it is much less stressful on your birds.  Consider the fact that you buy birds from a cooler region of the US and bring them within a day or two time into one that is very hot and humid. Do you put that bird directly into a pen exposed to the full strength of the elements? Speaking for myself, no, I would find a way to ease the bird into it. Keep it inside with gradual exposure outside each day for about a week until they stay out the whole day's time. When a bird becomes acclimated to warm temperatures, it pants less rapidly and is less likely to die at what might otherwise be a lethal temperature.  On the otherhand, a bird that has become used to these warmer climates is much less likely to be tolerant of shifts to cold weather. Breed can also play a large role in weather acclimation. Loosely feathered birds like Orpingtons and Heavily feathered birds like the Asiatics (Brahma,Cochin, Langshan) and Americans (Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, etc) suffer more in hot weather than lightly feathered breeds; and hens in lay suffer more than those not laying.  Heat stress can be avoided by following a few simple precautions. * As the birds start to drink more water, increase the number of watering stations. *Fill the waterers OFTEN with cool fresh water. *Keep water cool by placing it in shady areas. *Avoid medicating water if at all possible. Birds will not drink as much water if it is medicated because they do not like that taste. * Birds will eat less in hot weather.  It is important to buy smaller amounts of feed (to keep it fresh) at a time, but buy it often. *Set out extra feeders also so that birds do not have to move around in the heat.. *To encourage eating, you could set out a low watt bulb and burn it early in the mornings to encourage the birds to come off the roosts early and eat in the cool. *Open all window or doors in the hen house and add a fan to it if possible. *Do Not overcrowd your birds in your pens in the heat. Give them space to spread out and dust in the cool. *Do your best to provide shade for your birds.  Do Not leave them in direct sunlight. Cold Weather also affects your birds. Lightly feathered birds like Hamburgs, Naked Necks, and the Mediterraneans (Buttercups,Leghorns, Minorcas, etc.), sparsely feathered breeds such as Shamo, and breeds with short close feathers such as Cornish and Modern Game. Not only are the latter two inadequately insulated against cold weather, but both breeds do poorly in winter confinement. Birds with large combs are a concern and should be take care of properly to save their combs and waddles from freezing and thus leaving them with fertility problems in the spring. Here is a short list of birds by Weather Preference Cool Brahma Cochin New Hamphsire Orpington Plymouth Rock Rhode Island Red Wyandotte Warm Andalusian Buttercup Hamburg Leghorn Minorca Naked Neck Shamo Spanish Temperate Cornish Crevecoeur Dorking Houdan Modern Game Polish.   This article written for educational purposes The Gander Gab/Perfect Pets sites.  All rights are reserved.