Trying to keep the girls cool

We are having a heat wave at the moment. Today the temperature was 34 C – 93 F. This is the hottest day in twelve years and the hottest July day on record.

It is also the first day that I have seen signs of my current girls feeling the heat. First it was Emerald lifting her wings and gaping then a little later it was Toffee. I think Emerald feels the heat more because of her black feathers but the game girls seem to feel the heat more than the other girls as they were the only ones showing any signs.

I set about trying to cool the girls down. I offered them some frozen peas in a water bath. This gives them the cooling peas, cool water as they take the peas and the opportunity to cool their feet if they stand in the bath. Well they were having none of that. No one was brave enough to stand in the water.

Only Honey has seen the peas in a water bath before and I would swear she remembered. I didn’t use it last year so it would have been the year before but she was the only one to go straight to it and start plucking peas from the water.

Honey is first to take a look

Honey is first to take a pea, does she remember!

Emerald takes a pea

Toffee, Peaches and Barley join in

They are getting the hang of it but Topaz is having none of it, you can see her in the background on the left of the photo

Once they had had enough of fishing for the peas I decided to empty the water and peas under the table in the shade.

This gave Topaz a chance to have some cool peas and some cool damp soil under her feet

I poured some water over the table and sprayed the bush above with water then poured water over some of the perches.

Emerald and Topaz went to the table but they will stand facing the bush

Barley joins Emerald on the table

The table is quick to dry out but I wet it several times again during the afternoon.

I also wet the patio area. I thought this would help keep it cool but an added bonus for the girls was that it turned any spilled pellets to mash.

The girls can cool their feet while having some unexpected mash

Peaches joins in for some mash

When Emerald and Toffee were looking at their hottest I lightly sprayed them with water. I don’t think they liked me doing this but I felt it would help cool them.

I gave the girls melon and grapes from the fridge to help cool and hydrate them. I shall keep doing all these things throughout the hot spell.

I also let the girls sleep out last night as last night was the first night forecast to have a high temperature. I will let them sleep out until this hot spell ends. They have their high perches over the patio area and the run is predator proof.

When we have the new shed for them I will be able to walk in and assess the temperature plus I will be able to leave the window open and even the door too if it’s hot. This project begins next week.

This hot weather is only forecast to last for about  week. I know lots of countries have these high temperatures and more but for the U.K. this is unusual. I will continue to do all I can to keep the girls cool and happy.