Yesterday was the hottest day this summer so far and this time Rusty, and, Dandelion and Cinnamon were in the sun with their beaks open. This is my first summer of having seramas and I am beginning to think that they like the sun so much that they are willing to get hot in the sun while at the same time cooling themselves through their beaks.
I know that chickens cool themselves through their open beaks in the same way that dogs pant when they are hot. My past experience with chickens has been of them doing this when overheating despite finding some shade. Seramas choose to sit in the sun and do this.
I did a bit of research on this and it concluded that some birds will seek shade while others will choose to sit in the sun. It said that some birds simply like it hot. I think that probably sums up seramas.
Rusty, open beaked in the sun, again
Dandelion and Cinnamon doing the same
Seeing them with eyes glazed and beaks open does unsettle me but they choose to do this while the rest of the flock sit in the shade.
I decided to try giving them some peas once more. I guess I will have to let them choose if they want to bake in the sun, after all I do the same myself sometimes, but I thought that a distraction wouldn’t go amiss.
I tipped the peas onto the patio and there was no hesitation this time.
The girls come to investigate
There is no hesitation in eating the peas this time
All the girls join in eating the peas
I think that they have decided that they do like peas
They have got over their distrust of the peas and have decided that they do like them. I think they would take them from the dish now as a few girls were looking in the dish that I had emptied on to the patio.
I think I will have to get used to trusting that the seramas are okay in the sun, even though they look hot, with their beaks open. The seramas are all laying eggs every other day so are obviously happy. Even after six years of chicken keeping I am still finding out new things and each breed is quite different.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Funny little girls.
They are funny. They always make me smile.
I’m going to pick up some frozen peas at the store today. It’s supposed to be in the upper 90’s here today which is very hot. And it’s been in the low 90’s for the past few days and will be for the next week.
The girls can handle a few days like this but 10 days is really going to stress them. Poor things.
We are hitting 80 which is unusually hot for us, top 90’s is very hot. I love the sun but today was too hot for me. Luckily it seems that seramas like it hot.
It was supposed to be 93 here today. It’s 103. I’m actually freaking out about my babies. I’ve hosed down the yard for the third time today. I have a fan and mister going for them and they have a big block of frozen carrot/zucchini/tomato to peck at and drink the ice water. It should start to cool down in about 90 minutes. And today should be the worse of it. UGH!
Wow! We actually hit 90 today which is exceptional for us. I have been melting so I can only imagine what it’s like for you. I think we too have peaked today and perhaps tomorrow then it it is supposed to be cooler. We were due storms this afternoon but they didn’t happen, we are in a valley and often miss storms that happen nearby. I hope it cools for us both soon. I like the sun but not this hot. You always have it hotter than us though. Hope it cools for you soon.
Mine tend to take in the sun in the earlier part of the day, then retreat to the shade. Must be awful for broodies in this heat.
I am just glad that I have no broodies at the moment. Another reason to try to stop them when it’s like this although we know that they will do what they want to do.