It’s August – and there’s plenty you can do in your coop to keep your hens healthy!
It’s almost Back To School season and the holidays are fast approaching – now is the time to prepare for fall, and at a minimum, make decisions you can implement later that’ll keep your backyard chickens healthy and happy throughout the cooler months.
August is also a time to be extra vigilant about the heat!
Here’s what to do in your coop in August!
Keep making sure your hens are cool with these tips here.
You can also add a window if things are still blistering hot.
Start preparing for molting
Chickens don’t always start in August but some do, and its best to be prepared. Chickens start molting in the fall as the days get shorter.
Add extra protein to their feed such as mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, or Fluffiest Feathers Ever!
Think about whether your coop needs any adjustments before cold weather arrives, school begins, and the holiday season approaches.
Does it need any changes or additions to keep your hens warm and out of bad weather during winter? Are there leaks that can become a problem during a freezing rain, or even rain in cooler temps?
Any areas for predators to get into? As cool weather arrives and food is scarce, your flock becomes an even bigger target.
Make sure your chickens have access to a good dust bath.
Consider adding diatomaceous earth or an herbal blend like MitesBGone to it so they’re mite-free.
Add fall decor & boredom busters to your coop
An herbal wreath to the coop door will look cute, or if you have access to pumpkins, try making a fall planter.
You can also hang apple slices (without the seeds – they’re poisonous), herbs from your garden, or other goodies in their run to reduce boredom.
If it’s still hot, treat your flock to some frozen suet cakes!
Recycle waste from your vegetable garden in your coop
Your hens will love the additional treats! Keep dried beans, potato skins, apple seeds, and stones from fruit out of the coop.
Some people add a compost pile to their run for the hens to help turn over – it’s up to you whether this works for your flock.
But be sure to clean your coop weekly!
You’ll want to reduce manure and ammonia load (from their waste) as the days continue to be hot.
Maat van Uitert is a backyard chicken and sustainable living expert. She is also the author of Chickens: Naturally Raising A Sustainable Flock, which was a best seller in it’s Amazon category. Maat has been featured on NBC, CBS, AOL Finance, Community Chickens, the Huffington Post, Chickens magazine, Backyard Poultry, and Countryside Magazine. She lives on her farm in Southeast Missouri with her husband, two children, and about a million chickens and ducks. You can follow Maat on Facebook here and Instagram here.
Hi Maat – Can I add PestBGone to their dust bath as well? I do put it in their coop now, but wondered if I should/could add it to their dust bin. I don’t have the MitesBGone yet.
Yes you can! MitesBGone is better for mites, though, because of the garlic and other herbs in it.