Summer is a season with high temperatures. Most pathogens are killed, and the occurrence of diseases in chicken flocks is significantly reduced. However, due to the high temperatures in summer, large-scale casualties among chicken flocks are prone to occur. Therefore, farmers must pay close attention to prevention in their daily breeding and management. Let's take a look at the six important precautions for chicken farms in summer.

1、Pay attention to the temperature of the chicken coop 
Chickens are tolerant of cold but not heat. They are highly sensitive to high temperatures. If the temperature inside the chicken coop remains above 32℃ for a long time, the chicken flock will exhibit heat stress reactions, such as opening their mouths to breathe, partially spreading their wings, reduced appetite, or lying down in the chicken coop and refusing to move. If the temperature inside the chicken coop exceeds 35℃, the chickens will experience fainting reactions and may even cause a large-scale death of the flock. Therefore, when conducting routine inspections of the chicken farm, if you notice a large number of chickens panting with their mouths open and drinking more water, especially when the chickens are robust in body condition and more pronounced in obesity. At this point, you should immediately find ways to cool down the chicken coop. You can sprinkle water in the chicken coop, preferably use spray to cool down, or turn on more fans. For chickens that are listless or have fainted, quickly transfer them to a shady area. You can make incisions on the chicken's comb or wings to release blood, and add vitamins to the chicken's drinking water to accelerate the recovery of the chicken's body functions.

2、Pay attention to the number of dead chickens

It is normal for both large and small chickens to die every day in large-scale chicken farms (mostly due to uncontrollable factors). If the number of dead chickens suddenly increases for several consecutive days, it should be taken seriously. It is recommended to collect dead chickens, dissect them more, investigate the cause, and take measures quickly to prevent greater casualties.
 

3、Pay attention to the issues with the chicken farm wiring
In summer, high-power appliances such as fans are used to cool down the chicken coop. More electricity is used, which increases the load pressure on the power lines. There are many cases of fires caused by excessive load or aging of the power lines, resulting in catastrophic damage to the breeding farms. We farmers should pay special attention to this. In summer, it is essential to use electricity safely, check the circuit in a timely manner, replace aging wires, and prohibit the placement of flammable and explosive materials in the chicken coop.
What should be paid attention to when raising chickens in summer? Six points to note for summer chicken farms - Image copyright belongs to Huinong Network
 

4、 Pay attention to the sound of the chicken flock
Generally, checking the sound of the chicken flock at night is the most effective. Normally, the chicken flock does not make any sound at night. If abnormal noises such as snoring, sneezing, and making strange noises are found, it indicates that the chicken flock has respiratory diseases and needs to be treated with medication for prevention and control as soon as possible.
 

5、 Pay attention to the color of feces
Under normal circumstances, chicken feces are brownish green cylindrical or strip-shaped soft feces, sometimes accompanied by a little white urate. When inspecting the chicken coop, pay attention to the color of chicken manure. If abnormal chicken manure is found, it should be taken seriously.
Summer is the most prone to outbreaks of coccidiosis. If chickens are found to have red bloody stools, it is highly likely that the flock has been infected with coccidiosis. At this point, it is necessary to take medication as soon as possible. Sulfonamide drugs have a significant effect on treating chicken coccidiosis, but attention should be paid to the timing and duration of medication when using sulfonamide drugs. The dosage of sulfonamide drugs should not exceed 1.2 times the regular dosage and must be administered through free drinking water. The medication cannot be used continuously for more than 4 days. It can be stopped for 3 days and then continued for 2 days. This method can effectively control the coccidiosis epidemic in the chicken farm.
 

6、 Pay attention to the water line
Because chickens do not have sweat glands and are covered in thick feathers, they mainly rely on drinking plenty of water to cool down during the hot summer season. Therefore, in summer, it is necessary to maintain sufficient cool and clean drinking water on the chicken farm. If the chickens are restless and breathing, in addition to ruling out cooling issues, it is necessary to consider whether there is a problem with the water supply line.
Drinking water is very important for the normal physiological activities of chickens, and in the hot summer, chickens cannot do without water. If a chicken lacks water for several hours, it may cause a large number of casualties. The impact of water shortage on laying hens is particularly significant, as it can cause a decrease in egg production and even lead to the inability to restore normal egg production. Therefore, it is necessary to check one by one in a timely manner whether the water line can supply water normally and whether the nipple is blocked. If any problems are found, they should be solved as soon as possible.