4 Ways To Your Animals Cool This Summer
How to Keep Your Animals Cool This Summer (Without Breaking the Bank)
Summer on the homestead means fresh tomatoes, sun-tea on the porch, and… doing everything in your power to keep your animals (and you) from melting.
If you’re anything like us, your chickens start panting the minute the sun crests the trees, the cows seek out the sliver of shade behind the persimmon tree in the pasture, and the goats make dramatic eye contact like you personally invented heatwaves.
But here’s the thing: keeping your animals cool doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. With a few simple tricks—and a little planning—you can help your herd, flock, and feathered friends stay safe and comfortable all season long.
Just a heads up—some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through them. I only share products I genuinely use and love here on the homestead. Thank you for supporting Carden’s Garden & Homestead—it helps keep the chickens fed and the garden growing!
Here are some of our favorite low-cost, high-impact ways to beat the heat:
Way #1 To Keep Your Animal’s Cool This Summer
Frozen Treats
This can be as easy as throwing some blueberries in the freezer ( a delicious snack for you too) or slicing up some watermelon or you can or you can get a bit more creative.
Another way to give frozen treats is to take either some kitchen scraps or berries and place them in a bowl of water and then freeze the whole bowl (pictured below).Let it sit out on the counter a minute to defrost just enough to pop it out of the bowl ( or leave it in the bowl if its a safe container for the animals ) and give it to your feathered or furry friends. This give them not only a tasty treat but also an extra boost of hydration.
Way #2 To Keep Your Animal’s Cool This Summer
Air Flow and Shade
When we first got animals I had a lot of anxiety thinking everyone needed extravagant shelters. I realized that really wasn’t the case. Here be built a small 6′ goat shelter for Chris & Kevin and it is more than sufficient for their needs. You could also build a simple lean-to next to a barn as a fairly easy edition.
In the background you can also see the well established persimmon tree in the pasture. While it takes time for trees to grow to such heights, they make for great shade for the animals. I can almost guarantee you will find Clover relaxing under this tree mid afternoon. Planting trees or dense shrubs now can be an investment you are making to your future animals so that they can enjoy the benefits. ( just be sure to protect small plants from animals so they don’t mistake them as part of the buffet!)
Do you know how many degrees cooler it feels in the shade? Click to see the answer
10-15 degrees cooler
As you can see here for this chicken tractor it has plenty of airflow and one half is covered with metal roofing to provide shade throughout the day.
Another way to help with airflow is installing fans in barns or shelters. Don’t worry, this doesn’t even require electricity. There are solar powered fans that make it easy to install a fan just about anywhere!
Way #3 To Keep Your Animal’s Cool This Summer
Cool, clean water
I know, it sounds basic. It is easy to fill everyone’s water and then carry on with your day. However with temperatures reaching high 90’s or even over 100 it is something we must remain diligent about. Not only is hot water gross to drink ( ever taken a swig of a water bottle expecting it to be refreshing and instead its warm water thats been sitting out all day? Yuck) but the warmer the water is the faster bacteria can grow.
Here are some ways to keep water cooler:
- Change out water a few times a day if possible
- Add frozen water bottles to keep water temperature down (kinda like giant ice cubes)
- I recently bought a bowl for Dave, pictured below, (I bought mine at walmart but this one is similar) where there is a liner you can freeze so it stays cooler longer.
Way #4 To Keep Your Animal’s Cool This Summer
Pool party!
I mean, comon’ who doesn’t love a pool party?
While a pool party might not be appropriate for all of the animals on your homestead ( I’m looking at you, Clover) it can be a great way to help the pups and ducks cool down. We made Jazz’s day bringing home this clapsable doggy pool that is puncture proof for her to relax in. Dave was unsure about getting in but I enjoyed having it as a giant water bowl.
Again, I bought mine at Wally World but here is a similar one with great reviews ! The one linked here also comes in multiple sizes which is nice.
Living this homestead life is something I do not take for granted. It is such a blessing to be able to live a slower, more intentional life. With that wonderful gift, however, comes great responsibility. These animals entrusted to us provide so much. Whether that is companionship, milk, eggs or even sacrificing their lives for our nourishment, they deserve our respect and love. It is a sacred relationship. It is a privilege to care for these creatures and we should strive to do it to the best of our abilities.
So whether it’s offering a frozen watermelon treat, rigging up a bit of shade with an old tarp, or just making sure their water is fresh and full, know that every small effort matters.
Your animals will thank you in their own way—with healthy feathers, steady milk, wagging tails, or just that calm, contented energy that makes homesteading so worth it.
