It was back in August 2003 when I wrote about the 'Heatwave'. We haven't had and do not seem to have heat waves these days as we used to do, but we do experience short spells of very hot weather affecting egg production as well as stressing the younger growing birds.
Since writing this part of the article I have been musing through a 1913 Feathered World Journal for August which starts 'With the hot weather and birds moulting, weakness in some form or other is bound to be present', so apart from the prophets of doom nothing really changes
Heatwave
Far too many birds are lost during periods of high temperature, when a little extra thought and work would help relieve the stress they may be experiencing. Water must be kept in a cool shaded place and refilled about mid-day. As they will, like us, eat less during hot spells, it would be beneficial to their health to add a soluble multi-vitamin in the water to replace any nutritional imbalances.
Make sure that all areas of possible ventilation are fully open and wire netting or mesh protection over the ventilation is well brushed off. In houses with the minimum air flow, and there are far too many of these on the market, leave the personnel entry door wide open. Let all birds out during the earlier cool of the morning, but watch out for foxes, you may have one that regularly visits early morning in daylight, there are far too many of these domestic foxes dumped out and about by 'rescue centres' such as the RSPCA, having healed their wounds.
I saw in the last issue that Jeremy was not too happy with the auto popholes and I am of the same view.
Shade
Shade must be provided if not already in place. Birds must be able to shelter out of the sun otherwise they tend to crowd in the house, some will seek the little shade provided by the house's shadow.
Production
Egg production will suffer to some extent because of a lower intake of food and a certain amount of dehydration, this also affects egg size.
