Electrolytes in their water can really help backyard chickens immensely in the summer. Once the temperature rises much above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, they start to feel the effects.

While chickens don't sweat like humans, they do lose fluids and electrolytes through panting, labored breathing, defecation and even egg laying!

You can just give your chickens some plain Pedialyte, but I prefer to make my own electrolytes.

I make it in a dry powder form for simple storage, ready to be mixed up at a moment's notice. You can stir the electrolyte powder into their water, or even better make some Electrolyte Ice Cubes for them! Freezing the electrolyte mixture into ice cubes helps to keep their water cool at the same time. 

Apparently electrolyte ice cubes are a "thing" for pregnant women/morning sickness, so why not for your chickens as well? 

Not so much for the morning sickness aspect, but to replenish the nutrients they lose in the heat. It's easy to freeze some electrolytes into ice cube trays, and then pop them into your chickens' water on hot days.

Electrolyte Ice Cubes for your Chickens

The electrolyte ice cubes for your chickens will not only provide them the lost minerals they need, but also cool the water down for them. Perfect especially if you won't be home on a hot day.

You can go ahead and just pour some plain Pedialyte into your ice cub trays, freeeze them and then add them to your chickens' water, or you can whip up a batch of my homemade recipe to use.

Click to Get My Homemade Electrolyte Recipe

Once you have your electrolyte power mixed up, just measure 6 teaspoons of the mix into 2 cups of water.

Whisk until combined and then pour into an ice cube tray.

Freeze, then pop the cubes out and add them to a gallon of fresh cold water for your chickens. You can make cubes ahead of time and store them in the freezer to use as needed when the mercury rises.

I also like to add fresh, chopped herbs and edible flowers to their water in the summer to entice my chickens to drink more as they are attracted to all the pretty colors and fish out the goodies!