Here in California, we are now working to help the birds adjust to the summer heat.  The central valley where our flights are located often times gets well over 100 degrees during the summer.  That can take it's toll on our birds health a vigor.  Below is a list of things we do to help them cope:

• Cover flights with shade cloth.  We find that this can lower the aviary temperature 10-15 degrees.
• Our outdoor flights are heavily planted.  Not only does this help cool the flights, it also offers places to hide within the foliage.  Average temps are 10-20 degrees cooler in the middle of a shrub than in the open parts of the flights.
• Be sure cool fresh water is available at all time.  In our outdoor flights we set the system to flush and refill every 2 hours during the summer.  Cool water for drinking and bathing can go a long way in helping the birds cool down.  In our large indoor flights, we place 1/2 gallon jugs filled with frozen ice in the water dishes.  This helps insure the water stays cool throughout the day.  In addition, Aviclens added to the water helps insure that algae fungus and bacteria do not build up in the water.
• We also add Energize to the water during hot weather.  Spark replaces the electrolytes that are lost in warmer temperatures and help insure the birds do not become dehydrated.
• We have high/low thermometers located throughout the flights.  This allows us to monitor how hot and cool the flights are actually becoming.
• On the very hottest days, we run a sprinkler system on the roof of the aviary for 5 minutes every hour during the hottest part of the day.  Because we have fiberglass roofs on the flights, there is no worry of the aviary floor getting wet.  The moist roof and shade  cloth usually bring down the temperature 20 degrees in short order.
• If your summers are warm and wet, you will also want to consider using Coccivet in the water as a preventative.  Coccidiosis is a greater risk when the weather is warm and moist.  Coccivet, used for 5-7 days during danger periods will help keep this protozoa at bay.