Dehydration: Symptoms, Cure and Prevention

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony
Thank you for your suggestion. She had a convulsion and died in my arms shortly after I wrote the post.

Now I know that if any of the others goes under the coop to be in the shade, I must put a bowl of water within their reach and not expect them to come out and walk the half a yard into the coop to get a drink. These are my first chickens, and I never realised that the heat was such a killer. Today my husband has fixed up an awning on the side of the coop to give them some more shade. They also have citrus trees, apple trees and olive trees to free range under. The one that died was a lot smaller than the others and a lot slower with her feathers coming in. I think she was the 'runt' of the hatch. Thank God that the other 3 chickens are bigger and more healthy. They are also suffering from the heat, but go under the trees and dust bathe to keep cool. I've been keeping a close eye on them since she died, and they DO go regularly to drink either from the waterer in the coop or from the bowls of water I place under the trees.
I suppose for cochins it's even more difficult for them in hot weather because of all their extra feathers...

Sorry for your loss.

-Kathy

 

[tmommie]

Tiny, my rooster, is back to normal and back with his friends. Thank you all for suggestions and advice.

 

[casportpony]

Tiny, my rooster, is back to normal and back with his friends. Thank you all for suggestions and advice.

Thanks for the update!

-Kathy

 

[Leashaworm]

Babies hatched yesterday and I took them inside to care for them. One passed away in the night and the other seems as though it's dehydrated so I am following what you've said here but how do I know if it's getting better?

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

@ leash a worm

Is your baby still alive?

 

[kcpeep]

Hi okay, I don't know how to use this website at all! But I need help or edvice! My chicken whom I love with all my heart her name is cleopatra but she usually goes my peep peep. She always runs to me when I see her but this time when I walked into my room she was just sitting there and walking very slowly or barley moving. I think it's dehydration, so I got a big clean bowl of water and she drank it on own (no struggle). But she can't really eat which is a problem obviously but she does try to get the feed in her mouth. I just realized this strange behavior and hour and a half ago. She's now wrapped up in a blanket next to me in bed. I don't know what I would do without her. Please help me.

 

[casportpony]

Hi okay, I don't know how to use this website at all! But I need help or edvice! My chicken whom I love with all my heart her name is cleopatra but she usually goes my peep peep. She always runs to me when I see her but this time when I walked into my room she was just sitting there and walking very slowly or barley moving. I think it's dehydration, so I got a big clean bowl of water and she drank it on own (no struggle). But she can't really eat which is a problem obviously but she does try to get the feed in her mouth. I just realized this strange behavior and hour and a half ago. She's now wrapped up in a blanket next to me in bed. I don't know what I would do without her. Please help me.

Can you get her to a vet?

-Kathy

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

How old is she could she be broody? Is there a chance she's too hot? What breed? Have you felt her going to see if it's full hard squishy?

 

[SBmember]

I have a 3 week old chick who, when i changed out their waterer to a regular fowl drinker from a nipple waterer, drank ALOT of water, it started to come back up. We started them on the nipple waterer 5 days ago. She is Not drinking near as much now and now she seems completely fine. Her poops went from water green to only slightly tinted green now and a more normal consitency (even one cecal poop). I have her seperated with food and water now but should I put her back? Her crop still feels like a water balloon but has shrunk in size. 2 chicks were lethargic this morning before switching waterers and now everyone seems fine, was this a mistake on my part that caused dehydration?