heat??? can it kill quickly?

[Theapplechicks]

I have a set of "teens" that we got around Easter. They are a super great bunch and we had a SO SUPER SWEET Calf. white that we loved dearly. This morning we woke up and she was dead. There was wet all by her backside and it was all green back there. That was the only thing we noticed odd. She has not acted sick and seamed perfectly fine the last few days. In fact she would always come a running when we went out and sit in your lap and coo even though she was really heavy! lol! I'm just wondering could it have been the heat? We are having unusually hot temps this week. Over 100 every day. Could the heat have killed her? Makes me sick and so sad. I just don't want anything to happen to the rest of the girls.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Heat tends to take a bird or any animal extremely quick. Like fine one hour and dead the next.

Its possible your pullet died due to a heat stroke, but the green watered bum says there was severe diarrhea which probably led to dehydration. There sounds like it might be something else that caused the diarrhea, but the dehydration from the diarrhea mixed with heat is probably what actually killed her.

Check the rest of your chickens and make sure none of them are showing signs of any illness, check the ground for any abnormal really watery poos.

I'd suggest adding some electrolytes to their water and giving them some frozen milk jugs in the shade to lay up near and frozen watermelon rinds to help cool off. even a shallow dish of water with some big icecubes - this will help them cool off and manage the heat better.

 

[Smittenroade]

I've heard this same story many times these past couple weeks...Do what the above post said and just make sure they always have water and shade. Not much more you can do other than putting an AC in the coop.

 

[Theapplechicks]

thanks... made us so sad. I haven't noticed diahrea but they have been free ranging during the day and we have a big yard. Will stick some ice blocks out there today. Can you get powdered electrolytes to add to the water at a supply store?

She was always a little different. Waddled like a duck when she walked and was so big and heavy! None of our other full sized chickens came close to her weight.

I'll have to run to TS today and see what I can find.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

big fat solid white? did you get them from a store like TSC or a feed store? She may have been a cornish cross.

California whites tend to be lighter framed chicken like the leghorns...

But yes they sell different electrolytes at feed stores. TSC commonly supplies "Save a chick" which is a single packet for 1 gallon of water - I'd suggest that for young chicks...but they sell other electrolytes/vitamin packs - including "Bounce Back" which will last you a good bit. Just mix an overflowing teaspoon per gallon of water and supply it on hot days (If you change water 2x a day just add it to water in the middle of day when they need it most)

 

[Theapplechicks]

Thanks! Yes she was huge and very solid with enormous feet! She wasn't solid white though. She was spotted like a Calf. white. They told us when we bought her that she was a Cornish Rock but that she was not and she was the only one in the bin that looked like her. Talking w/ some people on here and showing her chick pic to them they said they felt she was a Cal. white too. Maybe not? Whatever she was, she was super friendly and sweet! Loved to be held and LOVED attention. She was a big baby!

Thanks I'll run over to TS today. There seams to be a nice breeze going right now so that should help too hopefully. They like to hide under my deck during the day in the shaded mulch but she passed in the coop at night or this morning so maybe it was just too hot for her. The other ones seam fine and not bothered. Our little "jelly bean" Our solid white tiny tiny game hen is missing her giant friend though. They were inseperable. We always found it funny that the biggest and the smallest chickens we had were best friends!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Apple, cornish can be different colors, with black or red spots/patterns/leakage.

With huge thick legs and much larger than similarly aged chicks/chickens, I'm pretty sure she had been a cornish rock. that in itself is probably a big factor to her death, cornish are very prone to growing too fast and having heartattacks, especially in hot weather.

I am sorry for you loss

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
I agree, she probably was a Cornish, that was my first thought as you described her. They are some of the sweetest (if sort of doofy) birds we ever raised. The heat was probably enough stress to cause her to die. They just do not live very long.

We raised about 50 CR's and at the end there were three that the kids had named and adored. Of course, the feeling was reciprocated and there was no way we could kill those three. So they lived until the ripe old (Cornish) age of 1.5 years. Tears were shed by all of the 10 and under set at our house, (along with a secret briney tear or two from myself) so we feel your pain.

Sorry you lost her.

PnP

 

[bywaterdog]

Quote:
X2-

Cornish+food+ heat=heart attack, sorry for your loss.

I have huge Buff Orps. that are thriving in 105+heat index temps. Every day they get fresh clean water and plenty of shade to rest in, they are 2 1/2 years old and no heat related deaths yet.

 

[Theapplechicks]

Thanks for all the input. Poor baby! I felt like such a bad mama but from the sounds of it there wasn't much else we could do. So no more CR for us! All the other chicks and hens seem fine and unbothered. They ran from shade to shade today and I went and got some Electrolytes to add to their water also. We sprinkled them w/ the hose from which they ran but came back for more! lol!

Patches you are so right! She was the doofiest little hen but super sweet. We would go out and call her name just to see her come a running or should I say waddling to us. The other 6 teens missed her today. I could tell. Little Jelly Bean (game hen but I think she's a runt too, way way tiny!) was her best friend and they were inseperable. She ran around calling out all afternoon and didn't want to go up tonight. I think she was looking for her.

We will just have to find another sweet one (or two) to replace her... I think since she was so big and sweet that it should be at least 2 to make up for it right?