Heat stroke? Or something else?

[jc12551]

It was in the lower 90's today and humid. I had the fans on in the coop (I have broodies) and the mister going. Hubby and I changed the waterers several times to replenish them with cool water. I have waterers inside and outside the run. Plus we have several low dishes of water set around for the poultry and dogs.

About mid afternoon I noticed Big John, the outside turkey, was missing. I went out and found him hiding in a falling down shed convulsing. So picked him up and brought him out to the yard. I looked all over him for signs of trauma and found none. He was pale and hot so I hosed him down with water for 5-10 minutes and tried to get him to drink. He wouldn't drink from the waterer, but would drink water that pooled on the ground. He would try to stand but would stumble and fall. His wings are drooping and he staggers around. I left him next to a water dish with the mister over him.

He eventually stumbled off into the "woods." Hubby and I kept a shift of watering and cooling, but left him in the shade of the scrub. He didn't go to roost tonight and I went and took him into the run. That was really difficult b/c he is a big guy and I am 8 months pregnant. I seriously thought I was going to die, my arms are bruised terribly. I left him lying in the run b/c it is cooler there. I moved a water dish nearby.

Do you think it is heat stroke? Or some other horrible thing? Anything else I can do? I lost my last BR hen this week (found the feathers lining the fire break) and one of my two blue slate hens are missing. I really don't want to lose my tom.

 

[Scottingitup]

I have bourbon reds that survived multiple consecutive 105+ humid florida days last summer. I provided water and shade that was all - not even fans just whatever breeze happened to be there.

"Signs of heat exhaustion in a chicken or turkey include: panting, wings spread apart and descended from the body, tail drooping and general listlessness.

Read more at Suite101: Summer Care of Poultry | Suite101.com http://suite101.com/article/summer-care-of-poultry-a357148#ixzz1yWq1qVDm​

 

[vet4life63]

perhaps it is heat stroke, but i think that there is definitely some level of stress associated with this. You mentioned a chicken that had apparently been killed, "I lost my last BR hen this week (found the feathers lining the fire break) and one of my two blue slate hens are missing." Predators possibly even dogs could be the culprits. Imagine the Tom if he could talk would tell you all about the "disappearances"He could have quite possibly suffered a heart attack from fright, thus leaving him compromised to heat stroke. Another possibility is injury trying to evade. Sometimes it can be internal.

Another possibility is ingestion of poisonous berries or plants. You mentioned "the woods".

Whatever is wrong with him, I'd say treatment is going to be the same. Get him in a cool place, ( I often will temporarily bring birds into the basement or cellar), Aid him with plenty of clean cool water, his normal feed, and perhaps he will come back around. If he doesn't, then the damage that has been done was just to great.

 

[jc12551]

He never did regain his footing and continued to flail/fall over. We were hand feeding and watering him, but both of us had to work 12 hours on Sunday and he passed away during the night. My other two toms are ok and my one remaining hen is hatching eggs right now. He was my outside the run tom and the two hens that disappeared were also outside the run dwellers.

 

[vet4life63]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Fowl are very delicate, meaning that by the time they exhibit symptoms, many times they are already past the point of no return. You gave it the old college try!

I would almost bet that you do have a predator problem. It very likely may be stray dogs. Raccoons normally aren't a predator of healthy full grown turkeys, but can be if the conditions are right. ( fenced in so they can't get away etc.) Dogs will kill multiples for the fun of it, and can come any time day or night, but usually night ( when the owner thinks their pooch is guarding their place, he's actually marauding at yours). I have two Great Pyrenees males that guard my flock, and they do guard them! They each weigh around 180lbs. Barring a LGD, you may want to consider baiting some live catch traps, to see what hither comes. Larger traps are preferable. Before the dogs, all fowl had to be locked up whenever I was asleep and gone at work, which was a real big pain, but better than dead birds everywhere. Back then occasionally I'd stay up all night and play Sniper, off the back porch with a 22 mag. I had no LGD so it was up to me. In 2007 32 coons, 29 possums, 1 bobcat, 3 red foxes, 2 feral cats, 2 skunks, and 1 feral dog, came visiting my chicken coop, and got lead poisoning. Seems like once they get started they tell all of their friends. Since getting the dogs, nothing. No predators at all.

Best wishes to you. Do you have some offspring from your tom? Perhaps you could raise another tom that way.

 

[jc12551]

That is the bad thing about birds. I usually have foster parrots and they never act or look sick unless they are on the verge of dying.

We do have a dog problem, but a smaller dog problem than we did before Christmas. My dad is thinning his massive gun collection and gifted me (well, hubby) with grandpa's .22 for Christmas and then two rifles and a shotgun for my birthday.

We have lost lots and lots of chickens, but only had one turkey disappear before now. My BR hen and and one Blue slate hen took off into the cut over woods on paper mill property behind the house. Hubby and I searched for days for them and one morning we were walking the fire break and found signs of a struggle and feathers from the BR hen. The odds are low that the blue slate hen is still alive and sitting on a nest. I kinda think she would come home at least once per day to eat and drink. I would like to be wrong.

We have lots and lots of coyotes, dogs, hawks, and a bobcat. The bobcat has only taken one bird, my dom. rooster. I have yet to see in person or catch on the game cameras a racoon or possum. Someone dumped a litter of stray cats off that I am currently working through. Those that would come to me I found homes for. The others....well, you know.

I have been searching for a Great Pyr., that is experienced with poultry or that I can train.

I have two more toms left and one hen from my original seven. It just sucks to lose three in one week!

 

[frank53061]

All of my lose of Chickens have been to predator's and almost some Turkeys to.

Two big stray dogs that tore into my pen.

But my wife and daughter put the fear of God into them chasing them off and then I had to double the wire so this would not happen again.

 

[vet4life63]

If a bobcat has taken one, he will be back for ALL. Guaranteed. I hope you get some traps set up and quick. Best to set them each night, and then "spring" them in the A.M. Before letting birds out for the day. You will be surprised when one morning you have a bobcat or a raccoon in the trap. Best bait is canned sardines. They like those even more than fowl. I hope you get real proactive with this problem or things are going to get much worse.

 

[jc12551]

The bobcat was here in March, but I haven't gotten any game cam pic of it around the coop or run since. With the exception of the one rooster and the three mysterious disappearances of turkeys, all my losses have been to dogs. Either stray or belonging to one particular neighbor. Crazy old lady says she tells her dogs to not come on our property.