➡➡ Kiki Speak

[ShrekDawg]

I'm sorry Kels.
You don't know how he died? How did you find him?

Thank you we’re all so sad because we all loved him so much, even my parents.

I have no clue because he looks fine, like no injuries or anything. I went to let them free range today and found him laying there in the coop my dad didn’t hear him crow this morning either.

I’m thinking maybe it was the heat? Because it was crazy hot yesterday and the day before, like 97 with 105 heat indexes/feels like and he was a big fluffy oaf but idk for sure. Either that or the Mareks finally caught up with him but the other birds both showed symptoms and he was 100% normal until yesterday. maybe he ran around too much

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh, I'm so sorry!
I lost a Dutch named Kahlua back in February -- he was handsome, too. Such a silly boy, he was... I loved him a lot.
Sorry about your rooster.

Thank you! And I’m sorry about your boy too!

 

[sourland]

@KDOGG331 sorry - it was extremely hot and humid yesterday.

 

[ShrekDawg]

@KDOGG331 sorry - it was extremely hot and humid yesterday.

Thank you Sour. and yes it was so I really think that might have been what did him in especially given how hot and sunny it was the day before too. I think two days of it was just too much for him.

Although all the other birds are fine so

But he was a BIG bird and very fluffy so maybe harder on him.

I tried to cool everything down even hosing the roof and ground off, I even sprayed him, but guess it wasn’t enough. he was out for longer than usual yesterday so maybe wore himself out.

 

[Tesumph]

How was he laying when you found him?
What's the humidity like in MA?

 

[ShrekDawg]

How was he laying when you found him?
What's the humidity like in MA?

He was laying kinda weird. I took pictures. And it’s not too bad today but yesterday was very humid. And we also had a thunderstorm/rain late afternoon so idk if something happened with that?

His comb turned purple/black too but idk if that’s normal after death?

No injuries or anything on him.

Spoiler

 

[Tesumph]

He was laying kinda weird. I took pictures. And it’s not too bad today but yesterday was very humid. And we also had a thunderstorm/rain late afternoon so idk if something happened with that?

His comb turned purple/black too but idk if that’s normal after death?

No injuries or anything on him.

Spoiler

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I agree, looks like it was the heat. Sorry.
The purple comb is pretty normal after death. A purple comb before death would indicate poor circulation, such as a heart or lung problem.

For what it's worth, providing misters in my run made the heat stress worse on my birds. It's already so humid here that you cannot cool off by evaporation, and shade doesn't help. I found that the water just pooled and got hot; if anything, they avoided it.
Might be different in MA but I've had to make a lot of changes to stop my birds dying in summer. I haven't had any die from heat for a few years now (knock on wood).

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree, looks like it was the heat. Sorry.
The purple comb is pretty normal after death. A purple comb before death would indicate poor circulation, such as a heart or lung problem.

For what it's worth, providing misters in my run made the heat stress worse on my birds. It's already so humid here that you cannot cool off by evaporation, and shade doesn't help. I found that the water just pooled and got hot; if anything, they avoided it.
Might be different in MA but I've had to make a lot of changes to stop my birds dying in summer. I haven't had any die from heat for a few years now (knock on wood).

That’s a relief it wasn’t something else but still sad any idea why he would have his head tucked like that? And that’s good to know the comb is normal! Thanks! Cause it was perfectly bright red just yesterday.

And thank you for the tips!! I’m gonna keep those in mind. We don’t have like an actual mister but I usually take the hose in the afternoon and wet the ground and it usually dries up again pretty fast from the sun but yesterday was somewhat cloudy for part of it so I wonder if it pooled? I did also spray him pretty good yesterday thinking it would help cool him off but now I’m wondering if I killed him

Although that was pretty early before I let them out so I think he dried off by bed but idk. He wasn’t too wet anyway.

ETA: We normally never get that hot so he likely just wasn’t used to it maybe? My dad said he was panting a lot yesterday. And both days they mostly just laid around in the shade and dirt.

 

[Tesumph]

That’s a relief it wasn’t something else but still sad any idea why he would have his head tucked like that? And that’s good to know the comb is normal! Thanks! Cause it was perfectly bright red just yesterday.

And thank you for the tips!! I’m gonna keep those in mind. We don’t have like an actual mister but I usually take the hose in the afternoon and wet the ground and it usually dries up again pretty fast from the sun but yesterday was somewhat cloudy for part of it so I wonder if it pooled? I did also spray him pretty good yesterday thinking it would help cool him off but now I’m wondering if I killed him

Although that was pretty early before I let them out so I think he dried off by bed but idk. He wasn’t too wet anyway.

ETA: We normally never get that hot so he likely just wasn’t used to it maybe? My dad said he was panting a lot yesterday. And both days they mostly just laid around in the shade and dirt.

You didn't kill him.
I don't know why their heads tuck like that. All of the birds I've had die of heat stress were all bent up the same way.
The most significant solutions I've found to my heat problem: only buying heat tolerant birds, and massively increasing the ventilation in my coop.

 

[ShrekDawg]

You didn't kill him.
I don't know why their heads tuck like that. All of the birds I've had die of heat stress were all bent up the same way.
The most significant solutions I've found to my heat problem: only buying heat tolerant birds, and massively increasing the ventilation in my coop.

Thank you. I just feel terrible and wondered if I could have prevented it and my dad is wondering why he didn’t go outside if he was that hot

And huh! Interesting! So weird to me ha

And thank you! That makes sense! I’m guessing most of the heavy, dual purpose birds aren’t? Even though some say they are

I thought we had good ventilation but maybe not.

We did put the quail cage in front of one of the windows but it’s all wire so I wouldn’t think it would block it? But idk. We do have other ventilation though too. But the roof is also black/dark so absorbs heat