Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks guys, it was the boys that alerted me, but once I got to her even wetting her down couldn't prevent her little heart failing. It was 38 here yesterday and either I'm just no longer accustomed to the heat or the heat here in tassie really is different . Our visitors from Brisbane assured me that 30 felt much hotter here.
Yesterday morning we were down at the beach watching a local swim when along came 2 tourists with puffy jackets on. What's going on with that ?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Gosh that's some strong winds .. I hope it is fixed in time for your daughter to go as well.

The second ship is getting ready to sail for vic but it's more the loading ramp , that was twisted , I'm worried about. The engineers will give a good looking at . Would hate to have the truck loaded with 4 horses and run into trouble on the loading ramp.

 

[User395221]

yes, the numbers don't always tell you how hot it feels. It was "30-ish" here the other day, and it felt much worse because it was humid.

Are the little chickens like silkies more vulnerable to extreme temperatures than "full-sized" chooks?

 

[sjturner79]

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yes, the numbers don't always tell you how hot it feels.  It was "30-ish" here the other day, and it felt much worse because it was humid.  

Are the little chickens like silkies more vulnerable to extreme temperatures than "full-sized" chooks?

I'm not sure but my silkie start to pant far later than my astralorp or Aracuana do, so it might be the other way round

 

[Fancychooklady]

yes, the numbers don't always tell you how hot it feels.  It was "30-ish" here the other day, and it felt much worse because it was humid.  

Are the little chickens like silkies more vulnerable to extreme temperatures than "full-sized" chooks?

Yes, but it's more to do with their comb shape. Star combed birds don't fair as well as walnut ( Silkie)
Rose comb ( Wyandotte ) in winter, but the walnut and rose comb birds suffer most in extreme heat.
The only birds I have ever lost to heat are Silkie and silver laced Wyandotte.
The bigger the comb and wattles , the better. The chicken can't sweat so it uses the capillaries and veins in the comb and wattles to regulate heat.

 

[sjturner79]

@Fancychooklady
Sorry for your loss.

 

[Teila]

Just a personal observation on the chickens and heat discussion .. here, it is the Frizzles that seem to not cope as well with the heat. While they all hold their wings out and beak open on extremely hot days, it is the Frizzles that start first and the ones I am most concerned about as they seem to be suffering more than the others.

 

[User395221]

The bigger the comb and wattles , the better. The chicken can't sweat so it uses the capillaries and veins in the comb and wattles to regulate heat.

Thanks for the info. I wonder how my new araucana crosses will fare if they only have that little araucana comb. But araucanas are from South America aren't they, and South America's hot?

I need to do more research on keeping chickens from getting heatstroke. Now I've started worrying....

 

[Fancychooklady]

Just a personal observation on the chickens and heat discussion .. here, it is the Frizzles that seem to not cope as well with the heat.  While they all hold their wings out and beak open on extremely hot days, it is the Frizzles that start first and the ones I am most concerned about as they seem to be suffering more than the others.

As with people , the very young and elderly are most at risk. My little hens daughter was in the same pen , under trees and in the breezeway and she is fine.
I have a clutch of her eggs that I will attempt to get under the next available broody. The fact that she was bearded and small black wattles would also have contributed .

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks for the info.  I wonder how my new araucana crosses will fare if they only have that little araucana comb.  But araucanas are from South America aren't they, and South America's hot? 

I need to do more research on keeping chickens from getting heatstroke. Now I've started worrying.... 

I wouldn't dwell on it, I've only lost 2 birds to heat . . The country of origin would have originally factored in , but the breeders tend to strive for certain traits and in doing so sometimes lose perspective on what's good for the breed. The same can be said for most species.