Cause for Concern?

[Katbec]

I've had 2 of my girls meet their demise quite mysteriously this summer. After the first, (a fluke?) I just read up on the myriad of ways there was no telling what exactly killed her. I don't have the cash or availability of any place for a necropsy. Yesterday, another 3 yr old in my shrinking group was dead in the coop, EXACTLY like her sister!!! The mystery continues. This insane heat in GA is not helpful.
Should I be concerned about the eggs from the other 2 who are not yet laying? They are 5 and 4 months old.

 

[DobieLover]

This insane heat in GA is not helpful.

What are you doing to mitigate it? How much ventilation does your coop have?
Heat can easily kill a bird. When they get locked up in boxes that get even hotter inside than it is outside with no breeze to help move the heat off their bodies they can succumb to heat stroke. Especially older birds. This is a possibility without knowing any other symptoms.

 

[Katbec]

What are you doing to mitigate it? How much ventilation does your coop have?
Heat can easily kill a bird. When they get locked up in boxes that get even hotter inside than it is outside with no breeze to help move the heat off their bodies they can succumb to heat stroke. Especially older birds. This is a possibility without knowing any other symptoms.

Thanks for your help! I'll definitely be more mindful in this weather. I've been doing frozen pulsed broccoli, frozen peas, and frozen grapes, melon. The coop is ventilated and the entire enclosure remains completely shaded in the summer. Thinking of a soaker hose across the top for a quick cooling? I have no room to navigate a small pool in the run, unfortunately. It IS sad to lose such a sweet girl and my only consistent layer of late. Thank you again! Any thoughts or concerns about future eggs?

 

[nuthatched]

How much frozen treats do they get? Frozen treats cause bodies to warm up.

 

[Katbec]

Hello! So, in my reading I have found that frozen fruits and vegetables are recommended for this heat. I will definitely look into this more! Thanks.

 

[Tonyroo]

Chickens shouldn't have fruit in high heat. The sugars breaks down to fast and causes them to get warmer internally.

It's better just to give them refrigerated leafy type veggies. There's less risk of heating up from it.

 

[nuthatched]

Hello! So, in my reading I have found that frozen fruits and vegetables are recommended for this heat. I will definitely look into this more! Thanks.

May I ask where?
Bodies don't like cold things so they warm up to compensate which can over heat a bitds well insulated body, cold things can also shock a bird's system.
Fruits and vegetables have fiber which can give a bird diarrhea, which can cause dehydration.

 

[Katbec]

May I ask where?
Bodies don't like cold things so they warm up to compensate which can over heat a bitds well insulated body, cold things can also shock a bird's system.
Fruits and vegetables have fiber which can give a bird diarrhea, which can cause dehydration.

When I was just beginning my venture, I looked for ways to cool my flock. A simple search of "How to cool chickens in summertime " should result in several threads. I started here. It stated that the water in freezing veggies and fruits keeps birds from dehydration. Will switch to greens. Again, many thanks!

 

[Katbec]

When I was just beginning my venture, I looked for ways to cool my flock. A simple search of "How to cool chickens in summertime " should result in several threads. I started here. It stated that the water in freezing veggies and fruits keeps birds from dehydration. Will switch to greens. Again, many thanks!

There are very few things that you can't feed chickens. Some people even feed their chickens, chicken. They are pretty good at leaving alone what wouldn't be good for them. But in general, your efforts would be best spent cooling them in other ways. Not to take away from a good frozen snack, but it isn't something to rely on in keeping their temps down. With that said, here are a few ideas!

Small bits of frozen foods would be gobbled up pretty quick. so make them work for it.

- We have a deep freezer and quarter watermelons, then throw those out - or cantaloupes. We will also blend the watermelon, water and their crumble together into a slurry, and freeze it in gallon bags.

- we feed fermented grain daily now, and instead of scooping it into the troughs, we will fill the aluminum pans and freeze chunks of that for them. You could do this with a lot of things.

- then, good old blocks of ice are great. They will peck at it and play with it.

 

[Katbec]

When I was just beginning my venture, I looked for ways to cool my flock. A simple search of "How to cool chickens in summertime " should result in several threads. I started here. It stated that the water in freezing veggies and fruits keeps birds from dehydration. Will switch to greens. Again, many thanks!

Watermelon is a favorite here, too. I also give the girls frozen peaches and blueberries.