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105 or so here yesterday, with heat index around 120+. Lost 16 birds. 14 Large, 2 Bantam, of the 16, 13 were adults. Not alot you can do about it sometimes. Since I was at work all day, I couldn't monitor the birds as closely. Best thing for them is to be out on the ground so they can get under something and lay down against the cooler ground. Surprised yours didn't migrate to the basement area of their pen. The Large Cochins don't take the heat well at all.
I've found the following tactics helpful...If you happen to find a bird that's in the middle of heat stress, the absolute best thing is to take them and soak them in a bucket of cold water. Leave them there for a few minutes. You'll be able to tell that their body temps are up when you pick them up so you'll notice a difference after a few minutes in the bucket. Let them drip dry and place them back in their pens wet. I do this with the Large Cochins alot when we have heat like we did yesterday and today. Some you can't save, some pull through.
Tom & Erin,
Please accept my sympathies on the loss of so many birds. We have those temps every summer but we are dry & the air isn't as heavy. The majority of our LF free range. Our chicken area is shaded by two very large trees & I wet down the ground about 4 times a day. I agree, the LF suffer the most. I have a LF Cochin pen that doesn't have much sun protection. I hung a tarp for shade & soaked the ground underneath for the birds. I also left a hose dripping so that the earth would stay wet. Misting works in some areas. I have several small kiddie wading pools I keep filled & the girls either lay by them or walk through them. I'm fortunate to be home all day so I can monitor so much easier than those of you who work. You are all in my thoughts.
Tom, Erin
I'm so very sorry for your heavy loss. As Lynn said, being home all day makes a tremendous difference and I think about it all the time - how lucky I am that I can be with my birds ALL of the time. It has been a blessing, not just now during this brutal heat, but many times in the past that I have been able to avert disaster. I had to make a trip yesterday that kept me away from home. I tried to prepare as best I could, I even cut up some sheets to hang over the front of the runs that catch sun for a short period in the afternoon, but I still worried (useless of course) about them the entire time I was gone. When I got home I was so fearful of what I would find when I went to the yard, but I was very lucky and everyone was OK this time. I listened to the weather this AM and was depressed to see that this coming week is going to be more of the same. A couple of days where it is supposed to drop to 89, but the rest of the time is in the 90's with Thursday being 97. I don't have air conditioning in my house with poor insulation, so it really heats up in here, but I tell myself that it may be for the best because it keeps me on my toes regarding the comfort of my animals. It is impossible to forget how miserable they are and the danger they are confronting every day.
Again Tom and everyone who has lost birds or anything else, my heart goes out to you.
Nancy