Dead cornish hen, what is the cause?

[Sky23]

I apologize for the gross pictures! I found this Cornish dead this morning. She is a little bit over a month old.
Yesterday was hot 90F, my hens were panting. They had water but I think that wasn't enough.
Not sure if the heat killed her.
I'm wondering if she had any other health condition?
Most of my flock have been with runny poop since I got them.
I have been adding to their water Corid (amprolium)
And one more water dish with electrolytes
Not sure sure the cause of her death, I'm feeling down.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Likely the heat. it's usually harder to keep meat birds alive when it gets that hot because they aren't really meant to handle the heat

 

[Boppo]

Cornish rocks are bred to grow FAST and they have a short life expectancy (not just because they get slaughtered at 8 - 12 weeks!). They get heavy fast and the heat probably does hit them a lot harder. You can send the bird off to your state necropsy lab for an autopsy to find out what killed her. Here is a list by state and a description of how to do it.

Be sure you give them plain water in addition to the water with electrolytes. And here are some cooling ideas:
1. One member in Texas posted a brilliant cooling idea: fill plastic water bottles with a bit of air space at the top and freeze them. Then put those out in the coop. I have been doing that. The pictures this member posted was water jugs - I certainly don't have room for jugs in my freezer so I use empty pint bottles as we use up Gatorade or other sports drinks. They have stronger plastic than water bottles. It has been working.
2. I also spray down the dirt and all around in my coop and pen with water in the morning to help cool things.
3. I give the birds a big plant saucer with water that I clean out and refresh each day.

 

[Boppo]

Oh, p.s. about those water bottles, I put them in a plastic bag to put them in the freezer! I don't want the water bottles from the chicken coop (or quail pen) in my freezer, thanks!

 

[janiedoe]

Good morning.
Cornish x do not do well in the heat.
Try providing plenty of shade and shallow pans of water that they can stand in. The barn fans sold at Tractor Supply, lowes, or HD are great for circulating the air. I freeze (stoke's coffee containers) bottles of water, open them and let them leak onto the ground all day. I also make mud holes. They love sitting and scratching in them.

 

[Sky23]

Thank you for your feedback JacinLarkwell, Boppo and Janiedoe! When one chick or hen dies is discouraging, negatives thoughts start popping up in my brain. I'm glad I reached to this site with good supportive members! Thank you!

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