Dehydration

[Heritage Farmstead]

I'm sure there are loads of you out here trying to beat the heat and cool off your flock! I'm looking for some help on dehydration. Today we hit record temps, my ladies had fresh water - BUT all this week I have been integrating my 13 wk old EEs to my older flock. Today I found one of my lil EEs laying under my hanging waterer. My first thought was that she was just hiding from the older ladies. But when I walked over to her she wouldn't get up. I checked her all over for any injurues but didn't find anything. Her feet were curled right up under her as if she was paralyzed. I'm thinking perhaps she was bullied all day from getting water!! I took her out of the hen house and started feeding her water from a syringe. She drank like crazy but still could not stand and her feet still looking crippled... is this signs of dehydration? All the other ladies seemed just fine....any help is appreciate!h
Many Thanks

 

[Miyashi]

I have no idea if that's a sign of that or not.
Hopefully someone can help in that department.
I had a thought though!
I went through the same thing...but without the sad legs...just the bullying away from the food when I integrated my coops.
I put out a few small pans of food along with the main feeder and various pans of water to make sure everyone had a chance.
Do you think this would maybe help your situation?
I hope she makes a full recovery.
Poor little one.

for you all! <3

 

[msbee]

It sounds like dehydration or the onset of heat stroke. If you can get her somewhere cool, do so - in the house is what we did in a dog crate or bathtub. From what I've read here is that it takes time for them to regain their strength, but they can recover. Keep pumping the fluids - unflavored pedialite is what we used. I'm sure more experienced owners can tell you more.

 

[oldcluck]

Your feed store should have a water additive called save a chick. Mix some into the water you give her. It will help with the stress from the heat.
It contains electrolytes such as in pedialyte plus vitamins.

 

[Echobabe]

I add extra waterers & food stations when I merge flocks, so the older girls can't control all the resources! Toss them some melon/melon rind, cukes, tomatoes, grapes. Anything wet and cool. If you have a big shallow pan or plastic container lid (like for closet storage), fill it with water and set it out in the yard. I usually throw some ice cubes in periodically, maybe some raisins. Since many birds can access it at the same time they will be more apt to share. Plus they like to cool their feet in it, too!

Do you know where their airway is? Right under their tongue. So its best to avoid using a syringe unless you can be sure to get the food/liquid WAY back in the throat. I hope to get a tube feeder one day that I can use for sick birds--I've watched my vet do it and it takes all the worry of suffocation out of the process.

She'll probably take a few days to recover, so I'd be tempted to keep her in the house to stay cool and closely monitored. If she get's depressed you can always take her back out with her friends on and off.

 

[Heritage Farmstead]

Thank you all for responding... I thought heat stroke as well. She is making progress, and is somewhat standing (better than lastnight) but she is a little off to one side. She's eating and drinking and taking a bit of yogurt. While her feet curl up, she can still grip my fingers and she can straighten her toes out... I do have her seperated and keeping her cool. I think I'll freeze some grapes partially (if I can get them away from my kids, they love frozen grapes!!) and feed those to her. Tomorrows another warm one. She must be a delicate lady

as thankfully no one else has any symptoms.

 

[ldutch123]

I know this thread was posted a while ago but I have an EE with the exact me symptoms as u described and I have been giving her elecolytes in her water since last night and she is in the bathroom. Temps have been hitting the 90's all week and she is one of 4 to be newly introduced into flock. I worried they weren't getting down off roost to get water and now I'm really scared. She doesn't walk.

So I was wondering how long it took for your EE to come out of dehydration or did she make it?? I'm really worried its my fault because I just thought oh they will get used to each other. They never leave that coop and they can range all over .