EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

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BantyChooks said:
That's crazy. I've been meaning to ask you, to what extent is panting normal in birds? My birds are having some trouble... It's been getting into the 80s and they're panting like a golden retriever on steroids. They have shade and cold water available, but I'm worried about them... Especially the older gals. Seems like they're about ready to keel over from heat stroke.
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It's really hard to say not being there looking at your birds. But for me, and for other folks I know who live where it gets really hot, a little panting is not uncommon. I read someone on BYC saying that any panting was a sign of a bird in severe distress and that you had to act immediately - if that were the case, all my birds would have been long dead, so I found that a bit ludicrous, and other folks in Arizona, etc., also laughed at that. That being said, mine still walk around and otherwise act ok - just wings out and some panting/mouth open. (And, for what it's worth, the S&G pullets were fine, there was a rim of water in the lip of the waterer, it was just good I refilled it then.) If in addition to panting your birds seem to be acting unsteady or in distress, you probably want to act. (Gosh, they must have developed a big fat layer to be too hot at those temps, though - but some breeds do more poorly in heat than others.)

Give them cold water to stand/walk in, and if you notice one looking uncomfortably hot, you can start by holding her with her feet and legs in the cool water - in my experience, that cools them down well and have had them stop panting while we stood there having a foot soak. If you REALLY think one (or more) is in trouble, fill a 5 gallon bucket with cool (not cold) water and dunk them. On really hot days you can have the bucket filled and ready just in case.

I can't remember if I posted this earlier, but this is Lissa cooling her feet:

LissaFootbath.JPG


I think The Chicken Chick has a good article on hot weather stuff.
 
Thanks, Kristin! Super helpful. One of the PCs was acting really distressed and panting hard, so I stuck his legs in the water bowl. Glad I did the right thing. I'll probably have to give my old hen a bit more assistance... Poor girl starts panting near 75. Planted firmly in the coop in the corner once it hits 80. She definitely gets more heat sensitive as she ages.
 
dan26552 said:
Your chickens must be weaklings it has been in the 100s here and I've yet to see one pant. :confused:
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It's different for the North.... we aren't nor are our birds acclimated to 100's.
My ducks sit out in below zero weather... im sure yours would die.... although I won't let mine sit out long in them temps.... they protest when I put them away.
 
LittleLakePhil said:
It's different for the North.... we aren't nor are our birds acclimated to 100's.
My ducks sit out in below zero weather... im sure yours would die.... although I won't let mine sit out long in then temps.... they protest when I put them away.
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My ducks would still swim even if the water was icing over near as soon as it got poured... Crazy birdies. I had to stop giving them pool water in winter because it froze solid within the day... Too much work to keep filling. They were awful mad at me. :oops:
 

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