Eight (8) Chickens Died today!

[SuperChiks]

Quote:
The TRUTH doesn't have to hurt. One can share common sense without beating people over the head with it. A little sensitivity can go a long way.

Agreed

 

[SuperChiks]

Hopefully Simsck comes back.

 

[HenPenny]

Yikes! I'm in Texas. Thanks for the hard advise. My coup started out as mostly open air. Lot's of Hardware cloth. I was thinking it was too open and have spent the last two days making shutters to close it up more. I was thinking they needed more enclosed areas. ANd we have had a couple of really bad rain storms. The driving rain was coming in the coupe pretty hard. (We probably won't get any more rain anyway)
I'm sorry the Alabama lady lost her's to the heat. But with her loss and everyone giving straight up advise. I will correct my coupe design and go back to more open air design.

 

[al6517]

If you are sure it's the heat, perhaps a cheap box fan set in a good spot could keep the air moving enough around the area. I am in Oklahoma where it so hot the Devil thinks it's too hot LOL, anyway I have a large enclosed coop with outdoor access. The fans work wonders and have never lost birds to heat. sometimes all the ice bottle and mister stuff is just impractical, ventilation is the best cure. This whole raising chickens can get to be overwhelming at times, try and deal with it as best you can and then learn from it. Don't be so hard on yourself these things happen, keep in mind that it's important to realize to acclimate your birds as we have to acclimate to extremes as well, over compensating for weather extremes does more harm than good, I prefer to toughen my birds up for these kinds of extremes it has proven to be a wise choice, sure they can become uncomfortable but seem to get past it, that's the trick. Good luck in the future.

 

[Capvin]

I have previously posted here that before I got chicks (which is very recent) I had no idea that the heat would be this much of a problem. Weare in central Florida and the temps are mid to high 90's every day. I spend most of my time doing all of the things already suggested in an effort to keep them comfortable. In addition to the many other things we do, I use a misting system that is set up in one portion of their run and without that the chicks would not get the relief they need. The misting systems are sold at Home Depot and Lowes and come complete as a kit and all you need to do is tack it up in the run and connect it to a water source. They are NOT expensive and they do not use a great deal of water and they lower the temps by about 10 degrees. At first the chicks were a bit wary of the mist but now they spend their time laying on the damp ground right under the misting. I turn the system on by about noon and shut it down at about 6PM. I urge everyone who is having problems with heat to get one of these systems. It is literally a life saver.

 

[chefchick]

I have young chicks in a 5x5 wooden box brooder with a wire mesh cover and a heat lamp in one corner. should I turn the heat lamp off during the day to prevent overheating? Temps here in NW Pa have been in the 80's the past few days. The chicks are on my sunporch which can get quite warm, but I do open a winow for some cross ventillation. (since well... chicken poop kind of stinks and all...) I would hate for this to happen to my babies.

 

[tiffanyg2]

Quote:
Yea~ your mom already posted the others were out of the coop when they died so it wasn't improper care in the coop... Obviously some people jumped the gun on their opinions before knowing the whole story. I think we all love our chickens so lets offer some loving advice and sympathy instead of harsh criticisms. My free range all day in the backyard and It just gets so hot out~ I'm here in SC and we are getting that nasty heat like you guys. I was thinking about getting a misting fan outside and setting it up so they can cool off under it if they want. I'm really really sorry that she lost her babies.

 

[speckledhen]

I hope that next time someone posts a tragedy like this, our members would get some facts before jumping all over the person and casting blame, especially a new member.