FOUND MY BARRED ROCK DEAD

[Lazy Farmer]

The heat index in central Florida Is brutal today. Over 100. The humidity feels like walking thru a wall of steam.
Went out to collect eggs and found one of my most beautiful adult rocks dead. All was fine early this morning. Everybody munched down their food. I even put a couple of fresh containers of vitamins and electrolytes in the house and out in the shady area they like to hang out at.
No sign or parasites. No indication of worms. A beautiful feather coat and nice body weight.. Closed eyes and not stiff yet. She has our blue leg band indicates she was 2 years old.
Bummer. I ran a cord and a fan into one corner and some of them came close and sat down. Looks like they are riding a motorcycle with their flapping feathers.
Don't have the heart to open her up and check for worms. They all were safeguarded a month ago.
We be keeping a close eye on them.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm very sorry about your hen. You just never know, may have nothing to do with worms. Could be the heat or something internal you'd never have seen. It's tough to lose them in heat, though. A few years ago, my best friend lost 14 birds in the space of 2 hours, even with fans blowing on them under her porch, them in dust craters and after having fed them cold watermelon. That was a devastating afternoon, heat index was over 114*. All you can do is the best you can do, but you can't make the weather change. Again, very sorry.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss

Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure what happened without necropsy, but with your heat, it's very possible she succumbed to heat stroke or had a heart attack.

Fans are a good idea. I use them. Not near the heat you have, but at 90 today and fairly humid, my ladies are panting in the shade, I can just imagine what yours are doing. I think the older they get, the harder the heat is on them too. My young girls seem to be just fine.

 

[Jakenhoss]

I'm so sorry for your girl and loss of her. In so.AZ it's been in the high teens (118) and the only thing I can do for my 130+ flocks is to wet the ground where they lay and put bottles of ice in the water. It has helped tremendously although I have lost a few newbborns. The temp is supposed to go back down next week along with possible rain. Again...I water the ground and add ice to water. I know your girl is with the angels now resting easy. My heart goes out to you

 

[oakhavenmama]

Very sorry for the loss of your hen.