heat exhaustion HELP

[Mr lemonstine]

I have just lost a bird and I need to know what the are symptoms of that and how to stop help

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

I lost a hen during the high heat of summer. She developed a respiratory reaction to some fresh stain on the chicken coop (non-toxic). Her symptoms mostly entailed gulping air. She would open her beak again and again.

Chickens do pant in the heat. With heat exhaustion they can get weak and lethargic, and I've heard they can die rather quickly. I think the heat worsened my hen's symptoms. She died within twenty-four hours.

The Chicken Chick (a blogger) recommends filling a five gallon bucket with water and dipping your chickens in the water when it's hot. I did this a lot and noticed they had an immediate favorable response: less panting, more relaxed, not so lacking in energy. It's just a quick dip to submerge their feathers up to their neck and then pull them out. Some won't like it, but two of my hens were so relaxed I let them float in the bucket for a few minutes.

Are your other chickens exhibiting any symptoms? Hopefully it is indeed heat exhaustion and not something else. If you can erect a deck or platform low to the ground, they'll go under there during the high heat. Mine spent the entire summer under our deck, except for during the night. It was so cool under there I wanted to join them. Our deck is high enough for them to stand upright.

I'm building a deck for them in their chicken run on the north side of their coop.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC.

I'd suggest posting your question on the ER forum:

Please read this link first): https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first.3569/

Then post on this link:

Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures

 

[drumstick diva]

sorry we are having bitter cold temps here. I can't even imagine heat. But I know shade is important natural(trees) or manufactured, tarps, shaded run covers, setting out jugs of frozen water- birds like to sit near them - shallow pans of water, cool feet = cool bird

 

[Nana Ann]

It has been 37C here today. The girls have a large bowl of water extra, I freeze water bottles and stand them in the water. They have had frozen melon too. I was able to put a small sprinkler in their run, next to the open shed where they have shade. I moved it a few times around the run. Tomorrow is forecast 40C, if they show signs of stress I will bring them into the house, laundry floor is washable anyway.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[Pjacct]

I second the sprinkler..... on really hot days I set a sprinkler up in the shady part of our garden and let my girls roam. This way they can find their most comfortable spot rather than being confined to a coop/run.
I also try to empty and refill the water at least morning, lunch and early afternoon so they have cool water through the day.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us
So sorry for your loss

 

[igorsMistress]

I'm sorry for your loss. The heat can be brutal on any animal outside for sure.

Lots and lots of shade helps. Deep shade. Here I also provide large feed dishes with water in them so the chickens can cool themselves standing in it. I add a few ice cubes to cool it down but not so much it'll give em a shock.
If you have a shaded area where you can let the hose run on dirt and let the surface dry they love to bathe in the damp soil they find as they dig a bath.
A stand up mister that you attach a hose to can help cool a shaded area. Be careful though, too much could give them respiratory issues.
I freeze 2 and 3 litre bottles and take them out and lay them on the ground under bushes.
Frozen treats like veggies and fruit are good. My flock runs me over to get to watermelon. I keep it in the fridge and bring it to almost room temp before I take it outside. It's still cold to them.
You can also give fermented feed as it's easy for them to digest and has extra water in it which helps with dehydration.
Make sure you have lots of watering stations so no one gets chased off. Install a solar fan in your coop to pull air through and out. Do you have enough ventilation in your coop? I live in the desert and my coop has an open front in summer but we can button it up for winter.
If you see your chickens really stressed by heat you can bring them inside to cool off. Others have a window a/c or portable swamp cooler for the coop.
Good luck, I hope you don't have any more losses.

 

[Chicken Whisper101]

I have just lost a bird and I need to know what the are symptoms of that and how to stop help

So sorry for your loss.

 

[sourland]

Some great suggestions already provided. In my experience once they have been heat stressed/stroked birds become more susceptible to heat and must be closely watched and cared for.