heat exhaustion help

[kristip]

ok ...hopefully someone can help me... I am going to post on emergencies page too... I have one chicken with heat exhaustion. I took the hose and carefully put the cold water and rubbed it on her (thought just cold hose might be a shock)
what else can I do... would bringing her in to AC be too much of a shock.

She can hardly walk and I saw her tumble over a few times. Panting. Tried to eat some mealworms but kept missing and did not really want to open her beak more than a little. I was at work so had put out some frozen pumpkin this am and lots of fresh water, but just got back to tending them at 5:30 when I got home.
any thoughts?

 

[HEChicken]

I would stand her in some coolish water. They have a lot of heat in their feet so it is a good way to cool them rapidly. I wouldn't make it too cold - no ice - just cold tap water. Please update us on how she's doing.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

My thoughts... I would bring her into the a/c, give her cold water to drink (with an eyedropper if needed). You need to lower her body temperature asap! When one of mine went down I used an eyedropper of icewater to squirt on the bare skin under her wings. Just a few drops at a time. I also rubbed cold water on her comb and wattles.

 

[kristip]

Thank you. She is inside in the basement with cool water nearby to drink. When I went to bed, she was resting comfortably but making a congested snortling sound. Will see how she is in am.

 

[BeulahBreezes]

How is your chicken doing this morning?

 

[laturcotte1]

I had an old rooster, Walter that hated the fans so every year during the heat he'd come into the basement set up home in my stand up shower stall. He was crippled so he stayed put most times. In the evenings I would take him out for some bugs and air then back he went. When a day came that wasn't so bad out he'd go. When he showed signs in he came. It was tough on my husband because Walter loved to crow and the shower was under my husbands bedroom. Walter passed from a heart attack but he was a character. Take her in she'll love it. I wet down their runs twice a day also. If you can get their feet wet it cools them. Dirt to dig in, when you see your dog dig and lay in the hole its because its cool, same thing for chickens. good luck