Heat Related Deaths or complications due to the heat.

Quote:
So sorry for the loss of your SLW.
hugs.gif
 
txliss - I am sorry for the loss of your hen. It is such a sad time to lose a baby but in the heat it makes it worse.
hugs.gif


JJ - I have broody hens and it is hard to keep all of the girls cooped up all day. I just don't have the proper set up for broodies yet. My husband bought me one of those large dog houses/dog pen combination for the purpose of my broodies but I have had injuries from my roosters and have needed a house to keep let them be treated properly and can heal without the aggrevation of over zealous roosters. (esp their spurs)
he.gif

It sounds like you love your chickens and sounds like you have more control over you numbers than myself. I have 32 grown hens, 2 grown roosters, 1 teenage rooster, 1 teenage hen, 1 almost 2 month old roo, 6 almost 2 month old BO, and then 2 momma hens with a almost month old chick each and then 4 broodies sitting or setting. So I have lots and not to mention got my first 2 Geese in May as well (Embden). I love them all so. I think I need to be committed. My husband says i need a life.
tongue.gif
 
I'm also in the Fort Worth area with that awful heat index. No end in sight, either. I worry about everyone's birds, and I feel so fortunate to be able to be home during the day to tend to mine.

I don't have any new ideas to add. For my big girls who free range, and the guineas and goose, we have a kiddie pool filled each morning, plus a tub of water that I keep frozen water jugs in. I switch those out about every three hours. We run a sprinkler on low under the privet bushes where they hang out. Yesterday was the first time I have seen them act like they like that, so I know they must have been really suffering. Mid-afternoon I take them a couple pans of yogurt/apple juice/kombucha/ice cubes/water mix.

For the bantams who are in a coop and run (with a roof over the run), I put fresh ice in their water about every three hours. They have the lid to a Rubbermaid storage bin that I fill with a couple inches of water, in hopes that they will stand in it to cool off. So far, they will drink out of it but not get in it. I also lay a frozen water jug on the ground in one of their favorite spots (switching out every few hours), and I do catch some of them laying around it.

Our neighbor has been teasing DH that I am going to be making him put a air conditioner in the bantams' coop, because I spoil them so much. Little does he know, I will be having that talk with DH tonight when he gets home. I will be doing a search on the site as jjthinkagain suggests, to see if there are any ideas I've missed.

My sympathies to those who lose birds.
 
I'm going to make or purchase a "swamp cooler" to keep my silkies cooler during this unbelievable Fla. heat. It is a simple device that has been used for years (way before air conditioners were invented) in orchid greenhouses to lower the temps by 15-20 degrees from the outside. It consists of a "pad" of packed osmunda fibers into which water is dripped and air is forced through. When a fan is set in front of a wet osmunda pad the air that comes through the water is very cool. You could do the same thing with wet burlap and a fan but it doesn't stay wet long enough. There are 'swamp coolers' that are commercially made also, just google to get all kinds of ideas to make your own or purchase one. I found one for about $130 that is just about right for my coop. It uses very little electricity, about as much as a fan. Some are noisy some not so much. I figure if it's outside, it doesn't matter. With the rising costs of electricity, this could be a relief to the fuzz-butts AND me!
 
Well I just lost one of my hens and a sad day it is , I also have a young rooster recovering in the "big house" hope he dosent fake it next time jsut to come inside. I have covered part of the run and placed a fan inside the coop, I will start giving them more ice water and such.....really thinking about the $100 A/C....I am near Memphis and they are saying the heat index tommorrow will be 120
 
Heat is terrible here in Western Kentucky as well. After finding two dead hens in this afternoon, I immediately came here for my "what to try next" and noticed many of you in the same boat with battling the high temps. I was just heartsick when I found the girls...only a couple of hours after my last heat-check. Now time for a Lowe's run for more artificial shade before tomorrow's scotching temp.
 
If anyone makes any type of covering or set up that will help your chickens make it through this heat, please post a pic so all of us can see so that we can get some ideas. You can never have too many ideas or suggestions when it comes to the care of our chickens.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom