Heat Stoke??

[juliawitt]

This afternoon around 6:00, I let the chicken out to free range while my husband and I watched. It has been unnormally hot, so I thought some time in the cool grass under the trees would be nice. After an hour, it had cooled down to 84 (their run is shaded but no grass) so I called them in. All came running, except one Dominique. I found her laying under a tree panting. None of the others appeared overly hot or stressed but she couldn't get up. We put her in the run, misted her with a water mister and then wetted the ground around and under her with tepid water. I then put then fence around her (it is a chicken playpen for baby chickens) so the others wouldn't pick at her. I gave her fresh cool water with some cool watermelon. She took a couple of bites of melon, but drank no water. She appears not to be able to get up. We now have her in the segregation area of the hen house with a fan blowing on her. Her head is up and tail is up but she still isn't getting up. Earlier this year, she was wounded and pecked. Is she now always going to be sickly? This is just the beginning of the heat. Should I cull her, since she is sickly? I would rather put her down than come home and find her pecked and dead. I just can not imagine what happened to her, and of course she is my most tame and friendly. Advice would be apprecieated. Did I treat her appropriately for heat exhaustion/stroke? and if a chicken has had a bout with sickness and comes back, will they always be sickly?
Thanks for any advice.....

 

[Chickiebaby8]

I am sorry that you are having trouble. I just wanted to say that I am new to this but I have read not to put air right on the bird. I guess indirect air is better. I have a friend with over 100 chickens and she said the same thing. I hope someone with more experience posts some advice. Good luck to you.

 

[M@M@2four]

Sounds like heat stroke--I have had this and have had success! You need to consoder bringing her in to where it is air conditioned. I put ice pack under her wings to cool her down and then just left her in a nice, cool pen in the house. Don't force her to drink--if a chicken is over-heated and you force water, they can throw up and die from aspiration. Good luck!

 

[juliawitt]

Haven't checked yet on her condition. The fan isn't blowing directly on her, just getting her a little breeze. My biggest concern is the chance that maybe she is going to continue to be sickly. I have had a chicken die in the run when I wasn't home, and by the time I got home....well, it wasn't a pretty sight. So, if I can not rule out a chance that she will continue to have issues, I will need to cull......I just wish I could figure out why she got over heated and none of the others did. I expected to have problems in August, not June. Thanks for any advice........Oh, my husband would die if I brought her in the house, but if he wasn't I home, I would!

 

[crystalchik]

I had a little d'Uccle have a heat stroke to where he wasnt even responsive when he was picked up. I took cool water from a hose and ran it under is wing, on his comb (careful not to get his face), and then on his belly and vent. He came back. Dont cull her, she should be okay. Is she better now?

 

[juliawitt]

Well, she is better. Still pretty weak however. Still favoring her right side. She is eating, drinking and up scratching around. Laying around quite a lot also. One of the others pecked her back, where she had been attacked before, so we blue koted her. Last night when I put them away, she tried to jump up on the low perch (about 12 inches) and could not make it. Fell down and just layed there. I put her up on the perch, shut off the light, and put it from my mind. I have to get her up to snuff, or she will never survive August. I will keep my fingers crossed for this morning. She is a sweet tempered, actually cuddly chicken. She lays beautiful eggs. But, I can't have a weak chicken, I'm just not home enough to protect her! I would just die, if I came home to find her attacked again or worse, dead and eaten!! Anyway, I have cut up some watermelon for my husband to give when it is the heat of the day, got a larger fan for their coop, and have a very shallow pool for them (about 2.5 inches). I am also giving cool lettuce for morning treat and wetting down areas of their run. I can not do anymore but hope she gets better. Thanks for the well wishes and advice.

 

[dawg53]

Once you get your hen healthy as best you can, instead of culling, why not give her to someone who has the time to see to her needs and can keep an eye on her. Just explain to whoever gets her what she has been through and that she's tame, friendly and lays beautiful eggs. If you can do this, it would ease your mind knowing she'd be well cared for since she's probably your favorite hen. Good luck.

 

[kcsunshine]

That's a wonderful idea dawg53. Saves the hen while it eases the mind of the owner. Good job!

 

[teach1rusl]

Totally agree with dawg too!

 

[crj]

What worked for me is I took my chicken in the house. Gave her yogurt, chick starter and blueberries. Easy foods for her to eat and water. By the next morning she had been eating and drinking. She got her strength back and was breathing a lot better. I sent her on her way and she has been fine ever since.

The humidity has been very high. I think it's a problem for some birds. They need the dry cool air for about 24 hours.