Hi All,
I have a young D'Uccles cockerel - about 6 months old, fighting the effects of the horrid Maryland humidity. He was in a covered run with a decently ventilated (apparently not decently enough!) coop and five bantam companions, all the same age. Last night, when I checked them at bedtime, they were spread out across the coop floor instead of huddled in their roost box, a raised box rather like a nesting box, but higher.I assumed that was because of the heat. All five seemed okay.
This morning, when I went to let them out, I had one dead OEGB cockerel (RIP sweet Cornelius) and Fella, all fluffed, head drooping and nearly unresponsive. I immediately brought him inside to the AC and put his feet and lower belly in water (cool to the touch, but not cold) to cool him off. As he rested in the water, I gave him some Pedialyte, undiluted, with a syringe. I started along his beak, but he ended up sipping a bit on his own. Once he had revived a bit, I transferred him to a nesting box in a dog kennel, inside.
He has revived significantly tonight. He is standing on his own, drinking unaided and on his own volition. He really hasn't eaten much aside from a finger smudge of Pedialyte/20% chick mash/ teaspoon of cat food mash I rubbed along his beak. His poops look fairly normal, aside from one that looks like a cecal poop - shiny but decent color. He moves around the kennel when prompted, but sticks to the quiet back wall when left to himself.
It's now 11 pm here, and he has settled in for the night, but he looks very fluffed up. He did drink more, but hasn't really done much with the scrambled egg I left for him. Is there anything else I should do for him, right now, or should I let the poor guy sleep it off and see how he is in the morning?
I have a young D'Uccles cockerel - about 6 months old, fighting the effects of the horrid Maryland humidity. He was in a covered run with a decently ventilated (apparently not decently enough!) coop and five bantam companions, all the same age. Last night, when I checked them at bedtime, they were spread out across the coop floor instead of huddled in their roost box, a raised box rather like a nesting box, but higher.I assumed that was because of the heat. All five seemed okay.
This morning, when I went to let them out, I had one dead OEGB cockerel (RIP sweet Cornelius) and Fella, all fluffed, head drooping and nearly unresponsive. I immediately brought him inside to the AC and put his feet and lower belly in water (cool to the touch, but not cold) to cool him off. As he rested in the water, I gave him some Pedialyte, undiluted, with a syringe. I started along his beak, but he ended up sipping a bit on his own. Once he had revived a bit, I transferred him to a nesting box in a dog kennel, inside.
He has revived significantly tonight. He is standing on his own, drinking unaided and on his own volition. He really hasn't eaten much aside from a finger smudge of Pedialyte/20% chick mash/ teaspoon of cat food mash I rubbed along his beak. His poops look fairly normal, aside from one that looks like a cecal poop - shiny but decent color. He moves around the kennel when prompted, but sticks to the quiet back wall when left to himself.
It's now 11 pm here, and he has settled in for the night, but he looks very fluffed up. He did drink more, but hasn't really done much with the scrambled egg I left for him. Is there anything else I should do for him, right now, or should I let the poor guy sleep it off and see how he is in the morning?
