Heat Stress?

[sharon_newsom]

It’s been about 85-90 degrees in Michigan lately, and i’m trying to best to keep my chickens cool (fans, frozen foods, fresh water, water with cool bricks, etc.) I came out to feed my girls and noticed one of my hens had a dirty butt. I gave her an epson salt bath and some (what I think is) egg membrane came off. She was acting a little slower than the other chickens as well, but still eating & drinking normally. A few days later, her butt has not been dirty since, and now she’s acting completely fine, but she hasn’t laid an egg in 5 days. Should I be concerned?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It’s been about 85-90 degrees in Michigan lately, and i’m trying to best to keep my chickens cool (fans, frozen foods, fresh water, water with cool bricks, etc.) I came out to feed my girls and noticed one of my hens had a dirty butt. I gave her an epson salt bath and some (what I think is) egg membrane came off. She was acting a little slower than the other chickens as well, but still eating & drinking normally. A few days later, her butt has not been dirty since, and now she’s acting completely fine, but she hasn’t laid an egg in 5 days. Should I be concerned?

If she's acting o.k., then I'd just monitor her. It does sound like she may have been going through a bit of a rough patch, perhaps having a hard time expelling an egg, but is now feeling better.

Do you provide oyster shell free choice for the girls? If you don't, then I would suggest that you do.

 

[sharon_newsom]

Yes I provide oyster shell free choice! We also grind up their used egg shells and put it in their feed.

She is acting totally normal so i’m not super concerned, but we have pretty good layers, I have 5 hens and would get 5 eggs a day, like clockwork, so this is out of my normal.