Heat stroke. Can she recover?

[Lady Marion]

It hit 100 degrees here today, and I checked on the chicken tractor, found the girls stressed, so I opened the nexting box door for better air flow, and to let some birds out. One chicken was really bad off because another bird was sitting on her. I pulled her out, got some water on her. She was conscious, but lying down. I kept putting more water on until she no longer felt hot, then I brought her in the air conditioned house, being careful to wrap her lightly in a towel.

She is standing now, but is still very quiet, which is not like her breed (a Production Red, I think. These hens were given to us in exchange for a dairy goat buck.)

I ran a sprinkler on the tractor for a little while to cool the flock further. All the other girls are out and about in the garden, now that we have some cloud cover, but is there anything to do for the stricken hen? When I nearly lost a dog to heat stroke, the vet had me give her sugar water afterward, and she perked up. Do I need to do this? She did drink some water for me.

I intend to make her a private pen until she recovers so her chicken tractor mates don't pick on her.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Get Pedialite. Keep her cool and hydrated.

 

[kinardmommy]

I would definately get some electrolytes in her. Offer her some cold ice water with the electrolytes. Just like a human when a chicken is hot they love ice water.Make sure she is cool. There isn't much else you can do. Good Luck. Sorry I can't help more.

 

[Lady Marion]

Thanks! I made up some electrolytes (as I do for goats) and went to give her some. She fought me, which is a good sign! She did drink it, and then started pecking at some food I had put in for her to peck whenever she felt up to it.

I think she will recover, but boy, was that too close! I'm letting them all out of the tractor tomorrow, or will at least prop that door open!

 

[Lady Marion]

She's fine!! I took her outside, and when she heard the other hens, she started "talking" back to them. I put her down, and she started heading toward the chicken tractor with the others. (Since I had let them all out before). She seemed perfectly normal, just a tad slow. I decided to leave her with the others. Tomorrow I will leave them all OUT of the tractor so they can hide under the nesting box when the sun is high. It is just way too hot IN there when the temps reach 100.

 

[cajunlizz]

Hope she is doing better .


What size is your chicken tractor AND HOW MANY CHICKENS DO YOU HAVE and what ages ?