Heat stroke suffering hen-need advice or suggestions!

[fuzidragonbunnie]

Hello,

We found one of my baby Polish yesterday evening in her cage having convulsions with her head bent all the way back and her body thrashing. It's been 100 degrees or so, and we thought between the fans and the misting of water that the chickens staying in the garage would be okay (everyone else was but her).

Treated her for heat exhaustion (room temp water, soaked her down). She has been continuing to have what look like grand mal seizures-laying on her side, thrashing quite a bit, head and neck rotating all over the place. When she seems lucid, we've been plying her with watered down gatorade and yogurt. I gave her a little bit of Vitamin E this evening. She still doesn't have use of her legs (meaning she can't sit up, only lay on her side. We also have her propped up with towels and in a nice cool (not cold spot) in the house. Been trying to water and feed her every couple of hours.

Any suggestions?

I fear that if she survives this, she may suffer some brain damage.

 

[leadwolf1]

I am not sure what to say. Keep her in a warm, not hot, area that is safe and quiet. Continue to give her the gatorade, although, poultry electrolytes/vitamins would be better. Polish have open skulls and that can lead to brain injury if they are pecked/hit in the head. I just lost a 13 week old polish. He was pecked in the head by his room mates. His head swelled and there was nothing I could do to save him. I hope you have a better outcome.

 

[bj taylor]

really sorry for you & your baby. i don't have suggestions to help. she may have been a tad weaker than the others or had another problem that got started as a result of the stress of the heat.
she may ultimately need to be euthanized if she's suffering too much.

 

[Highhopes59]

Gosh sweetie I feel for ya and send lots of XOXOXOXOSSSSSS TO YOUR LIL ONE!!!!!

 

[fuzidragonbunnie]

Thank you for the support. The Great Spirit took her early this morning and she is now pecking and scratching at the Happy Hunting Grounds. Would like to continue to recieve any suggestions since it looks like it will be a very HOT summer (the rest of the week is going to be 100 degrees and above).

 

[leadwolf1]

I'm so sorry for your loss, I feel your pain.

Heat is very tough on open skulled birds...provide a fan, pool of water to walk in...plenty of waterers with ice throughout the day. Frozen fruit and veggies. Frozen water bottles to lie against and plenty of complete shade. There isn't much else you can do for them in the heat...if it gets really bad, you could bring them into the basement for the hot part of the afternoon.

 

[fuzidragonbunnie]

Thanks for your support and ideas. Our flocks have grown to almost fifty (yes, we are nuts!) and we don't have a basement, so the idea of bringing in all my feathered kids to cool off won't work

. In addition to their existing watering containers, I put out some old plastic cat litter tubs and filled them with fresh cold water for them to drink or wade in. Also I go outside three or more times a day (thank goodness it's summer vacation) and hose everyone down with water. Also I have been soaking the roof and sides of their coops as much as possible. Added half strength gatorade to their food and keep it in the extra fridge to feed in the evenings and we're looking into more shade for them still. Hopefully this wave will pass. It's suppose to be in the high 90s tomorrow and Saturday...

 

[labpac4]

I feel your sorrow; I just came home from work today and found beautiful Esther, our Easter Egger dead in the outside coop. This is the 3rd day in the mid 90's in western NY. I didn't see any injuries on her body so I am assuming it was the heat. It is so sad. She laid the most beautiful green eggs! She was such a sweet spirited bird; she will be missed!

 

[labpac4]

Something else I thought was really interesting, our Favorelle, Frances, and our white Silkie, Evie stood watch over Esther's body until I went over and picked her up. They stood right next to us as we dug a grave and buried her. It was amazing to watch the two of them; I wonder what they must have been thinking!

 

[leadwolf1]

I would say, they were saying goodbye to their friend. I lost a silkie and her friend layed beside her until I removed her from the coop. I raised two polish roos, they were inseparable. One never went anywhere without the other. When the smaller brother was killed by a hawk, the other cried and searched for days. It was so very sad. He went to roost the first night still crying for his brother. We all cried that night. Chickens, no matter what others say, do make friends and miss them terribly when they are gone.

Something else I thought was really interesting, our Favorelle, Frances, and our white Silkie, Evie stood watch over Esther's body until I went over and picked her up. They stood right next to us as we dug a grave and buried her. It was amazing to watch the two of them; I wonder what they must have been thinking!