Heat stroke?!

[sarahewilliams]

Is this heat stroke?? 2nd chicken today. We reached 100° temps.
Crop is fine, no mites, just lethargic, won’t eat or drink, won’t stand, and I’m not sure if this liquid is coming out the vent or mouth. I’ve been syringing water and electrolytes into her.

 

[Debbie292d]

It's probably coming out of her vent due to the extra liquids in her. I would keep up the electrolyte water for another day and keep her at room temperature.

 

[MarlaMac]

We are reaching feels like temps of 100+ here in Central Texas. Anytime our feels like temps are above 90, I do several things for my chickens.

I leave them completely alone. They are usually somewhere in the trees or under the deck hunkered down in the shade for most of the day (they free range all day).

I make sure their waterers have cool water throughout the day. I put frozen water bottles in the waterers and change water 3-4 times a day to keep it cool.

I put frozen gallon water bottles where they are hanging out so they can cozy up to them if they want.

I put cold water in their afternoon feed.

I give them watermelon as we head into the hottest hours of the day.

I drip water in the shade by the coop so they have somewhere to stand that is cool.

If I see any of them in obvious heat stress, I will pick them up and put their feet in some cool water for a few minutes until she stops panting.

I also leave fans on in the coop. Sometimes i will find several of them in the coop sitting in front of the fans.

Hope you girl is better and that some of this information may help.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Texas can be brutal with heat. Hitting 97° today here. I have 3 solar powered fans coming in today for my coop. It is meant for a 245 square foot area, so it will hopefully have no problem with cooling them down.

Texas gets plenty of sun, so solar powered fans should be good!

 

[coach723]

@sarahewilliams, how is your hen today?
If it's heat then likely heat stress rather than heat stroke (stress can become stroke however). Heat stroke will kill them rapidly and requires immediate treatment to have any chance of saving them.
It's a real issue and a real worry when it gets this hot. Any bird with underlying health issues will be more susceptible also, particularly over weight. When you see evidence of stress, you really do need to try to take measures to give them ways to cool off. I've lost some to heat stroke also.
When temperatures soar it's a good idea to have a bucket of cool (not cold, standing in the shade is fine) water standing by, in case you need to dunk one to cool it off. I have been able to save a couple that way when I saw it happen. If you don't actually see it happen, they likely don't make it. I necropsied one that I lost to heat stroke and her internal temperature was 116.8 at that time, she felt HOT inside. Link to that thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cautionary-heat-story.1312606/

 

[sarahewilliams]

It's probably coming out of her vent due to the extra liquids in her. I would keep up the electrolyte water for another day and keep her at room temperature.

Unfortunately she passed.

@sarahewilliams, how is your hen today?
If it's heat then likely heat stress rather than heat stroke (stress can become stroke however). Heat stroke will kill them rapidly and requires immediate treatment to have any chance of saving them.
It's a real issue and a real worry when it gets this hot. Any bird with underlying health issues will be more susceptible also, particularly over weight. When you see evidence of stress, you really do need to try to take measures to give them ways to cool off. I've lost some to heat stroke also.
When temperatures soar it's a good idea to have a bucket of cool (not cold, standing in the shade is fine) water standing by, in case you need to dunk one to cool it off. I have been able to save a couple that way when I saw it happen. If you don't actually see it happen, they likely don't make it. I necropsied one that I lost to heat stroke and her internal temperature was 116.8 at that time, she felt HOT inside. Link to that thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cautionary-heat-story.1312606/

thank you! She unfortunately passed. I had brought them both inside and they succumbed pretty quickly. I guess its a lesson learned for these upcoming summer months.

 

[coach723]

I'm so sorry.