Heat vs Chickens = Death

[groundpecker]

You have to understand. A 90* day is super rare here at my elevation of 2000 ft, and at my particular spot. A normal summer would mean maybe a day or two at that temp, but most of the summer would be 80-88*. This is highly unlike what my flock is used to.

Last summer, summer began in May and lasted through August, with high heat and humidity and fungal lung infections for a few older hens and Isaac. We were hoping not to repeat that this year. I fear I may lose Ike, as his tolerance for heat, which wasn't good in the first place, is much worse. It's awful to watch your buddy stop, turn purple and act like he cannot catch his breath. He's been a couple of seconds from death a few times since last summer with those episodes.

I wish good health for your and everyone else birds.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I think we hit around 106 yesterday. Chickens are fine. Goats are fine. Me an the pugs would have died without the AC.

 

[speckledhen]

I think some of it may be what your birds are acclimated to. There are folks who raise birds in 115* heat out in AZ and CA.

Mine are not accustomed to a protracted high heat index, plus mine are also aging. A good portion of my flock is 4-6 years of age, some hens have arthritis, etc. Add that to their little brains set on broil and it can be a recipe for death. What has saved mine so far is that we are in the woods, plus the main flock can get way underneath the coop, which has deep moon crater dust holes.


My own 35 yr old 5000 btu small window A/C (I do not use the whole house heatpump, can't afford to) unit doesn't get turned on until after noon, so we are not in cushy cool comfort ourselves. Can't afford to be.

 

[RHRanch]

I have lost a few birds to heat in the past. It seems especially hard on the booted and other fully feathered types, as well as the aged. In the summer I have lost Sultans in temps no higher than 105-07. Also, my senior birds seem to die in warm weather more... maybe too much stress on the system trying to maintain temps? Not sure. But heat kills, watch out for your birds!

 

[EweSheep]

Thanks to Gabriel....it is rough losing those three hens but sometimes with the BEST care you can give, they still die.

I lose my favorite Welsummer, Summer, aged 8...she was slowing down alot earlier this year but goreous as she could be. She was just fine that morning when I soak down the runs, filled water buckets and making sure they are not stressed out.

And my young three month old Welsummer and my new Coro hen I just bought and had her in an isolated pen by herself under the shaded tree.

It reached 110 heat index that day even the temps were hovering at 104 to 108. It was brutal. The Coro hen, she was only a year and few months old but man, she was heavy with all of her lovenlyness. She was such a sweet bird and only had her for four days before she succumed to the fatal heat stroke. Her comb was purple, not good at all. She did have water and food.

Today it is not too bad, dry heat mostly with a chance of TS. I soaked the run good and they loved getting their feet wet but hated getting wet but too bad, they are going to get soaked.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm really sorry, Robin.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I soak the feet not the bird. Every hour I go out and spray the runs down with cold water. Yesterday it got up to 107*, today 105* so far. None of my birds are panting(or have been)and are acting quite normal. In highly humid areas I have to believe that you are actually making your birds hotter by soaking them down. Their plumage can't breath because of the moisture and won't evaporate at an effective rate to cool them because the air is already saturated with moisture. Have you ever walked outside right after a rainfall on a hot summer day? Good luck folks in keeping your bird alive and healthy in this extreme heat. Whatever works for you...

Marty

 

[speckledhen]

I soak the feet not the bird. Every hour I go out and spray the runs down with cold water. Yesterday it got up to 107*, today 105* so far. None of my birds are panting(or have been)and are acting quite normal. In highly humid areas I have to believe that you are actually making your birds hotter by soaking them down. Their plumage can't breath because of the moisture and won't evaporate at an effective rate to cool them because the air is already saturated with moisture. Have you ever walked outside right after a rainfall on a hot summer day? Good luck folks in keeping your bird alive and healthy in this extreme heat. Whatever works for you...
Marty

I agree 100%, Marty! That works great for out west, but not here in the south. Remember, heat index means temp plus humidity; higher humidity makes you feel hotter. If you wet them down, you don't do them any favors if the air is already very humid.

If a bird seems distressed, I will take her and stand her feet in some cool water, maybe wet her face and wattles. That seems to make a huge difference.

This is what we did today. DH took the 3 gallon bucket, filled it 1/2 with water and put it in the chest freezer overnight. When it was filled with water, it was 1/2 huge ice cube and 1/2 water. There is a round hole we dug ages ago for that size bucket in the ground, so that almost 2/3 of the bucket is underground. We put that out about 1 p.m. in almost 100 degree heat. At 6:20 p.m., the water is still ice cold, though the huge iceberg finally melted. He strung old bedsheets on cord across the top corner of the pen so the sun didn't beat down on the bucket and they did very well, some under the coop, some under the "tent" with the loose dirt and the ice water in their bucket. Granted, they got dirt in the bucket after awhile, but it was COLD.




Window "awnings" /sun shields were added before the weekend to all three coops:

 

[EweSheep]

Hey great idea about old bedsheets! I got some that I had holes in it that can be put to use! Thanks!

 

[welasharon]

and vines. I have them growing on my pens.