help

[martin96080]

last week i got a sick hen...she would not walk and she seemed to have trouble holding her head up..her beak was caked with what appeared to be dried mud...i cleaned her up and had her drink from a dropper for a couple of days...she did not make it....the weather was in the 80's

today the weather got to 106 .. i came home from work and my girls(hens) water container got knocked over some how... i looked in the check and i got 4 dead hens and a sick one... any ideas? could it be the water container getting knocked over and the heat they got heat stroke?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Sorry for your losses. First off heat is a huge stress to poultry so do they have shade and some great ventilation? Then of course water, and cool water if you can is best. Secure the waterer so that it can't tip over, and best to have more than one in the heat just to be sure. In the really hot weather here I put a hose out in a low bucket with just a slight drip of water going so they for sure have water, and they have cool moist ground to lay on as well. Yes it can make a mess and increase flys so that is a consideration, but if the ground is good drainage it can be a life saver.

Any type of stress, like heat, can make other things worse too. Do you have any symptoms of cocci, worms or any mites or lice that could be weakening your birds? If not they should be able to take the heat with the right shade, ventilation and good water.

 

[martin96080]

thank you April!! so you think it was the heat that did them in...i feel so guilty...i normally leave the coop open and let them have run of the property..but they keep eating my garden..