I lost one of my best hens out of eight tonight.

[Bertie-Merle]

The temp was over 100 today, but no more than it's been for the past ten days, and they had multiple waterers, lots of shade, a baby pool (which they refuse to use, so really is useless, but I was trying).

This hen, "Tawney", a 3 y/o "Easter Egger", and one of my most friendly and beautiful and feisty and most loved girls, was fine yesterday evening when I let them out to free range in the longer grass and give them treats like kale, shredded carrots, or such. Tawney looked fine this morning at 5:45 when I let my eight girls out. I checked on them at around 10 a.m. and re-filled all my waterers with cool (no COLD available) water, and I sprayed down the little $10 baby pool and filled it again with about 3/4" of water. I checked on them again around noon, then my boyfriend checked on them around 2-3 .... then around 6 p.m. ... Tawney wasn't coming out when all the other girls ran out. I keep my two coops close to immaculately clean, I knew the heat was high, but no worse than the past two weeks, I sprayed down a 20' square area in the shade for them to pick insects, I feed them premium food, they have not only auto-water cups, but at least two big waterers that I refilled in the morning, again at 10 and at 1 pm.

I don't know what I did wrong. Tawney was fine and vibrant last evening when we sit with them for an hour or so and feed them cold kale or whatever and just let them forage in the big lawn grass. I don't know what I did wrong, but my 3 y/o girl died today, when she was chipper and eating and drinking and playing yesterday.

Sighhh. Any advice?

 

[Callender Girl]

I am so sorry your Tawney died, and I'm sure you are rightfully heartbroken to lose a favorite hen.

But I don't know that you did anything wrong.

It sounds like you did your best to take care of your girls during a horridly stressful time. It's hard to imagine how tough ten days of triple-digit temps must be on your chickens (and you!). Her last day was at least filled with treats and love.

Take care.

 

[NorthFLChickenChick]

This is heartbreaking to hear, and reminds me of when I lost my favorite Silkie a few years ago…the weather was milder but the same situation, she was fine in the morning and even saw that she laid an egg , then in the afternoon when I came out to give them treats she was just laying dead in the run…no signs of trauma, neither she nor any other hens had been ill, poops and breathing normal…the only thing it could have been from my research was a heart attack or stroke…Sounds like maybe similar situation with your sweet Tawney I know it doesn’t make you feel any better but it sure sounds like you did everything right living in a hot climate (I’m in FL and I feel your pain)…only comfort is that she went quickly and didn’t suffer…although I know that I grieved for weeks over that stinking fluff butt
Hugs

 

[Bertie-Merle]

This is heartbreaking to hear, and reminds me of when I lost my favorite Silkie a few years ago…the weather was milder but the same situation, she was fine in the morning and even saw that she laid an egg , then in the afternoon when I came out to give them treats she was just laying dead in the run…no signs of trauma, neither she nor any other hens had been ill, poops and breathing normal…the only thing it could have been from my research was a heart attack or stroke…Sounds like maybe similar situation with your sweet Tawney I know it doesn’t make you feel any better but it sure sounds like you did everything right living in a hot climate (I’m in FL and I feel your pain)…only comfort is that she went quickly and didn’t suffer…although I know that I grieved for weeks over that stinking fluff butt
Hugs

Thanks so much for your kind reply .... especially meaningful with you being in FLA and therefore being very experienced with the heat and humidity we have here in southeast Texas. I failed to mention that all of their poo was normal which I keep a close eye on being the one who cleans the two coops every morning. (That sounds weird! Ah, what we do for these "stinking fluff butts" .. ; -) It gives me comfort that you can't think of any additional precautions or accommodations for the heat, but I wanted to ask to see if anyone could think of something else I could be doing for the sake of my remaining seven girls, as we have at least five more days before even a small reprieve expected from the heat. Thank you, NorthFLChickenChick. You're a gem.

 

[Bertie-Merle]

I am so sorry your Tawney died, and I'm sure you are rightfully heartbroken to lose a favorite hen.

But I don't know that you did anything wrong.

It sounds like you did your best to take care of your girls during a horridly stressful time. It's hard to imagine how tough ten days of triple-digit temps must be on your chickens (and you!). Her last day was at least filled with treats and love.

Take care.

Thanks very much for your reply and your kindness and comfort, Callender Girl. It has been a long stretch of this heat and we have at least five more days before any rain or cooling patterns expected, so I wanted to ask for the sake of my remaining seven in case there were any additional things I could be doing. The other girls continued to look healthy and happy this evening and enjoyed their nice cold lettuce and shredded carrot treats, and I added some diced acorn squash treats from the freezer.

I really appreciate your input and your kind words .... thank you, ma'am. Tawney is hopefully pecking away at juicy worms in the Rainbow Coop. ; -)