I lost two chickens today :*(

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

I know exactly how you feel, I lost FIVE yesterday to the heat, the rest of our flock is now living in the basement in dog crates until the heat wave is over.

 

[tinabrat1]

I just found one of my 5 month old olive eggers dead in the coop, was ok when i was out watering at 330 this afternoon, a couple of her sisters were panting too, i put more cold water out and even wet them down a little...this just sucks!

 

[froggie71]

So sorry

We lost 1 of our EE's the other day, and I believe her death was due to the heat. Just went out yesterday and got sprinklers just for the birds. Hopefully there will be no more losses.

 

[luvchicks8]

I am concerned about my barred rock she has been really panting I even put her nad me wyandotte in the duck pool. So sorry

 

[redhen]

I'm sending hubby to Walmart tonight to get some low(under bed) totes... and i'm going to fill them with ice and frozen treats tomorrw (watermelon and cantelope..maybe corn on the cob..)...

And i'm going to just keep hosing them all down tomorrw.. The pigs hate it..but too bad. They are really prone to heat stroke.
The chickens run from the hose but i will wet down their run at least...... and hopefully they will lay in the cold ice totes and eat the treats... and the ducks and geese can play in the sprinkler...
Thats about all i can do... I hope i dont loose any..

 

[DTRM30]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate your kind thoughts - and

to those who have also lost some of their chickies ....

and hope no one else has any more losses - though in reality I know it's going to happen. It is hard here - like mentioned earlier - the poor things don't get a chance to acclimate with the weather changing so suddenly. They're all panting - but seem OK otherwise at this point. I don't think it helps that I think they are starting to molt as well - nothing like added stress for the poor girls.

I'm thinking of trying to replace my EE next spring - but she was soooo pretty. We named her Buckbeak because her colors were exactly like the hippogripff in the HP movies.

I'm very worried about tomorrow. I made sure I have their waterer full - (It's a 5 gallon one for 15 birds -make that 13) - and I'm going to fill another with ice and put that out. Unfortunately, I work all day so not much I can do for them until I get home.

I've been leaving the coop door open all night to let the coop cool off from the day time - and their run is a converted dog kennel - with just a tarp on the top to provide shade and water proofing. But it's an 8ft fence, with nothing covering the sides so there is plenty of air flow. I've been in there during the day on weekends and it's a lot cooler than in the sun - soooo - I'm glad I added it. Before they had a period of about 3 hours where their run was in full sun. I guess I should look at it as I'm lucky b/c if I hadn't covered it I'd probably have no chickens today.

I'm trying to figure out a way to put them in my basement for the day but don't think I can do it. I don't have enough dog carriers - and don't have anyway of blocking the furniture that's down there (it's sort of a play room for the kids - but it needs cleaning so they haven't been down there in a while)

I'm mostly worried about the silkies I have - my son would be devestated if we lose any of them. I just put a small fan in the coop tonight, but it's only one that we use to circulate hot air from our pellet stove in the winter - so it doesn't move a lot of air - but at least it's circulating it a small bit.

I feel like it's my fault. I'm such a sap when it comes to animals - even rehabilitated a pigeon that had been hit by a car and had a broken leg and wing. It was just sitting there - with people driving by it - I stopped and picked it up - and about 8 weeks later it was able to fly so I released it back where I found it. Moved a squirrel off the road that had been hit so it could at least die and not be freaked out about being in the road with cars going over it (didn't have anything to end it's misery

.... - saved some baby squirrels that had been separated from mom when the tree trimmers came through in the spring - on and on I could go.

Sigh.

 

[redhen]

its NOT your fault at ALL! Please dont think that...
Its just so hard with this weather.. ..

 

[DTRM30]

Thanks RedHen - I know you're right - it's just me and my guilt trip thinking about all the "what if's"

I wish I could do the sprinkler thing - but I'm on a well and we have water issues in my area. Most on our street have two wells - ours was good until they built behind us - and those houses are on the same water vein - so our water table is lower on top of having little rain. ANy ideas I could do for tomorrow ? Other than a waterer filled with ice ? I don't even have a darn fan in my house.

Though I think if my son stays home tomorrow - that may be good - I can call him and have him go spray the hose to cool things down a few times - or bring out more ice water ... hmmmmm - I'm feeling slightly more optomistic .... Just need to put the spray handle on the hose in the am before work ....

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

I to am blaming myself for the death of our 5. What kills me is that 4 of them were babies that we hatched here at home under a broody. I had never in my 35 yrs of life done that. I have one chick left from that hatch now. I do animal rescue, I foster animals etc... it kills me to know I have helped other animals and yet my own are dead now. Dang its hard.
I checked the thermometer a lil bit ago, its still 85 here in Roanoke va!

Here is a photo of our thermometer today in the shade!

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Yeah.. i would have him keep spraying things down and bringing them ice water.... or a shallow pan filled with ice....(put frozen treats IN the ice pan...so they go IN it to eat....) and maybe freeze some food tonight for them.. anything.. Frozen veggies... yogurt..corn.. melon.... cooked oatmeal... cooked frozen pasta... anything.... the cold food will help keep them cooler... (i hope)
Good luck!