Important for anyone who loves their chooks

[Schleicher-Lemon Family]

Heres a picture of Houston just in case yall were wondering what she looks like. this was last year

 

[SchwartzLakeFarmNC]

So happy to hear your precious Houston is feeling and doing better. SS's are my favorite as well, so pretty she is too. We also have been dealing with the high humidity and heat, fans, ice water, cold watermelon and a misting fan is helping us cool them down, along with lot's of shade. Hope your pretty girl recovers completely.

 

[bjdewell]

Hello Everyone,
Im posting this today because i had a pretty difficult day, but i learned alot from this difficult lesson
Knowing that the weather here has been in the 110-115 degree temps i went to check on my girls. And found my favourite hen of all Houston (my only speckled sussex) was flat on her stomach her head was over her back and her wings straight out she looked dead, she was definitley a shade of blue. I immediatley picked her up and set her in their little pool i have for them and splashed water up on her all the while hysterical and praying for her to come back to me. i then tried to breathe into her beak as she wasn't breathing and just when i was about to quit she moved very slightly. That gave me hope so i rushed her inside, in the a/c tried to give her water very very slowly. she coughed up some weird slime and drank very little. i then gave her a drop of poultry cell and she drank it but kept passing out in my arms. Every now and then she would wake up but her head would twist up over her back like she was about to die which scared me. I would just lightly push her head back into a normal position. She was unable to move her feet at all or really any part of her body. it went on like this for hours and hours. i just held her, swaddled her up in my fluffy jacket and cried and kissed her little head and told her its okay mommys here and i wasnt letting her go anywhere certainly not to the afterlife, oh no i was intent on making sure my baby will go on to live a long long happy life.
She finally woke up on her own and started to move her feet. i brought her outside to check again on the rest of the girls and feed them and theyre all doing good. she didnt move at all but i did get her to eat food on her own, alot of it too. she finally got her bowel functions back but...unfortunatley i dont think that shes all there in her head...she looks extremley confused at everything even me but im not going to let this stop me from helping my baby.

Im proud to let you all know that she is now up and walking around (very confused and slowly) but still she even jumped up and flapped her wings to get up on my lap. I think she suffered a horrible heat stroke and i do think she is brain damaged but, she is alive and doing a lot lot better. Right now shes slowly walking around just staring at everything like its the first time shes ever seen it. If your chickens get heat stroke just make sure to get them hydrated and cooled off but not so much they go into shock. just very slowly and then wait. they will come to on their own you just got to give them time. As im sure you can get from my post i LOVE my girls. they mean so much to me and have comforted and been there for me when no one else was. i used to fall asleep in their coop with them in my lap or right by my side on nights when they were frightened of the thunder or fireworks. i share a close bond with my chickens and im sure you all do to. Stay hydrated and safe out there, I love you all

I am so happy your hen made it through. I was really dehydrated once and thought I was going through early dementia. The heat and lack of hydration definitely make us act differently.

I have four hens and it's been up to 116 yesterday here in the high desert, we've had temps in the 100's for quite a while now. I purchased a rolling swamp cooler for my hens. Once the temps are in the high 90's I turn it on. I have to fill it with water twice a day, but if it's in the shade near an electrical outlet, your hens can lie in the cool breeze coming out onto their little bodies, and it's been wonderful. I have mine in the house pointing out a screen door with a little 9-paver patio right outside. In the afternoon, it's shady there, and the hens just lay there, preen, and talk to each other quietly and they do just fine.

I also have Hydro-Hen Probiotics that I put into one of their water bowls outside, and they really drink it up during the hot days. That is in addition to their regular plain water bowls. So many things you can do to try to keep them cool, but that rolling swamp cooler is the best thing I've gotten for them.

 

[BlueBaby]

Just an update, she is doing ALOT better today yay!! she is up exploring around and checking everything out. Eating and drinking are back to normal. She even ba-gocked (my interpretation of a chicken sound haha) and she is starting to make more sounds which makes me happy. she is currently cleaning her feathers perched right next to me. However i have to say, she doesnt seem to remember me or anything else....which sucks because she has always been my most cuddly hen. i now have to do a bit of chasing to get her. She walks around like its her first day out of an egg...kind of strange but, im hoping we can rebuild our bond again because she means the absolute most to me. shes not only one of the only chickens that survived my very first flock but shes apart of the reason i fell in love with chickens to begin with. my partner picked her up and brought her along with 5 other chicks home in a cute little basket. Shes also my oldest hen sitting at around 1 year and 4 months.

thank you all for your replies i appreciate the heck out of all of you

I'm glad that she's doing better. We aren't over the high heat here in AZ. I have to keep a close eye on my flock and go out there several times a day to check on them. I also keep the ice in the water going several time's a day to try to make sure that they are not trying to rehydrate with hot water from the outside temperature, and I have a small set of mister's up on a timer at the far end of the run away from the coop. Feeding them wet feed also help's to keep them hydrated in this heat, along with making sure that they are eating.

 

[Noxx]

Hello,

I came across with your post in perfect time. I have 6 5-weeks old RIR and I live in Mississippi. We have a heatwave for weeks and supposed to move them outside permanently next week.
I am scared and terrified. I love them so much and don’t want to lose them. Their run area covered on top, plus shady area. I have water in various locations for them. I am getting a mist for them too.

They are outside for a few hours now than back inside.

I hope Houston fully recover. Thinking of you

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello,

I came across with your post in perfect time. I have 6 5-weeks old RIR and I live in Mississippi. We have a heatwave for weeks and supposed to move them outside permanently next week.
I am scared and terrified. I love them so much and don’t want to lose them. Their run area covered on top, plus shady area. I have water in various locations for them. I am getting a mist for them too.

They are outside for a few hours now than back inside.

I hope Houston fully recover. Thinking of you

What you have done is good. If you can, make sure that the side that get's the most sun in the hotter part of the day is shaded well. One of those breathable shade cloth's with the grommet's can help with that. It can be attached to that side of your run. The sun will rot out zipties, so I used wire to attach mine. Even the wire will eventually rust, but you can always cut the rusted one off if need be and put new ones on. Don't forget to add some ice to the water's to help keep the water cool for them.

 

[RedWillow]

Hello Everyone,
Im posting this today because i had a pretty difficult day, but i learned alot from this difficult lesson
Knowing that the weather here has been in the 110-115 degree temps i went to check on my girls. And found my favourite hen of all Houston (my only speckled sussex) was flat on her stomach her head was over her back and her wings straight out she looked dead, she was definitley a shade of blue. I immediatley picked her up and set her in their little pool i have for them and splashed water up on her all the while hysterical and praying for her to come back to me. i then tried to breathe into her beak as she wasn't breathing and just when i was about to quit she moved very slightly. That gave me hope so i rushed her inside, in the a/c tried to give her water very very slowly. she coughed up some weird slime and drank very little. i then gave her a drop of poultry cell and she drank it but kept passing out in my arms. Every now and then she would wake up but her head would twist up over her back like she was about to die which scared me. I would just lightly push her head back into a normal position. She was unable to move her feet at all or really any part of her body. it went on like this for hours and hours. i just held her, swaddled her up in my fluffy jacket and cried and kissed her little head and told her its okay mommys here and i wasnt letting her go anywhere certainly not to the afterlife, oh no i was intent on making sure my baby will go on to live a long long happy life.
She finally woke up on her own and started to move her feet. i brought her outside to check again on the rest of the girls and feed them and theyre all doing good. she didnt move at all but i did get her to eat food on her own, alot of it too. she finally got her bowel functions back but...unfortunatley i dont think that shes all there in her head...she looks extremley confused at everything even me but im not going to let this stop me from helping my baby.

Im proud to let you all know that she is now up and walking around (very confused and slowly) but still she even jumped up and flapped her wings to get up on my lap. I think she suffered a horrible heat stroke and i do think she is brain damaged but, she is alive and doing a lot lot better. Right now shes slowly walking around just staring at everything like its the first time shes ever seen it. If your chickens get heat stroke just make sure to get them hydrated and cooled off but not so much they go into shock. just very slowly and then wait. they will come to on their own you just got to give them time. As im sure you can get from my post i LOVE my girls. they mean so much to me and have comforted and been there for me when no one else was. i used to fall asleep in their coop with them in my lap or right by my side on nights when they were frightened of the thunder or fireworks. i share a close bond with my chickens and im sure you all do to. Stay hydrated and safe out there, I love you all

We

Hello Everyone,
Im posting this today because i had a pretty difficult day, but i learned alot from this difficult lesson
Knowing that the weather here has been in the 110-115 degree temps i went to check on my girls. And found my favourite hen of all Houston (my only speckled sussex) was flat on her stomach her head was over her back and her wings straight out she looked dead, she was definitley a shade of blue. I immediatley picked her up and set her in their little pool i have for them and splashed water up on her all the while hysterical and praying for her to come back to me. i then tried to breathe into her beak as she wasn't breathing and just when i was about to quit she moved very slightly. That gave me hope so i rushed her inside, in the a/c tried to give her water very very slowly. she coughed up some weird slime and drank very little. i then gave her a drop of poultry cell and she drank it but kept passing out in my arms. Every now and then she would wake up but her head would twist up over her back like she was about to die which scared me. I would just lightly push her head back into a normal position. She was unable to move her feet at all or really any part of her body. it went on like this for hours and hours. i just held her, swaddled her up in my fluffy jacket and cried and kissed her little head and told her its okay mommys here and i wasnt letting her go anywhere certainly not to the afterlife, oh no i was intent on making sure my baby will go on to live a long long happy life.
She finally woke up on her own and started to move her feet. i brought her outside to check again on the rest of the girls and feed them and theyre all doing good. she didnt move at all but i did get her to eat food on her own, alot of it too. she finally got her bowel functions back but...unfortunatley i dont think that shes all there in her head...she looks extremley confused at everything even me but im not going to let this stop me from helping my baby.

Im proud to let you all know that she is now up and walking around (very confused and slowly) but still she even jumped up and flapped her wings to get up on my lap. I think she suffered a horrible heat stroke and i do think she is brain damaged but, she is alive and doing a lot lot better. Right now shes slowly walking around just staring at everything like its the first time shes ever seen it. If your chickens get heat stroke just make sure to get them hydrated and cooled off but not so much they go into shock. just very slowly and then wait. they will come to on their own you just got to give them time. As im sure you can get from my post i LOVE my girls. they mean so much to me and have comforted and been there for me when no one else was. i used to fall asleep in their coop with them in my lap or right by my side on nights when they were frightened of the thunder or fireworks. i share a close bond with my chickens and im sure you all do to. Stay hydrated and safe out there, I love you all

 

[RedWillow]

We hit 120 last week on our home weather station. I made an electrolyte solution for their water and I always keep some in the fridge for emergencies. If one appears lethargic, I give it orally with a baby medication syringe. My hens do free range and have lots of shade, water puddles and a few stand misters scattered around.

 

[DawnLee]

Just an update, she is doing ALOT better today yay!! she is up exploring around and checking everything out. Eating and drinking are back to normal. She even ba-gocked (my interpretation of a chicken sound haha) and she is starting to make more sounds which makes me happy. she is currently cleaning her feathers perched right next to me. However i have to say, she doesnt seem to remember me or anything else....which sucks because she has always been my most cuddly hen. i now have to do a bit of chasing to get her. She walks around like its her first day out of an egg...kind of strange but, im hoping we can rebuild our bond again because she means the absolute most to me. shes not only one of the only chickens that survived my very first flock but shes apart of the reason i fell in love with chickens to begin with. my partner picked her up and brought her along with 5 other chicks home in a cute little basket. Shes also my oldest hen sitting at around 1 year and 4 months.

thank you all for your replies i appreciate the heck out of all of you

I just read about your hen with heat stroke. I know it has been awhile. How is she doing?

I am in Texas. Still dealing with this heat wave. I have been using several fans and a misting fan. Several fans in the coop too. I also give my flock electrolytes everyday. So far, all have made it. I also have some heave breeds, Orpingtons, that are still doing well.

Hope your girl is doing well and has started to recognize you.

 

[chickencoop57]

Hello Everyone,
Im posting this today because i had a pretty difficult day, but i learned alot from this difficult lesson
Knowing that the weather here has been in the 110-115 degree temps i went to check on my girls. And found my favourite hen of all Houston (my only speckled sussex) was flat on her stomach her head was over her back and her wings straight out she looked dead, she was definitley a shade of blue. I immediatley picked her up and set her in their little pool i have for them and splashed water up on her all the while hysterical and praying for her to come back to me. i then tried to breathe into her beak as she wasn't breathing and just when i was about to quit she moved very slightly. That gave me hope so i rushed her inside, in the a/c tried to give her water very very slowly. she coughed up some weird slime and drank very little. i then gave her a drop of poultry cell and she drank it but kept passing out in my arms. Every now and then she would wake up but her head would twist up over her back like she was about to die which scared me. I would just lightly push her head back into a normal position. She was unable to move her feet at all or really any part of her body. it went on like this for hours and hours. i just held her, swaddled her up in my fluffy jacket and cried and kissed her little head and told her its okay mommys here and i wasnt letting her go anywhere certainly not to the afterlife, oh no i was intent on making sure my baby will go on to live a long long happy life.
She finally woke up on her own and started to move her feet. i brought her outside to check again on the rest of the girls and feed them and theyre all doing good. she didnt move at all but i did get her to eat food on her own, alot of it too. she finally got her bowel functions back but...unfortunatley i dont think that shes all there in her head...she looks extremley confused at everything even me but im not going to let this stop me from helping my baby.

Im proud to let you all know that she is now up and walking around (very confused and slowly) but still she even jumped up and flapped her wings to get up on my lap. I think she suffered a horrible heat stroke and i do think she is brain damaged but, she is alive and doing a lot lot better. Right now shes slowly walking around just staring at everything like its the first time shes ever seen it. If your chickens get heat stroke just make sure to get them hydrated and cooled off but not so much they go into shock. just very slowly and then wait. they will come to on their own you just got to give them time. As im sure you can get from my post i LOVE my girls. they mean so much to me and have comforted and been there for me when no one else was. i used to fall asleep in their coop with them in my lap or right by my side on nights when they were frightened of the thunder or fireworks. i share a close bond with my chickens and im sure you all do to. Stay hydrated and safe out there, I love you all

Yeah, here in South Central Texas, the heat has been pretty bad, too. I have this daily routine I follow about 3 times a day, sometimes 4 if it's extremely humid. Everybody gets a bath! Rabbits, Quail, and chickens, everybody! Of course you have to run the hot water out of the water hose before spraying them but they've gotten pretty used to it and I have lost any to the heat, so far. I added a tarp on the end of my enclosed run to give them some extra shade and I water the ground that's shaded, and they love to lay on the cool ground. It works for me!