Is Stinky Sludge Dangerous for Chickens?

[Kiki]

Did you happen to have the birds that died necropsied at the state lab?

Fatty liver kills much faster and sudden.
Do you feed your flock regular treats?

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

I hear you. Ours are family too. It sounds like you're doing all you can - I'd just watch that mister and how saturated in makes the ground. Maybe try misting heads that create a finer spray pattern? If you can put fans in their run during the day, that could help too.

FWIW, we've brought birds into the house (into the A/C) when we feel like they might be really overheated. If that's an option, do it. They will appreciate the break from the heat.

We've even considered a window A/C unit in our coop because it's in direct North Carolina sun most of the day - haven't had to go that route yet, but it's an option.

One last thing: if you have a garage that you could cordon off a section for them, that might be an option with a window A/C unit. I'm not wise enough to know what 115 degree heat feels like on a sustained basis, but it MUST be miserable, and I'm sure the chickens are not dealing with it well... :-(

Did you happen to have the birds that died necropsied at the state lab?

Fatty liver kills much faster and sudden.
Do you feed your flock regular treats?

The ones that died were my neighbor’s hens. I highly doubt she had them necropsied. The two hens of mine ended up surviving after each spending a couple of days in my bathroom. And no, I don’t feed many treats - sometimes wild bird food that has black oil sunflower seeds in it. Other than that they have their pellet food (Nutrena Feather Fixer).

 

[Kiki]

The ones that died were my neighbor’s hens. I highly doubt she had them necropsied. The two hens of mine ended up surviving after each spending a couple of days in my bathroom. And no, I don’t feed many treats - sometimes wild bird food that has black oil sunflower seeds in it. Other than that they have their pellet food (Nutrena Feather Fixer).

Highly recommend stopping feeding them bird seed.
It really is better for the chickens to get a balanced diet and that is exactly what the commercially made feeds are made for.... Being balanced and when you start feeding other things besides the balanced feed it takes away from them getting a balanced diet.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Highly recommend stopping feeding them bird seed.
It really is better for the chickens to get a balanced diet and that is exactly what the commercially made feeds are made for.... Being balanced and when you start feeding other things besides the balanced feed it takes away from them getting a balanced diet.

I couldn't agree more on this point, even made that point in another thread where someone was having problems with a bird and the bird's nutrition. I even stressed the importance of the balanced part of the diet.

As for the OP's issue with heat, some electrolytes in the water can help the birds in extreme heat too. Mix per the instructions on the label...

 

[3KillerBs]

As for the OP's issue with heat, some electrolytes in the water can help the birds in extreme heat too. Mix per the instructions on the label...

But offer the electrolytes in a separate waterer and offer plain water too.

 

[Swbertrand1]

But offer the electrolytes in a separate waterer and offer plain water too.

Good point!

 

[3KillerBs]

Good point!

I liken it to having nothing available to drink but Gatorade.

When I'm working outside in the heat I want ONE Gatorade, but I also want WATER.

 

[Xouie]

I feel like I just can’t win. This year has been insanely hot. I have had 2 hens (separate times) that have had heat exhaustion. It was touch and go with them, but they were able to pull through with a couple of days in a quarantine box in a cool bathroom. Once the temp goes over 90 degrees, they all are stressed out. That’s why my husband put in some misters so that they could get some relief, and they’ve been a lifesaver (literally). And the girls love digging around in the wet sand. But now that idea has created a whole new issue. So, to be safe, I plan to dig out the sludgy areas and put in fresh clean sand.

I hear you. You can't always do it all -- like you can hardly run outside in the 110+ F heat yourself to fix the drainage or icky sludge. So you do what you can for now to keep them cool. I use the misters when the quail get overheated (nowhere near your temps!), and if they got nasty sludge, I'd fix it ASAP but not discontinue the cooling efforts. It's a risk either way, but sometimes we just get stuck.

If you have an ice machine, could you make them a little ice wading pool with ice cubes in a bin? I know ice from the store is such a rare commodity right now.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Highly recommend stopping feeding them bird seed.
It really is better for the chickens to get a balanced diet and that is exactly what the commercially made feeds are made for.... Being balanced and when you start feeding other things besides the balanced feed it takes away from them getting a balanced diet.

Like I mentioned above, the wild birdseed mix is only given occasionally. Their main diet is the pellet food.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

I couldn't agree more on this point, even made that point in another thread where someone was having problems with a bird and the bird's nutrition. I even stressed the importance of the balanced part of the diet.

As for the OP's issue with heat, some electrolytes in the water can help the birds in extreme heat too. Mix per the instructions on the label...

I’ll definitely check into adding electrolytes.