Lost 2 today.....

[Melanie9565]

So sorry! That's horrible heat!!! You did what you could, but that was just too much for them.
Yes, you can integrate new birds with your two adults,, gradually, with plenty of space. Consider getting birds who can handle heat better, rather than those cute big fluffy ones. And Speckled Sussex hens are super friendly, in my experience too. Check out Henderson's breed chart for ideas.
Your hens might have had health issues that weren't obvious that contributed to this; two years of age isn't old, but some hens already have problems by then.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Mary

I will check out the speckled Sussex. I just read up on them. I’m just not sure how to get one.

 

[Trux]

Sorry for your loss, I am right here in the same area as you. Been misting the girls all day. I also have a Roo and 7 4 week olds. All were stressing from the heat but we managed so far. Calling for 109 tomorrow and it is supposed to go down from there. Wish you the best in the coming days.

 

[Melanie9565]

So sorry! That's horrible heat!!! You did what you could, but that was just too much for them.
Yes, you can integrate new birds with your two adults,, gradually, with plenty of space. Consider getting birds who can handle heat better, rather than those cute big fluffy ones. And Speckled Sussex hens are super friendly, in my experience too. Check out Henderson's breed chart for ideas.
Your hens might have had health issues that weren't obvious that contributed to this; two years of age isn't old, but some hens already have problems by then.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Mary

A photo of your setup would be a good thing to post. Make it a wide angle shot please.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. It's very difficult to loose your friends like that. Heat is much worse for the chickens than cold, you did all you could so don't feel bad about it. You can get more chicks and I have found the best and easiest way to integrate them is to free range them together. I did that with my "old girls" and my new chicks this spring. They can get away from each other if there is pecking and no one gets hurt. I just let them free range together and at the end of the day I found they were suddenly all together in one coop! Not immediately, but pretty fast, about a week. Good luck to you!

I 100% agree. Free ranging makes integrating easiest. I have 3 boss hens that are OLD. They accept all roosters and are submissive because they have had a rooster.. If I put them in with hens they literally are out for blood. I have had to pull my chickens off each other and like a bad 'cat fight' they literally are ripping out feathers of the younger birds. My birds are cooped right now due to a fox issue. When my older birds free ranged with new birds they had a few moments of chasing, but that was it. In a coop there is less room to run and the older birds are just the BOSS of the barn. I never had issues with me or kids or dogs with them.. just new birds while they are cooped, free range they are fine.
I think it greatly depends on the bird! I have other birds that are very meek and mild.. Not like my older birds who are confrontational lol.
Good Luck!

 

[Melanie9565]

Sorry for your loss, I am right here in the same area as you. Been misting the girls all day. I also have a Roo and 7 4 week olds. All were stressing from the heat but we managed so far. Calling for 109 tomorrow and it is supposed to go down from there. Wish you the best in the coming days.

 

[Melanie9565]

We are in the San Gabriel valley. Is that close to you? At one point, my car temperature read 120°.
I feel I let my girls down!

 

[Folly's place]

And I'm miserable at 95F! All the best to you folks out there in the inferno.
Mary

 

[Mimi13]

So sorry! That's horrible heat!!! You did what you could, but that was just too much for them.
Yes, you can integrate new birds with your two adults,, gradually, with plenty of space. Consider getting birds who can handle heat better, rather than those cute big fluffy ones. And Speckled Sussex hens are super friendly, in my experience too. Check out Henderson's breed chart for ideas.
Your hens might have had health issues that weren't obvious that contributed to this; two years of age isn't old, but some hens already have problems by then.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Mary

Oh, I agree 100%. I have two, 2 yo BO hens. One is a sweetheart and the other one, uh, not so much. This past spring I got a Speckled Sussex and she takes the sweetness prize, by far. I will always have SS in my flock from now on. Great choice!

 

[Trux]

We are in the San Gabriel valley. Is that close to you? At one point, my car temperature read 120°.
I feel I let my girls down!

Inland Valley, Lake Elsinore area. You did the best you could do, infact from what I read you did more than I did. I just went out and misted them every hour or so, plus I got fans in the coop and on my Roo and chicks. I did ice the chicks water a couple times too. My Maters and peppers didn't fare so well either even with the shade cloth over them.

 

[Melanie9565]

Oh, I agree 100%. I have two, 2 yo BO hens. One is a sweetheart and the other one, uh, not so much. This past spring I got a Speckled Sussex and she takes the sweetness prize, by far. I will always have SS in my flock from now on. Great choice!

How did you integrate?