Lost Two Girls Today

[backyardchicks]

It sounds like it may have been the heat. Chickens cannot sweat and can overheat very easily. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Captain13]

Lost another this morning. I’ve cleaned everything and have started treating their water with Corid (amprollium). There was some bloody stool in the coop this morning so coccidiosis may be the culprit. Therés not a vet around here that treats chickens.

There was no evidence before this morning. The one I lost this morning got off the roost, walked into the run and just collapsed. I had picked them all up when I went in and they all seemed fine. The others are drinking water treated water, so if it is coccidiosis, maybe this will take care of it. I will know soon enough.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I’m so sorry. That has to feel terrible. It seems sudden for coccidiosis. I could be wrong but usually I hear they they waste away and then pass. They are older right? They should be pretty immune to coccidiosis strains.

How much blood was it? If it was an intestinal hemorrhage then I could see it being a sudden death….. sounds strange to me.

But do what you know and treat the bloody stool. Get a necropsy or do one yourself if you can.

 

[Captain13]

They are only 6 months old. Not much blood so I’m still concerned as to what is going on. However, I started the amprollium water this morning. If it’s not coccidiosis, this won’t hurt them. After eight hours, they have all been drinking and only one seems a little week but she is up and about this evening. If the weak one makes it through tonight, I believe she may recover. I’m not convinced it’s coccidiosis. I had some fellow chicken owners by today, and they are as bewildered as I am.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

I lost 2 in two weeks (yr old RIRs). SDS I'm suspecting because of the heat. Despite best efforts, it was too much I guess. I have water buckets all over the runs and outside yard, I put 4 GIANT ice blocks out around 2pm and those last until 7pm or so. They take turns standing on them and then wade in the water. Electrolytes all day with regular water too. Frozen water bottles in the electrolytes. Lots of deep shade. Still lost two. Could have been genetic. They aren't panting as long as I have all that going on. It's a full time job!!! When it's 106 for weeks on end with 112 heat index...it's no joke.

 

[Captain13]

I’m at my wits end on this one. I lost another one last night and had one that was not moving much this morning. I’ve been giving electrolytes as well. Heat index today is 108 here.

The one that was moving slowly and not really wanting to get up this morning I thought for sure was next to go. I mixed up some sugar water and used a syringe to give it to her. I didn’t force her beak open…I just put some drops on her beak. When the drops ran down her beak, she started to open up. Then she started opening her beak on her own and I slowly gave her the rest of the syringe a little at the time. I put her back in the coop and within an hour, she was out in the run scratching around and has been fine since then. Hopefully, she is going to make it.

 

[Tookie]

I'm so sorry you had more losses!

Imma tag some experts. @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @azygous

 

[fowltemptress]

What does your coop look like?

 

[azygous]

This is extremely sad and disturbing. I'd be losing sleep being totally depressed. I really, really sympathize.

My instinct tells me these chickens are trying and failing to cope with the heat, and I bet it's humid heat, too, right? What makes me think this is in your initial post you mentioned you found your chickens in a hollowed out depression. This is what all warm blooded animals do when trying to cope with very hot weather. But it does little good unless the hollowed out depression is cool so that excess body heat can be transferred to the cooler soil. I've watched little desert ground squirrels do this when it's 117F. They race around in the hot sun on 150F gravel and suddenly head for a shady spot under a tree and pancake flat for a minute or two, and they're off and running again.

Whether an animal is wearing a fur coat or a down jacket, the reality is that they are stuck wearing what they were issued and can't remove it when they get too hot. So these animals seem to instinctively understand the second law of thermodynamics - heat flows to cold, and if they can find some cold, they will be able to discharge the excess heat into the cooler material. Fans may help move the air around, but they don't do much to help discharge the body heat effectively.

When it gets very hot, I water down the sand in the entire run so my chickens can burrow down into it and discharge the heat buildup in their bodies. This is the quickest, most efficient method since most of the blood vessels in chickens' bodies are on the breast and wing pits. The beak, feet, and comb also release excess body heat, so I provide frequent dishes of ice cubes for them to play with which cools the beak and feet as they shove the ice around and drink the melt water. I haven't even bothered with electrolytes in the drinking water because these cooling down strategies are so effective.

If in spite of all your efforts a chicken become lethargic and overcome by the heat, cooling down the individual immediately is crucial. Take the collapsed bird indoors and place cold compresses under the wing pits and along the breast bone. Do not dunk the bird in a tub of ice cold water, though, as this sudden temperature change will kill them. Once the bird is revived, provide electrolyte water with extra sugar for them to drink. The chicken should respond immediately unless there is something else going on.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Can you post photos of your coop/run, water and feed stations?
Photos of pullets and their poop too if possible.

What do you feed, including treats?

I agree, it sounds like heat exposure. Giving the Corid won't hurt, especially since you saw bloody poop.
If you lose another one, can you examine her a bit more closely, make sure there's no injury to the vent just in case you have a critter that is distressing and injuring them.

Work on hydration and do your best to keep your fans and cooling methods going.

I'm hopeful the weather will break soon. While not quite as hot as you, the last few days have been brutal here with high humidity as well. I have adults which all seem to be handling it well, but you just never know.