My dad almost killed my chicken! Overheated? what to do?

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Ok when I got home tonight I seen the red heat lamp on in the small coop...this coop is about 4X8 and it's a shorter coop only about 5 feet tall in the tallest part of it. Well I have it in two sections and I have a heat lamp hooked to both sides so I can pick and choose who needs heat more etc... Well I stopped by the coop to turn it off and I noticed BOTH of them were on. I opened the door to a heat wave big time! The vents were also almost closed! UGH! One of my birds is panting and laying on the ground...not doing well. IS there anything I should do for her right away? I gave her cold water and she did drink a bunch but only if I brought it to her...she did not get up to get it.

My dad is 83 and thinks everything and everybody loves it to be 120 degrees! I gave him a simple job of closing the coop and even though I had BOTH lights off he turned them both on. Oh I'm so mad at him! I'm glad he's sleeping or I would be yelling at him. I know he thinks he's doing well but UGH! Ok so what to do??? Any Ideas? I have her on my lap now and petting her and she is still not moving and still panting.

 

[tamelroy]

Stand her in cool water - just up to her knees. Not cold - just cool. Heat stress is a form of shock, so sudden dunking isn't a good idea. You need to gradually get her body temperature down.

FYI the symptoms of heat stress that you might be seeing are:
gasping, panting, wings outstretched
Stupor, staggers and convulsions
Slowness and lethargy
Light body weight, poor colouring, rough skin

Depending on her state, electrolytes might be helpful. I would give her a chance to cool a bit, then in a while trickle a few drops of water with electrolytes in it into her beak (not down her throat). Then leave her in peace and quiet to recover.

You can use commercially made products, gastrolyte, gatorade, or even homemade. I would use the electrolytes only for 24 hours.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Thank you thank you! I'm crying my eyes out for this poor baby. She is very slow and her wings are outstreched. I'm getting her in cool water now. I will give her a few min in the sink and then try the electrolytes too. Can't hurt! I should have thought of that but I'm freaking I"m going to lose her.

 

[tamelroy]

your welcome and I hope she pulls through!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

She is still lethargic...I have my son holding her in the water...she wants to lay in it but were holding her up so just her feet and legs are in it. She is starting to pant less but still panting. It's been 1/2 hour since I found her like this. Poor thing was as far away from the heat light as possible...what torture for her

She is drinking the cool water now too. Giving her electrolytes now. Seems like her legs are jello...I hope this improves!

 

[tamelroy]

After she doesn't seem too over heated just give her some where dark, warm, and comfy to sleep, don't forget this is a shock to her, they most likely need some time to recover.

Let me know what happens

 

[KKatknap]

I can't add anything to Tamelroy's advice - hoping she continues to improve for you!!!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Gosh, hoping the best for your poor girl! I really hope she improves and feels better as soon as possible. How scary... Keep us updated!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We took her out of the water and dried her off...she seems to be MUCH MUCH cooler to the touch then she had been that's for sure. I think I found her just in the nick of time! I walked her back out to her coop by her coop mate who did totally fine through the heat craze?? Giving them both electrolytes through the night. The other hen did drink a lot when I put the cooler water in their waterer rather then the hot stuff! I gave her some grapes and she snatched those right up and ate them. She is now starting to stand but wobbly. When I put her down she was panting very slowly and laid on the ground. She does look a lot better. Coop is cool now for her... I will go out to check on her an a 1/2 hour to see how she is doing.

Thanks for your help! I will let you know how she does

WHEW, I am calming down a bit now. My dad is in DEEP doo doo tomorrow!

 

[tamelroy]

I don't want to scare you, I could be getting confused with dogs, but are grapes safe for chickens? I thought they were toxic, but again it could be dogs, it is late and I can't sleep even though I am tired. lol