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Rosieschickens

Rosieschickens

Chirping
Jul 18, 2023
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Hi I am new to chicken life, and i love it. I have had them since they were chicks born in mid February 2023. I got them for my daughter who is obsessed with chickens but they have become part of my own now. I started with 6. Nursed one to health while it was a baby chick. Lost one to heat exhaustion. List my second beloved Jumpy to my dog. She jumped out of her coop unfortunately. Now i have 4. But one seems sick. I don’t want to lose her. She is a Road Island Red. Her feet snd comb are pale and look super dry. How can i tell if its dehydration versus parasites? Please help.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

Is it over 100 degrees during the day? She may be developing heat stroke. Keep your birds hydrated with ice in their water, offer up some watermelon during the hottest part of the day, keep fans running in the coop and run, and if any of them look exhausted, bring them inside to the AC for a couple of hours to cool off.
 
Welcome to BYC. If it is dehydration the inside of her mouth will be pale too. It won't hurt to give the entire flock electrolytes 3 or 4 times a week. Just make sure they have clean, fresh water as well.
You can usually find a veterinarian who will do a float test on their poop. You won't have to take the chicken in, just a poop sample. They will be able to tell you if it is coccidiosis or a worm infestation.
Also check her over, especially around the vent, for signs of lice or mites.
 
Welcome. Agree with @TwoCrows. Shade and cool water is number 1. Electrolytes in the water helps greatly. Your chickens will open their mouths to cool off, but if panting becomes rapid, then they are in heat distress. Here in the southeast, heat index is a problem. Today, our temperature will be 96, but our heat index 105. During the three hours it is that high, my chickens will be in air conditioning.
 

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