One chicken dead another might be next. Help, please

[breesesix]

Good morning,

I went into the coop this morning to let my girls out and my 24 week old barred rock was on the floor, barely breathing with her eyes shut.

When I got her out of the coop area and laid her down, she twitched for awhile and then died. Her nose (mouth area?) secreted a clear substance. There were no visible signs on her body, no blood. She was very listless.

I have a buff orpington (same age) that was just sitting in the run this morning and not going after the treats I was spreading around.
I have removed her and she is in a cage in the house.

I had not noticed anything out of the ordinary yesterday or last night when I put them in their coop for the night.

They were part of my backyard flock of 13. I got them all the same day from the feed store. From what I could tell, all their poop looked normal (nothing that stood out to me, anyway).

I live in DFW part of Texas and we are having some really hot weather. Could the heat be the problem?

I really appreciate any advice or help that anyone could give me.

THanks,

karen

 

[Judy]

They can definitely die from heat; usually a number of people lose chickens to heat every summer. Shade and breeze, along with plenty of water, of course, are necessities. I have read that over 100 degrees F. is deadly to chickens. If they are panting with mouths open and holding their wings a little away from their body, they are too hot. In a pich, I have occasinally dunked a hen into a bucket of water and let her air dry. If they will walk in a wading poos with a few inches of water in it, that will help. Some people set up misters -- if you can get the chickens to go under them. I also wet down and very hot, dry dirt they are walking on a lot.

 

[ten chicks]

Good morning,

I went into the coop this morning to let my girls out and my 24 week old barred rock was on the floor, barely breathing with her eyes shut.

When I got her out of the coop area and laid her down, she twitched for awhile and then died. Her nose (mouth area?) secreted a clear substance. There were no visible signs on her body, no blood. She was very listless.

I have a buff orpington (same age) that was just sitting in the run this morning and not going after the treats I was spreading around.
I have removed her and she is in a cage in the house.

I had not noticed anything out of the ordinary yesterday or last night when I put them in their coop for the night.

They were part of my backyard flock of 13. I got them all the same day from the feed store. From what I could tell, all their poop looked normal (nothing that stood out to me, anyway).

I live in DFW part of Texas and we are having some really hot weather. Could the heat be the problem?

I really appreciate any advice or help that anyone could give me.

THanks,

karen

Yes,heat can kill chickens. Chickens cannot tolerate the heat,they have no sweat glands they rely on their respiratory system to cool themselves down that is why they pant,spread,wings etc. For your girl that is not feeling well,bring her inside and cool her down ASAP. If you ever see chickens showing signs of heat stroke/stress, ie: hard panting,lethargic, immediately submerge them into a pail of COOL water(never use COLD,this will shock them)up to necks,this will immediately drop their body temp and probably save their life.

Look on forum for ideas on how to keep your girls cool. Some are frozen water bottles/milk jugs in coops/nest boxes,fans,small childs pool(with enough water to get feet wet)hose coops down couple of times a day to cool everything off,frozen watermelon/other fruit.

 

[breesesix]

UPDATE:


well, i lost the second chicken yesterday morning. so that is two in two days. i noticed another of my buffs just sitting there and i took her in the house. she is not doing well, either.

she is not eating, drinking. i have been tube feeding her. she is in her cage with her head down and eyes closed. she tries to pick up her head and stretch her neck with her mouth open and then gives up and puts her head down again. her vent is moist, but her feathers around her vent a streaked with greenish white stuff that stinks to high heaven. i tried to soak her and gently wash it off of her, but it's back there again.

from what i have read, the symptoms sound like cocci. every symptom but the blood in the poop. i have started her and the rest of my hens on corid.

as of tonight, they will have been on the medicine for a little over 24 hours. the others seem fine, but my buff seems to be doing worse.

tonight i did notice my RIR hen's poop looked like water. antibiotic maybe?

any ideas, comments or suggestions? i feel so bad for these girls. i just want them to get better.

thank you for any help you can give me. no chicken vets around here.

god bless

karen

 

[breesesix]

thank you, judy, for your reply.

karen

and thank you, ten chicks.