Overheated Cockerel! Advice, please?

MROO

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6 Years
Feb 26, 2018
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Hello All,
I'm just past the emergency part of an overheated 3-month old Nankin Bantam cockerel in serious heat distress and could use some advice about getting him back outside.

We've got pre-Fair testing this weekend, so I've got some of our youngsters kenneled on the front porch for easy access. I happened to glance out the front window to see Pippin laying on his side with his wing stretched out, panting heavily. The cover on his end of the porch had shifted and he was in full sun (the rest are fine, all shaded and lounging comfortably.)

I brought him inside and ran cool water over his legs to cool him off, quickly. I then filled the bathroom sink with an inch+ of cool water and had him stand in it until the panting stopped and he took a good drink. I then set him on my shoulder so I could watch him closely ... and the panting started again. I took him right back to the sink for another ten minutes. He is now locked in a tiny bathroom, contentedly munching on a piece of cold french fry.

How long should he stay inside before he can go back on the porch? The shade has been repaired and his (large) kennel is now on the floor, right up against the house. Will it hurt him to stay in the air conditioning until nightfall, when it cools off considerably?
 
I think that would be a good idea. If you have some thing like watermelon I'd give him that instead of a french fry, get more fluids in him. Some electrolites wouldn't hurt either. Make sure his droppings are looking pretty normal.
If you ever have it happen again, a whole body dunk is better to get them cooled off quickly, use cool water, not cold or freezing. When it's really hot out some will keep a bucket filled for just such a reason, a quick dunk if necessary is nearby and ready. Getting cool water under the wings and over the comb and wattles can help. I've had older hens that I kept in the A/C until it cooled off outside, so when they go back out they don't immediately go into stress from the heat again.
https://chickenscratchny.com/dealing-with-heat-stroke-in-chickens/
 
I think that would be a good idea. If you have some thing like watermelon I'd give him that instead of a french fry, get more fluids in him. Some electrolites wouldn't hurt either. Make sure his droppings are looking pretty normal.
If you ever have it happen again, a whole body dunk is better to get them cooled off quickly, use cool water, not cold or freezing. When it's really hot out some will keep a bucket filled for just such a reason, a quick dunk if necessary is nearby and ready. Getting cool water under the wings and over the comb and wattles can help. I've had older hens that I kept in the A/C until it cooled off outside, so when they go back out they don't immediately go into stress from the heat again.
https://chickenscratchny.com/dealing-with-heat-stroke-in-chickens/
Sounds like my instincts were good (except for the french fry!) The first thing I gave him was a crushed blueberry, which he practically inhaled. He stole the french fry right out of my hand while he was on my shoulder. I just let him have it.
When I ran the cool water over his feet, I let it run over his back and head, as well. I also kept the cool water running over him while he stood in the sink, aiming for under his wing. His comb is back to normal, now, and the sun is going down, so he'll go back outside as soon as he finishes his dinner ... crumbles with more blueberries.
Thanks for responding - and I like the idea of keeping a bucket of water handy. It's hovering around 100 F here, this week, so I'm putting one on the front porch and one right inside the back door (close to the main coop,) where it'll stay cool. With this heat, everybody's getting electrolytes for the next few days ... including the humans!
Again, Thanks!
 
When doing electrolites it's a good idea to give them that in water for about 4-6 hours and then switch to plain, fresh water for the rest of the day.
Pip got NutriDrench today, but the rest will just get powdered Pedialyte in their water. tomorrow. We clean and refill every other day, so it'll be fresh on Sunday. It should be exactly the right timing, as that's when the current heat wave is supposed to storm out of here. Ya gotta love summer, right?
Oh - and cold watermelon all around for tomorrow's treat!
 
Heads up, I have read that heat exposure has a cumulative effect, do please make sure he doesn’t gst too hot tomorrow.
You are absolutely right about cumulative effects ... it's like sunburn. Once you've had one bad one, you're prone. Pippin is good to go, now. I fixed the shade screen and moved his kennel up against the house, away from the edge of the porch. After the AI/Pullorum test on Sunday, his kennel will get moved into my main coop, where he will do the see-no-touch routine until he can be integrated into the main flock.
Thanks for the warning!
 

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