overheating meat birds??? :-(

[Kdmorrill12]

I see in your profile it says Northern New Hampshire. How have you had temps that high? Unless your now located some place else. You should really pay attention to your location when you pick the times to raise your meat birds. Keeping the air moving is about all you can do. A/C would work

Yes I am in northern NH we have had Temps of 88 and above everyday this week it was 96 yesterday. I always do meat birds this time of the year and they are fine

 

[RoosterML]

Yes I am in northern NH we have had Temps of 88 and above everyday this week it was 96 yesterday. I always do meat birds this time of the year and they are fine

Wow I wouldn’t expect you the have temps that much higher than me being so close.
I agree this would be your prime time to raise meat birds.

 

[keesmom]

Yes I am in northern NH we have had Temps of 88 and above everyday this week it was 96 yesterday. I always do meat birds this time of the year and they are fine

Just get them through the next 48-72 hours and then the temperatures will be more reasonable.

I bumped up the processing date on mine by a week, and had them done last weekend. I didn't want to take a chance on losing some to the heat and humidity.

 

[Torinik]

I spray mine with a garden hose mid-summer when it gets really hot and I see them suffering. Mind you though, mine are not CX, they're a hybrid meat chicken / hybrid layer cross, they are very hardy. So be careful they don't go into shock from the rapid cooling, yours are young also, use common sense. Also, they panic at first so pay attention to the spot they're in and make sure they don't hurt themselves. When they're all wet and ask for more, you're on the right track. I use groundwater, which even mid-summer is still quite cold, your water may be a lot warmer, use sound judgement when cooling them. It's better to cool them a few times during the day then to over-cool them in one go, don't make them go into hypothermia is what I'm saying.
Make sure they can get out of the draft when they're all wet.

 

[Kdmorrill12]

Ok..... hes still struggling. I've done everything he just won't get up or move. Im starting to wondering if there is something else going on besides heat. I have him in his own space now with a fan fresh water and plenty of food. He's eating and drinking perfectly fine but won't walk.... any suggestions??

 

[sfchixn]

Ok..... hes still struggling. I've done everything he just won't get up or move. Im starting to wondering if there is something else going on besides heat. I have him in his own space now with a fan fresh water and plenty of food. He's eating and drinking perfectly fine but won't walk.... any suggestions??

Is it typical meat bird failure? Oftentimes the CX grow so fast that their bodies fail to support them. Is he larger than the rest? I would withhold feed to see how he does. Give plenty of water. I have had chicks develop Ascites (water belly) and it is fairly common with CX. You can prolong their life by limiting stress (like heat) and reducing feed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-with-enlarged-stomach.988681/#post-15368757

 

[Folly's place]

If it's primarily heat stroke, that's going to have him weak for a while just by itself. He could have joint problems and/or heart failure, neither good. Keep that water in front of him, comfortable bedding, and limit food either to 10 hours/ day, or limited meals.
Mary

 

[sfchixn]

@Kdmorrill12 Now, I'm curious what you are feeding your chicks. Not saying that you are doing anything wrong -- we are all learning. I learned the hard way with my first large batch of CX where we lost 25 out of 100 within the first few weeks. Then slowly lost one here and there until processing day we were left with 63.

That first batch was fed full broiler rations (21%) from day 1 chick to slaughter. Why? Because that's what the feed store told me to do!!

Since then, I have learned.

I feed chick starter until week 3. 24 hours a day all they can eat.

At week 3, they move out to pasture and convert to 16% all purpose feed with 12 hour on, 12 hours off feed.

I also supplement the all-purpose feed with fermented oats and barley. I buy whole grain oats and whole barley in 50-lb sacks at the feed store. Ferment 2 scoops each in a bucket for 2-3 days. On the day before I feed, I add 2 scoops of all-purpose feed to the ferment. I feed this out for the next 2-3 days. I have 2 buckets going. Some days I run out of fermented feed and just feed them the plain all-purpose.

Much better results. We process our current batch tomorrow morning and I just gave them their last feeding this morning.

 

[Folly's place]

Limiting feed to 12 hours/ day is definitely best, because limiting their explosive growth rates helps minimize disasters with them. That heat wave, by itself, is disaster enough!
Mary

 

[Kdmorrill12]

@Kdmorrill12 Now, I'm curious what you are feeding your chicks. Not saying that you are doing anything wrong -- we are all learning. I learned the hard way with my first large batch of CX where we lost 25 out of 100 within the first few weeks. Then slowly lost one here and there until processing day we were left with 63.

That first batch was fed full broiler rations (21%) from day 1 chick to slaughter. Why? Because that's what the feed store told me to do!!

Since then, I have learned.

I feed chick starter until week 3. 24 hours a day all they can eat.

At week 3, they move out to pasture and convert to 16% all purpose feed with 12 hour on, 12 hours off feed.

I also supplement the all-purpose feed with fermented oats and barley. I buy whole grain oats and whole barley in 50-lb sacks at the feed store. Ferment 2 scoops each in a bucket for 2-3 days. On the day before I feed, I add 2 scoops of all-purpose feed to the ferment. I feed this out for the next 2-3 days. I have 2 buckets going. Some days I run out of fermented feed and just feed them the plain all-purpose.

Much better results. We process our current batch tomorrow morning and I just gave them their last feeding this morning.

I feed chick starter for the first 3 weeks then on a all flock feed which is 16% after that have a large run i feed veggies and grass here and there. i have never fed broiler feed. They have feed 24 hrs a day i may need to limit them after 3 weeks. They are very i guess you would say dumb and just eat so much. I feel bad! I've raised meat birds for many years and usually only will loss one or two a year as young chicks a few years i have never lost any. Ill try anything at this point to keep these guys comfortable till harvest day.