Panting Chickens

[ChickNalabama]

I have already read a few blogs, but wanted to see if anyone could tell me something better or new. I also have read a previous post, but it was from 2008 so I'm looking for maybe a more updated view.

I live in Mobile, AL. It is getting warmer, but I feel that it has been warmer than it was today this spring. Today it got to about 78, and low humidity. (usually very high humidity)

I have 3 leg horns that are about 15 weeks old. (i have 9 chickens total) Not laying yet. I let them out daily and when I did today, I noticed one was bleeding on her wing. No apparent distress though. Feathers were missing, but none in the coop and no hostility between any of my girls. No signs that she could have scraped it against the coop either. This is not the one in question, yet.

Another of my leghorns was panting. i picked her up, and they usually don't let me pick them up. i placed her next to the water outside the coop in the cool grass. the others drank and went to the shade behind the coop. this one just lied and drank a few times while i pet her. again not their usual nature. I checked on them later and they were all under the tree. the RIR were wandering and my bantams were as well. she was still panting.

tonight, i went to close their coop door and check one more time. and now 2 are panting, and the other one is the bad wing girl. the original one let me kinda push her around. i couldn't get in a good position to pick her up, but she didn't get up. My last leghorn seems fine. talked to me out there any everything. The wing girl, tried to get away from me when i checked on her, so she seems fine in nature.

there doesn't seem to be any sort of occlusion of the airway. they still seem alert. they have fresh water and food. they have eaten today as far as i can tell. and like i said, i watched them drink water. They lay on the ground a lot, so i attributed this to their lack of feathers on their chest. I have not cleaned out the coop lately, so nothing is stirred up. I have put apple cider vinager in their water, but missed the last 2 refills. There isn't anything new going on either. I added the bantams to the mix last week, but i think they get more stressed than the older girls. their combs are still bright red, a little more droopy maybe, but not all the ridges.

Tomorrow I think i will try to get a water mister and a small kiddie pool to help if its too hot for them.

I am hoping that I wont loose one tonight. It is kind of a warm night compared to some nights here. Any advice will be helpful. thanks. I will be checking freqently to see if anyone posts a question so i can answer quickly.

Thanks!

 

[bowen012]

Is there any discharge from the beak/nostrils? How do her eyes look - swollen?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

They shouldn't be heat stressed with the temps you describe. If they are reacting to the heat they generally walk with their wings hanging away from their body as well. Do they have any other signs of illness? How is their poop? Other than the bloodied wing do their feathers seem clean and well kept?

 

[ChickNalabama]

Their eyes dont look swollen. It looked like there might be dirt on their beaks, but they sometimes wipe them on the ground. not sure if it could have gotten stuck in discharge.

Their tail feathers look dirty from laying in the dirt. I call them lazy girls because they lay all day, every day.

Their poop seems normal. Sometimes its dark and mud like, and other times its more solid. But its always looked like that. Nothing abnormal for them. I did notice with all 3 of them, their wings kinda hung down. When I touch them they pull them back up. They did seem warm, even their combs, but i read that their temp is 104-107. No other signs of illness or change of character that I can tell for now.

 

[realsis]

I live in a very warm area of California and today was around 90. my chickens started to pant also. my biggest one was really panting she has been panting a lot lately. I took some cool water and put it on her back. she was still panting so I got a bucket and made a med to cool bath for her. she is really good in the bath and liked it a lot. then I just towel dried her and brushed her. she is a silkie so I must brush her feathers out after a bath. well she finally stopped panting as she air dried this afternoon. but it makes me very concerned because my weather can actually get up to 105 and above but there run is under a big shade tree and that helps some. I really think a mister system will help cool your birds. I know the water really helped cool mine. I understand your concerns because mine are the same with my flock. I'd say just make sure she has shade and plenty of cool water. if she continues to pant I'd wet her down a bit.it really helped mine cool down. you can also give cool melon they really like that. hope this helps. I'm going though the same thing. my guess is she's just hot as long as she seems normal otherwise. her breathing is normal other than panting there is no discharge from nose eyes or vent. and she's eating normally. you can also offer electrolytes in her water to help her out.I'd just keep a close eye on her because you don't want her to over heat or get heat exhaustion. best wishes

 

[settingdusk]

Is the coop in the shade? If not try to put up a shade barrier. I bet its in the full sun and it collects heat during the day then radiates it at night. Also, do they have water inside the coop?

 

[ChickNalabama]

I checked on them about 30 mins ago. they are still panting but the suns been down for about 4 hours now. they all got up and moved when i walked up, so thats a better sign!
my coop is in the shade, but it does have a tin roof, so it probably is continuing to radiate heat. they have plenty of water, cool and clean. i might try some melon tmro. i have to go to the feed store tmro anyway, so if anyone can suggest anything to buy i would really appreciate it.
Thanks

 

[bowen012]

It's probably worth getting some electrolytes to add to their water. Tractor supply sells 'Duravet electrolytes & vitamin' mix that you mix with water. A lot use pedialyte or gatorade mixed with water. Gatorade has sugar, but in emergencies that can be a benefit as it seems to take effect faster than other sources without.

 

[PoultryPedia]

I'm too tired right now to think straight, but don't chickens also pant when they are in pain? Do you think they could be dealing with an illness??

 

[settingdusk]

How much coop ventilation do you have?