Please help. Possible heat stroke, or sick?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

It's been pretty hot here. Nothing intense like I see some people post about, but high 80s with lots of humidity and very little breeze. Our coop/run is shaded and we offer plenty of fresh water and frozen treats, and will mist down the run at peak hours. Thus far they've been fine, albeit with some panting here and there.

Today, however, at the peak of the afternoon heat, we noticed that our 16-week-old ISA brown pullet was hiding at the back of the coop panting pretty dramatically. She did not run to greet us like the rest, even when treats were offered--this is very unlike her. Just a few hours before she was acting fine, eating and drinking and scratching around. We were thinking she could have been suffering from heat stroke.

We were able to mist her down with the hose and even partially submerged her in some water. That seemed to stop the panting. However she has still been acting listless, disinterested, and has just been standing very still, sometimes falling asleep in place. We now have her inside where it is about 74 degrees F. It's been about an hour.

She is still not herself and shows little to no interest in food or water. Here are my questions:

• Do you think this is heat stroke, even though she's not panting or showing other signs?
• Does it take a while from them to recover? Or, could she be ill? (Her comb and wattles are very red, but I know that can only capture so much).
• Is it possible that she's egg bound at only 16 weeks?

Anything else we can do? Their regular water has electrolytes this week due to the heat, but we can't get her to drink since we've noticed her ill.

Here is "Buffy" currently:

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

***UPDATE*** She now passed this yellow-green water poop. I'm worried if she has cocci I need to get her off Rooster Booster and start her on Corid. Any suggestions? Crop is soft, so she doesn't have much in her.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My birds often pass watery poop when it's hot because they drink more water than normal. I not sure that's coccidiosis poop, but you can treat her with Corid if she's still acting really unwell. Maybe feeding her some egg yolk would help, too.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Thank you for responding. We will try scrambled egg yolk and hopefully she'll eat that. If not, should we syringe her food?

I hesitate to treat her and the whole flock with Corid if I'm not more sure, but I also know time is of the essence with that sort of thing. I feel so sorry for her!

My birds often pass watery poop when it's hot because they drink more water than normal. I not sure that's coccidiosis poop, but you can treat her with Corid if she's still acting really unwell. Maybe feeding her some egg yolk would help, too.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thank you for responding. We will try scrambled egg yolk and hopefully she'll eat that. If not, should we syringe her food?

I hesitate to treat her and the whole flock with Corid if I'm not more sure, but I also know time is of the essence with that sort of thing. I feel so sorry for her!

It won't hurt to treat with Corid. Syringe feeding is difficult imo because there is a danger of aspiration. Hydration is more urgent I think. Is she not eating or drinking at all?

Honestly, she looks pretty good. Her comb is nice and red and she looks pretty alert. Is her poop still bad? I'm wondering if a little TLC and cooler temps might not help. Unless she's taken a turn for the worse, you might be able to take the "wait and see" approach.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

It won't hurt to treat with Corid. Syringe feeding is difficult imo because there is a danger of aspiration. Hydration is more urgent I think. Is she not eating or drinking at all?

Honestly, she looks pretty good. Her comb is nice and red and she looks pretty alert. Is her poop still bad? I'm wondering if a little TLC and cooler temps might not help. Unless she's taken a turn for the worse, you might be able to take the "wait and see" approach.

She hasn't been eating or drinking since we noticed she was "off" and brought her in. Hours earlier she was acting normal and had eaten her treats. She took one small beak full of plain greek yogurt and half-heartedly attempted a few blueberry slices but gave up. We syringed her water.

I talked to a poultry vet and he said at her age cocci is unlikely (though there is a large list of possibilities, including the dreaded Marek's ). I'm about to try scrambled eggs now. Fingers crossed.

And, thanks again for your insight--I'm new to this and it means a lot!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

***UPDATE 2*** She's now lying down napping but I've noticed her mouth is open again. It's cool in here so I'm worried it no longer has to do with the heat.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Panting can be stress related. Do you know when she last laid an egg?

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Panting can be stress related. Do you know when she last laid an egg?

She is only 16 weeks old so she has not yet laid an egg. Looking online I also see E. coli as a possibility (but it seems very difficult to treat). I know the possibilities are endless, though. That's what's so frustrating.

Do you know of any broad spectrum antibiotics that might be helpful?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am so sorry. The chickies are susceptible to so many ickies. I'd be more hesitant to use antibiotics than Corid without knowing the problem, tbh. This must be so frustrating, and I wish I had answers.

There are other things you might want to rule out. Does her breath smell bad? Is her crop squishy, hard, empty? Might she have worms? Do you see nasal discharge?

If her poop still looks bad, I'd be tempted to just use the Corid because it won't hurt anything.