Seven dead hens within 4 hours, not attacked. UPDATE: Teflon Poisoning!

[aart]

I couldn't get under their wings, they freak me out when they get restless.

Vent is the main place to look...
...you and they will get more relaxed and confident at handling with some practice.
It is hard to stay calm when they are struggling and flapping.
Always keeping their wings restrained, except when checking under them, helps a lot.

 

[bruceha2000]

Often they will calm if you clamp their wings down and hold them horizontally with their backs down. Good position to check the vent too.

 

[aart]

Often they will calm if you clamp their wings down and hold them horizontally with their backs down. Good position to check the vent too.

Yeppers, I hold them on my lap, so glad I have room in coop shed for an armless chair. I wear an apron that acts like a sling/hammock between my thighs, birds head is towards my knees and sometimes drape a small dish towel over their heads to calm them further.

 

[Ese_N_Gracie]

You haven't added a new heat bulb have you? I've heard of some having nonstick coatings, elements in nonstick coatings are quickly deadly to birds.

I was totally shocked to hear thAt they make non-stick lightbulbs UUGGHH!! PFTE is a terrible killer. I went and bought the "Safe" pocelainpnon-stick pans when a guy renting a room from me lost it when I said no-nonstick pans....and I even smell something coming off them. SO I don't allow any of them....if it is killing birds (who absorb up to %95 of what they inhale) and we think it's safe for us (humans absord %25-35) We are just lying to ourselves!

 

[Ese_N_Gracie]

Are you talking about teflon coated? We did actually add one just today because the other bulb broke. How does that happen?

get it out of there! I'm sure you already have but once it's in their system you can't even give them CPR because of the air sac biology of their lungs. (This is why they used canaries in coalmines....they would ie first and they knew they had to get out. Methane in this case usually but same principle). I've known of people losing their entire flock of parrots using a teflon pan inside with the birds as well as people losing their raptors....it's very unpredicatble. There are some great lists out there to protect them from accidental poisoning

 

[Ese_N_Gracie]

I just googled it too. We didn't know and I'm so sorry to our girls. My husband is devastated right now- blaming himself. But we just had no idea.

It's an awful mistake...But you aren't alone. I've had three hens die from overheating (we suddenly had a twmp change from 60 a day to 110) and I couldn't get home to spray them down.

Just look at how many people learned from your mistake.... so more birds will be saved in the future.

 

[Chickadooo]

How do you know if the bulb is coated in teflon?

 

[aart]

How do you know if the bulb is coated in teflon?

It should be on the package somewhere...but you might have to look closely tho.
There are several pics of such packages in this thread, I think one is near the beginning, the first 10 pages or so.

 

[BYC910]

How do you know if the bulb is coated in teflon?

It should be on the package somewhere...but you might have to look closely tho.
There are several pics of such packages in this thread, I think one is near the beginning, the first 10 pages or so.

Right it should be on the package but it might just say safety coated .And not say what it's coated with . Safest thing to do is only buy from suppliers that you know and trust .If it says shatter resistant then it most likely is coated and should not be used for people or animals . In doing a little research I've found there are several different types of coated bulbs . Surprisingly enough they are used in food warmers . Think about it the next time your filling your plate, at a buffet table at the all you can eat restaurant. Or getting something at the convenience store . Don't worry it won't stop me .

 

[Scorpy89]

could cooking an egg in something coated in Teflon and then feed it to your birds for protein be deadly? say like, boil or scramble them?