Spot on head/hot/digestive issue?

[marilyngurl22]

Hey! I have a BO, and by far my largest one, who is struggling big time with the heat here right now. She is panting like crazy (other ones are too but she actually looks like she's struggling where the others just look hot). She's also doing something odd with her mouth. It's like when they open and appear to swallow air after they eat but she's doing it continuously during intervals of what seems like upset of some sort. She's also shaking her head often when she does it. AND I noticed a spot behind her comb where hair is missing. See picture. She is walking and active otherwise. Even pecked a lowered ranked chicken away from the watermelon. But she looks like she is miserable. 92 degrees right now (feels like temp of 99) and high humidity. I'm doing everything I know to for heat. Sand (which they won't go near! Just layed it down yesterday), electrolytes, just turned on the mister (I've heard mixed things about midterms with high humidity...?), coop in in shade and has fan and three open windows, frozen treats, ice water, frozen water bottles. The works. I lost one earlier this week due to what I assume was heat stroke. So I'm really worried about her. Thoughts on any of the above???

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hey! I have a BO, and by far my largest one, who is struggling big time with the heat here right now. She is panting like crazy (other ones are too but she actually looks like she's struggling where the others just look hot). She's also doing something odd with her mouth. It's like when they open and appear to swallow air after they eat but she's doing it continuously during intervals of what seems like upset of some sort. She's also shaking her head often when she does it. AND I noticed a spot behind her comb where hair is missing. See picture. She is walking and active otherwise. Even pecked a lowered ranked chicken away from the watermelon. But she looks like she is miserable. 92 degrees right now (feels like temp of 99) and high humidity. I'm doing everything I know to for heat. Sand (which they won't go near! Just layed it down yesterday), electrolytes, just turned on the mister (I've heard mixed things about midterms with high humidity...?), coop in in shade and has fan and three open windows, frozen treats, ice water, frozen water bottles. The works. I lost one earlier this week due to what I assume was heat stroke. So I'm really worried about her. Thoughts on any of the above???

It does sound like she is stressed. Can you move her to a cooler area and dip her legs/feet in cool water. While you have her, look inside her beak to make sure she doesn't have anything obstructing her throat.

If they are avoiding the sand, that and the heat most likely is very stressful for her. Where did you put the sand, is it somewhere they would normally go to avoid heat, like in their shady area?

Keep trying to push fluids and get her to a cooler, calmer place for a little while to see if that helps.

The missing feathers look like they could possibly be plucked by another bird, you may want to observe if anyone is being aggressive toward her, if you have a rooster, then he may be the culprit, they can sometimes pull the neck/head feathers during mating.

Keep us posted on her progress.