Welsummer just died. Fine 5 hrs ago.

Sounds like the heat to me, also with the clear watery poo thats a sign of dehydration and with her drinking so much, I'd say she just got too hot. Sorry for your loss

 

Sounds like she had a heat stroke, drunk walk is bad sign. When she started "She made a horrible noise and started flapping around...wings, body & all", she was already gone. Most likely her heart gave out from the heat stroke. Her nerves were still firing which causes the flopping around, but she was already gone.

Sorry
Matt

 

I went out to our run and found my POlish chick hunkered down with some sort of head tic going on. It was HOT - 90+ degrees, and she was having issues finding the food and water anyway b/c of her crest. I immediately brought her inside and force fed her electrolyte water and kept her inside overnight. She has recovered, but I think if I had left her much longer, she would have been gone. Some birds aren't well equipped to deal with heat - individuals, not just breeds. I agree, it sounds like yours just reached a point where she could not recover. YOu tried your hardest ...

 

Quote:sounds like your doin all you can, just make sure you keep them fresh cold water.

 

My Wellies are heat tolerant as long they have access to water. If it was questionable of how much they would drink, to be safe, i would have put some diluted Gatorade or Pedialite in their water to boost their hydration levels.

Some birds just dont know when to drink, they would just sit around and tough it out, not listening to their body wanting water.

Not your fault but at least she didn't suffer much at the end. You did your best!

 

There are lots of tips for hot chickens, I think one is on the front page right now.

I have noticed that my wellsummers will be panting after the others have stopped. They do not seem to handle the heat as well as the others. Search for hot chicken tips, there are some really good ideas, shallow pans of water they can stand in, Frozen milk jugs of water around, frozen watermelon for treats, fans, shade and mist. Freeze their brooder water and put it out in the am. That is one I haven't tried and I think it is a good idea.

I'm so sorry for your loss. That must have been so awful, especially with your daughter's chicken. Take care, all of us chicken lovers are thinking of you.


ETA, Just wondering if there was anything the OP could have done once she brought the chicken inside besides what she did do? It is really heating up all over the country now. Once a chicken has heat stroke is there ANY way to bring it out of it???

 

First let me say that I am very very sorry you lost your girl. It sounds like a heat stroke...the poo indicates dehydration. Short of finding her sooner, you did everything you could.

Some extra things you can do in this heat to help....

Add a fan...it may not cool it down drastically but it will create air flow which does help.

Fill gallon jugs or 2 Litre soda bottles with water and freeze them....then when frozen, put them in the coop or run in the shade...the girls will sit near them and soak up the cool air from them. You can put a couple in a tote and lay the tote on its side and point them fan at them...it will create a little air conditioner for them.

Add a small amount of electrolytes to their water in the intense heat

Offer cold watermelon and fruit as treats

Put a water mister line around the run so they have a nice mist of cool water to walk through and cool off in

Shallow pans of cold water for them to stand in


I actually use the mister nozzle on my garden hose and hose down my ducks and chickens when it is ubber hot and humid outside....they have a pool with water, and 6 various water containers around the yard plus their 3 waterers inside the coop... I also hose off the back patio which is shaded by the deck, and they love to sit down on the cool water and concrete.

The heat and temps above 80 are a major problem for the LF so give them as many extras as you can and watch them closely when you are home. Good luck with them and I am so sorry you lost her but you did everything possible to help her.

 

Quote:I think she did exactly what needed to be done, it was just too late. If she tried to cool the bird down faster, like with a full cool bath, it would ended the bird faster. With the birds system already in shock from the Heat Stroke it is extremely difficult to bring them back. You can do too much and put so much stress on the bird that it's heart just gives out immediately.

2 years ago I lost a hen to heat. I checked on them about mid-day and they were fine. Lots of water in the shade and food if they wanted it. I was walking by an hour later and a Silver Laced Wyandotte was laying in the run. Looked like she was walking and just fell forward. Once they show symptoms, Heat Stoke can take them very fast.

Matt