Yesterday I lost my beautiful little white silkie, Stella. She was 2 years old. She is often broody for long periods of time, very tiny, and a docile and sensitive girl. My other three silkies are hardier, less broody, good egg layers, etc. Stella has always been much slower, smaller, and prone to broodiness.
Recently she has been keeping to herself and just standing near the coop for long periods of time. I assume this is because she's been molting for a few weeks. She showed no sign of parasites, illness, etc.
Yesterday the heat hit 97 degrees and I gave the girls extra water, but didn't think too much about it since they were in the shade. A few hours later, I found Stella in the coop dying from what I think was heat exhaustion. Her neck was limp, but she was still alive. I brought her inside and my husband and I tried to give her water and cool her off but she didn't make it.
Please tell me what I did wrong? Do you think the molting was the reason she died from the extreme heat? My other three were in the shade and doing their normal thing. Why would she stay in the coop when it was so hot?
Please help. Has anyone had a similar experience? Thank you so much.
Recently she has been keeping to herself and just standing near the coop for long periods of time. I assume this is because she's been molting for a few weeks. She showed no sign of parasites, illness, etc.
Yesterday the heat hit 97 degrees and I gave the girls extra water, but didn't think too much about it since they were in the shade. A few hours later, I found Stella in the coop dying from what I think was heat exhaustion. Her neck was limp, but she was still alive. I brought her inside and my husband and I tried to give her water and cool her off but she didn't make it.
Please tell me what I did wrong? Do you think the molting was the reason she died from the extreme heat? My other three were in the shade and doing their normal thing. Why would she stay in the coop when it was so hot?
Please help. Has anyone had a similar experience? Thank you so much.
You said she was always less hardy than the other girls, maybe the heat was just too much for her.
