Why is my hen so much bigger than the rest?

[cindy parker]

I have Wyandotts too I have 5 silver pullets and three red chicks that are two weeks old now in the brooder. We had a silver roo but the southern heat took him last week

 

[GitaBooks]

Sorry to hear about your rooster.

 

[animalluv0512]

I'm sorry also. It's been sssooo hot here. Is there anyway to prevent them from overheating I guess would be a good tern but other than making sure they have a large and sufficient amount of water is there a way to help them stay cool??

I hope I don't sound insensitive to you loosing your roo.

 

[GitaBooks]

My chickens stay in the shade and drink a whole lot in hot weather (sometimes over a hundred derees!). They sometimes dip their feet in the water while drinking, since I provide large, shallow buckets for their waterers.
I've also heard that providing a sprinkler or mister can help keep them cool.

Dirt and plants stay cooler then some coops, so providing these for shade may help (dirt floor and plants for shade).

Hope your chickens all stay healthy!

 

[cindy parker]

I've been fighting the heat with them for over a week now...it was 110 here today with the humidity and it's been this way for well over a week. I let mine free range during the day so they can dust bathe and hang out in their favorite shady spots although their entire coop/run is covered with a metal roof. We have the true auto water system, but they decided the numerous jugs, buckets, baby pools etc were cooler to drink from, so that's where we are at now I have a mister pointing towards where they like to hang out as well. I have frozen 2 liter bottles laying around and in the coop as well. I freeze any treats they get and add ice to their water several times a day. It's an all day job. We have saved three of them from certain heat stroke but I didn't realize what was wrong with the rooster until it was too late. I've since learned that a chicken who is staggering around falling down or acting completely crazy with wings hanging to the ground is in heat distress. We now have a kiddy wading pool in the shade and will hold the birds in the water if they look stressed from the heat. Works every time. My granddaughter saved her chick yesterday after finding her on her back gasping for air...

 

[GitaBooks]

Sounds like your chickens have a great owner!

Glad that your chick was saved.

 

[cindy parker]

Thanks...we have only had chickens for a little over a year, but this little girl had a true love for her chicks. She talked me in to buying 4 chicks for Easter last year and that was where the addiction started. Over the past few months, we have hatched 5 batches of chicks in our incubator and given the chicks to people we know . Hatching is my favorite part

 

[GitaBooks]

I just love waking up in the morning and finding little, peeping, cute chicks have hatched!

 

[cindy parker]

I just love waking up in the morning and finding little, peeping, cute chicks have hatched!

 

[cindy parker]

Me too...but not for a while here now. The chicks we have now are growing so very ow and I know it's from this ridiculous heat wave. I live on a farm and my Dad and Brother raise cattle... The calves they had born recently are lagging behind with my biddies. Too hot to even grow....