chrismahon
Well-known member
It's hot here at 37 degrees. But the humidity is unusually very high as well- thunderstorm weather!
All our chickens have plenty of shade and plenty of water. The soil baths have been watered and so have the runs when we see them panting. The enclosure allows as much breeze through as is available because all the wind break material has been lifted.
6 years ago we lost a Black Orpington to overheating because we didn't spot it soon enough. She was quite fat and two years old. She was panting a lot during a rather hot afternoon in England. Her neck began to twist backwards. In 15 minutes she was looking backwards and upside-down. She went into a panic and was despatched before she seriously injured herself trying to turn her body over to match the way she was looking. I now know this is a condition called 'stargazing'. I have read it is largely irreversible, but if I had it re-occur I would put her in a cold, completely dark place-like a cardboard box filled with freezer blocks. Worth a try because for a moment, when she was presented with a grape, her neck straightened back to normal- obviously she was overriding the heat induced neurological condition somehow.
We've just had a Wyandotte start panicking. Too hot and couldn't cool down. Panting frantically, wings held out and then screeching. She was grabbed immediately which is when I noticed her feet were incredibly hot. So into a cool dark room where I stood her in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. 10 minutes later and she is flying about trying to get out, so hopefully she will be OK for a while.
But are there any better or established ways of treating an overheating chicken in an emergency? I didn't want to dunk her in water in case she had a heart attack.
All our chickens have plenty of shade and plenty of water. The soil baths have been watered and so have the runs when we see them panting. The enclosure allows as much breeze through as is available because all the wind break material has been lifted.
6 years ago we lost a Black Orpington to overheating because we didn't spot it soon enough. She was quite fat and two years old. She was panting a lot during a rather hot afternoon in England. Her neck began to twist backwards. In 15 minutes she was looking backwards and upside-down. She went into a panic and was despatched before she seriously injured herself trying to turn her body over to match the way she was looking. I now know this is a condition called 'stargazing'. I have read it is largely irreversible, but if I had it re-occur I would put her in a cold, completely dark place-like a cardboard box filled with freezer blocks. Worth a try because for a moment, when she was presented with a grape, her neck straightened back to normal- obviously she was overriding the heat induced neurological condition somehow.
We've just had a Wyandotte start panicking. Too hot and couldn't cool down. Panting frantically, wings held out and then screeching. She was grabbed immediately which is when I noticed her feet were incredibly hot. So into a cool dark room where I stood her in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. 10 minutes later and she is flying about trying to get out, so hopefully she will be OK for a while.
But are there any better or established ways of treating an overheating chicken in an emergency? I didn't want to dunk her in water in case she had a heart attack.