# Heat Exhaustion treatment questions



## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

I found one of my Leghorns yesterday somewhat stuporous. We've had a week of high 90's with 'real feel' at 115. All other chicks are ok and have electrolyte solution available to them. I immediately took her into the house, cooled her off with cool water and a fan and started electrolyte solution. As of today she had not eaten anything - even her favorite treats - but I'm not pushing that. I've been giving her 20 mls of electrolyte solution with a syringe every hour or so. She will drink from the end of the syringe with a little encouragement. She just squawked a protest which is the most life I've seen from her since yesterday afternoon. Otherwise she has been doing a lot of sleeping or quietly looking around. She layed an egg with a soft shell during the night and has had two liquid stools. She is perking up but I just wanted advise from those of you with more experience than me. Is there anything else I should be doing for her? Thanks for any advice you can give.
Kristy


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have had a silkie twice and a Faverolle had heat stress. Both times the silkie was laying down and the faverolle was breathing too fast to drink. Each time I dunked them in a basin of room temp or almost warm water and kept them in there for 10 minutes or more. Saved all three. The silkie needed to come in the house for a few days. The next day she could stand with support. It took 2-3 days to fully recover. I would leave food and water for her and reduce the amount of electrolytes probably by half. If you are tubing water and she's not eating, take some water and make a runny watery mash with the crumbles and warm water, and you might as well give her some nutrition. Ensure (generic) works pretty well too.

I would not use a fan on a wet bird. I would not want to give them shock or shivering with cold water and a fan. When it's time to put her back out again, do it at night so she acclimates. I put ice in my chicken waterers and run a hose on the ground for a puddle to stand in. Cold fresh water with ice in the afternoon means alot. And the chickens that stand in the water do stop panting. If possible, tree shade is better than tarp or awning shade. It lets the warm air rise. I also have a fan directed on the nests so they don't get too hot while they lay.


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## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Thank you so much! Of course I'm worried about her and question everything I do. I'm off to implement your suggestions
Kristy


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm not totally convinced it's from heat stress. That breed should be able to tolerate the higher temps easily. I know mine did. 

I would do the wet mash like Karen suggested to try and get better nutrition going.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Yeah... I'm with Robin on this one... I have had a few of my Marans come down with heat stress this week, and the Cornish came close, but my Leghorns are acting like nothing is amiss. In fact they're running through the yard full speed in the middle of the day when everyone else is playing dead back in the shade. 

That being said it seems like you are doing what needs to be done until something else comes up. The others' suggestions on keeping the rest cool have been great. I sometimes freeze treats in big ice blocks (those rubber bunny bowls work great for this) and give it to them and I found the mud puddle is the biggest hit this year as the mud stays wet on their feet longer than just water... granted it's messier! 

Good luck!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I've had Leghorns slow down in the heat and humidity, never lost one though. I've lost Red Stars and Black Australorps to it though.
Kristy, you've gotten excellent advice. Your Leghorn should recover nicely, keep up the good work.


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## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Thanks everyone. She seems a bit perkier tonight. She is not interested in the mash and wouldn't eat so I didn't push it hard. I may go get some Ensure in the morning and try that. She is having very watery stools (3 today) that smell pretty foul, no worms seen. Still taking in small amounts of fluids at a time.

I've got a gallon jug I keep in the freezer at night for use during the day. We have roof on the run, but 1/2 is clear so we've added a tarp over that. I've been spraying the run multiple times during the day to keep it wet. I have another Leghorn that has slowed way down, 4 black sex links and 2 EEs and they all have slowed down but not as much as this one. 

Thanks everyone for the advise and encouragement. I'll keep you posted
Kristy


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Is it possible she has coccidia? Sometimes it's not bloody it's just watery and exceptionally sour smelling. Dehydration would greatly amplify heat exhaustion... Could explain why the others are doing better.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

It could be anything. I would rule out coccidia as well. I've never had leghorns . Any chicken drinking lots of water is going to have runny stools. How old are your leghorns?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

kgb6days said:


> Thanks everyone. She seems a bit perkier tonight. She is not interested in the mash and wouldn't eat so I didn't push it hard. I may go get some Ensure in the morning and try that. She is having very watery stools (3 today) that smell pretty foul, no worms seen. Still taking in small amounts of fluids at a time.
> 
> I've got a gallon jug I keep in the freezer at night for use during the day. We have roof on the run, but 1/2 is clear so we've added a tarp over that. I've been spraying the run multiple times during the day to keep it wet. I have another Leghorn that has slowed way down, 4 black sex links and 2 EEs and they all have slowed down but not as much as this one.
> 
> ...


It would help to put a fan or two in your pen. I use box fans and rotating fans as well as a fan inside in each hen house.


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## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Update on my leghorn - she has not had any change in her behavior. She has laid 3 soft shelled eggs in the last 24 hours. She will not stand, but drinks water out of the syringe if I drop it in her mouth. All other chicks ok. I'm thinking now that it's not the heat. How would I know if its coccidia and what is the treatment? There has been no blood in her stool - just clear with some white and foul smelling. I have some Corid and some Fishmox
Kristy


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## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

So sad to say my girl just died


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sorry you lost her. Unfortunately as long as these creatures are in our lives we face an event like this way more often than we want.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

so sorry you lost her.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I'm sorry for your loss. You mentioned that she laid 3 soft shelled eggs in 24 hours. It sounds like there was something wrong with her reproductive system, causing a back up of eggs. Also sounds like an egg without any kind of shell caused a possible bacterial infection inside her by your observation of her stool. There's nothing that couldve prevented this. Again, sorry for you loss.


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## kgb6days (Apr 1, 2016)

Thanks everyone. Dawg - thanks especially. It makes it a little better to know that I couldn't have prevented it - better than thinking I did not care for her properly and that caused it. I grew up on a farm and know that livestock gets sick and die - doesn't make it any easier. Now it's time to move on and make sure the remaining 7 are happy and healthy


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

So sorry for your loss.It sucks when they die and I still have a broken heart after loosing the special ones,goes back as far as 15 years ago.And then I go get more to fill the empty places...


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Awe, I'm sorry you lost her. You did what you could and that's more than most. I think most people don't even recognize signs of sickness to begin with. It takes a trained eye. She had a good life - take comfort in that.


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