Dead Chickens

I have lost two hens in the past two days. The remaining hens all are acting normal as were the two that passed. I looked at the bodies and could find nothing out of the ordinary. Has anyone had something like this happen? Anything to look for would be helpful. Thank youChad

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  • You might medicate to rule cocci overgrowth with the wet hot weather. Definitely do some electrolyte water, and give the girls an afternoon treat of yogurt.

  • http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/homemade-electrolytes-combat-heat...

    I found this a few weeks ago when we lost 2 of our girls to hear stroke.
  • Thank you everyone for the feedback, freezing water bottles as we speak for my remaining girls and look to create a wading area.
  • I second what Catherine says about a wading pool or similar structure to hold cool water for the chickens to stand in to cool off.  I use the cut off bottoms of the garbage cans I used for compost bins, and put ice in them periodically throughout the day.

    Also, sometimes chickens just die without a noticeable cause.  Among those I know that keep chickens it happens pretty frequently.

  • I lost 5 this summer. My guess is the heat also. I now have 2 fans facing the nesting boxes & we put frozen 2 liter bottles in their water 2x a day.
  • I lost 2 this year as well - but during that run of 110+ degree days. 

    It is likely the heat.

    Do you have a fan on their nesting boxes (on low)?

    Lots of fresh cool water? (I add a frozen water bottle to my founts in the AM)

    Also - I let my chickens out on the hottest days - they can then dig in cool dirt... 

    Sorry about the loss! good luck!

  • I would suspect heat and/or scorpions.

    How are you helping them deal with the heat?

    • Becky heat was my first thought but I have built them a screened in area with fresh water and a mister however I found both birds over by my garden where there is shade in the afternoon.
    • Sorry you have lost some of your girls, Chad.  A wading pool is really mandatory for chickens in our desert summer.  They need to be able to cool their lizard legs.  The mister is an okay idea, but does not do what the wading pool does.

      Depending on the roof/cover of your run/house it may be holding in heat.

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