Are Hens More Likely To Die From Heat?

[HuskerHens18]

This has been going on since May. For nearly two months my chickens have been dropping like flies. At first it was coccidia, but the deaths I always saw coming. Chickens were weak, super thin, and died within hours of these symptoms.
But somewhere in that turmoil, something else began killing my chickens, throwing off the vet and I, thinking the coccidia was immune to the medication.

Between May and today, I am ashamed and embarassed to say I've lost about 15 beloved chickens. Out of that, only one rooster has died, which was June 10th.
After posting thread after thread about my dying chickens, I'm beginning to wonder if its our heat + humidity combo offing all my hens, not a disease.
The temps vary, it's been between 105° and 95° with up to 100% humidity.
I've read many articles and tried just about everything. I now leave my coop door open 24/7 to increase airflow, but risking something finding that open door.
The only chickens thriving are my rooster flocks, everyone else is suffering.

So, are hens prone to dying from heat moreso than roosters? Or why are all my hens dying?

 

[coach723]

There may be something else going on that is making your hens more susceptible to the heat. If your coop is that hot then you likely need to increase ventilation by adding more openings, cover them with hardware cloth to keep predators out so that you can close the door at night. On the hottest days I place a frozen jug of water in front of a fan to work as primitive a/c to cool the coop (make sure the fan is not where they can get to it).
Give them shallow dishes of cool water in shady areas that they can stand in, provide as much shade as possible, hose an area down periodically to cool it, hosing off the roof of the coop can help cool it some. Since you have lost so many in such a short time I would really recommend that you have one necropsied to determine what is going on. It could be viral or bacterial, causing them to be weaker.
If you lose another, refrigerate the body - don't freeze it - and send it off for necropsy. The answers you get may make a difference.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[colasurdo]

Generally heavier breeds and roosters are more susceptible to death from heat stroke but chickens rarely read the rule book. You are right that the heat/humidity combos can be really dangerous for your flock. If it was heat you would see definites signs in advance. They would be panting, raising their wings away from their body, lime green diarrhea (that indicates stress on the liver function), becoming disoriented and eventually having very labored breathing and paralysis in the legs right before death. The most important thing to do for them in a heat wave is to provide as much cold water (we dump bags of ice in the water buckets) as possible and make sure they have shade. If they can continue to drink lots of cool water, their internal body temperature shouldn't get too high. And do you have any vents higher up in the coops? You could always cut out a square near the top and just cover it with hardware cloth for added security to make sure there is air flow at night.

But what were some of the symptoms before they are dying? Do any of the heat stroke ones match or are you having other symptoms like blood in their stool? I think if it was heat-related that would have been pretty obvious from the beginning so I'm more inclined to think it's something else. Of the ones dying, have they been house closer together so it could be something contagious and maybe your roosters are housed further away?

 

[HuskerHens18]

There may be something else going on that is making your hens more susceptible to the heat. If your coop is that hot then you likely need to increase ventilation by adding more openings, cover them with hardware cloth to keep predators out so that you can close the door at night. On the hottest days I place a frozen jug of water in front of a fan to work as primitive a/c to cool the coop (make sure the fan is not where they can get to it).
Give them shallow dishes of cool water in shady areas that they can stand in, provide as much shade as possible, hose an area down periodically to cool it, hosing off the roof of the coop can help cool it some. Since you have lost so many in such a short time I would really recommend that you have one necropsied to determine what is going on. It could be viral or bacterial, causing them to be weaker.
If you lose another, refrigerate the body - don't freeze it - and send it off for necropsy. The answers you get may make a difference.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

(Dumb me forgotten to write that info) I have sent in I believe 4 necropsies to the university and just last night did one on my own. I sent them in through my vet, two were isolated cases and the other two died of coccidia which I had expected. The university receptionist gave me bad information last week and said they wanted the one FROZEN and to wait a few more days for anymore deaths, then send them all at once. Well sure enough, two more hens died 48 hours later so I called them and they turn around and say no, they arent saveable because it will have been too long by the time they arrive.

I should have known better because my first 4 necropsies I only put them on ice like I read online (but not directly on their flesh) and they said they were in great condition.
But yes, if another dies I will do the correct things to preserve her and send in for a necropsy. Thank you

 

[Killer Tomato]

I think it could be related to the size of the hen, and the heat, for sure.

We had our largest hen, a Jersey Giant, die recently, and I think it was heat/body size related. She was only 13 months old, and seemingly healthy (only layer feed, occasional healthy snacks like veggies once or twice a week, but nothing excessive -- I'm a stickler about that!), free-range exercise all day. Our coop has plenty of windows and breezes. We have lots of shade, fresh cool water every where (we even have a pond), and there wasn't a scratch on her or a feather out of place.

When the weather got over 80 the week before her death, I noticed her panting, and holding her wings out. I would give her a gentle dunk in cooling bucket. My other large hens (the Barred Rocks, who are older, and have experienced summer temperatures before) would wade in the pond, but she wouldn't willingly. She would just sit and pant.

We were gone all day when the temps got to about 90, and came home to find her dead in the shade of the patio. I just don't know what was going on, and we didn't opt for necropsy -- we've since expanded our mister system, and I don't have any other hens as large as she was. You wouldn't think we'd have to worry so much in Oregon, but our heat wave is hitting today, and expected to continue for two weeks.

I'm so sorry that you are losing so many of your flock. I hope you find some answers.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Generally heavier breeds and roosters are more susceptible to death from heat stroke but chickens rarely read the rule book. You are right that the heat/humidity combos can be really dangerous for your flock. If it was heat you would see definites signs in advance. They would be panting, raising their wings away from their body, lime green diarrhea (that indicates stress on the liver function), becoming disoriented and eventually having very labored breathing and paralysis in the legs right before death. The most important thing to do for them in a heat wave is to provide as much cold water (we dump bags of ice in the water buckets) as possible and make sure they have shade. If they can continue to drink lots of cool water, their internal body temperature shouldn't get too high. And do you have any vents higher up in the coops? You could always cut out a square near the top and just cover it with hardware cloth for added security to make sure there is air flow at night.

But what were some of the symptoms before they are dying? Do any of the heat stroke ones match or are you having other symptoms like blood in their stool? I think if it was heat-related that would have been pretty obvious from the beginning so I'm more inclined to think it's something else. Of the ones dying, have they been house closer together so it could be something contagious and maybe your roosters are housed further away?

I have all different breeds, the breeds that have died are Orphingtons, Black Stars, Super Blues, Wyandottes, Faverolles, and Cochins.
They do have their wings spread out and panting. I'll just walk out and a chicken that seemed fine earlier is dead in a corner.
I have an open window in the back of the coop with a box fan attached, the door is directly in front of it. There is also a 1x1 hole in the roof thanks to a storm, so in total there are 3 openings in this coop. They usually free range, but due to coyote packs moving in I've had to confine them to a run. The run is open on 3 sides and the 4th is connected to the coop door which I leave open 24/7. The roof on the run is about 50% covered. They always have shade in the run, but they don't like sitting in it. They prefer to camp out by the cold waterers in the super hot coop.
I don't have a thermometer in the coop, but there has to be a 20° difference between the hot coop and outside. There are cold, fresh waterers available in both the shaded part of the run and inside the coop. I give frozen fruits and veggies in the hottest part of the days. Ice cubes are put in a small tub of water outside also, but I've never seen any chickens get in it.

There's no blood in the stools anymore, after I treated with Sulfa powder and an anti diarrhea for coccidia everyone's poop is normal now.
I have three coops right next to eachother, about ten feet apart. I have a run with a doghouse for the "coop", and they are doing good.
I have a coop with NO run, and only Windows on the north side and that coop has to be 80° consistently, it's so nice in there and I can't figure it out, but I'm glad.

 

[HuskerHens18]

I think it could be related to the size of the hen, and the heat, for sure.

We had our largest hen, a Jersey Giant, die recently, and I think it was heat/body size related. She was only 13 months old, and seemingly healthy (only layer feed, occasional healthy snacks like veggies once or twice a week, but nothing excessive -- I'm a stickler about that!), free-range exercise all day. Our coop has plenty of windows and breezes. We have lots of shade, fresh cool water every where (we even have a pond), and there wasn't a scratch on her or a feather out of place.

When the weather got over 80 the week before her death, I noticed her panting, and holding her wings out. I would give her a gentle dunk in cooling bucket. My other large hens (the Barred Rocks, who are older, and have experienced summer temperatures before) would wade in the pond, but she wouldn't willingly. She would just sit and pant.

We were gone all day when the temps got to about 90, and came home to find her dead in the shade of the patio. I just don't know what was going on, and we didn't opt for necropsy -- we've since expanded our mister system, and I don't have any other hens as large as she was. You wouldn't think we'd have to worry so much in Oregon, but our heat wave is hitting today, and expected to continue for two weeks.

I'm so sorry that you are losing so many of your flock. I hope you find some answers.

I'm so sorry about your Jersey :'( I lost mine too this year to eggbinding.
Usually my hens are free ranged, so they ate whatever they wanted and had exercise to work off any extra weight. It really wasn't until the coyote pack moved in and I had to confine them that all the deaths really started, I was fighting coccidia before then but it was pretty much treated by the time I moved them to a run. I'm ready for the summer to end, it brings nothing but bad things here.

 

[Killer Tomato]

Maybe try a mister system? You don't want it ON the chickens (it will chase them away from the shade actually, unless they are just thrilled with getting rained on!), but nearby -- it will cool the temperature by about 10-15 degrees.

We also spray down the side of the coop and the entrance in the afternoon for my hens that lay in the afternoon.

I think you're doing everything you can. Don't beat yourself up, these last few summers have been the hottest on record, and we're all struggling to keep up.

 

[colasurdo]

I have all different breeds, the breeds that have died are Orphingtons, Black Stars, Super Blues, Wyandottes, Faverolles, and Cochins.
They do have their wings spread out and panting. I'll just walk out and a chicken that seemed fine earlier is dead in a corner.
I have an open window in the back of the coop with a box fan attached, the door is directly in front of it. There is also a 1x1 hole in the roof thanks to a storm, so in total there are 3 openings in this coop. They usually free range, but due to coyote packs moving in I've had to confine them to a run. The run is open on 3 sides and the 4th is connected to the coop door which I leave open 24/7. The roof on the run is about 50% covered. They always have shade in the run, but they don't like sitting in it. They prefer to camp out by the cold waterers in the super hot coop.
I don't have a thermometer in the coop, but there has to be a 20° difference between the hot coop and outside. There are cold, fresh waterers available in both the shaded part of the run and inside the coop. I give frozen fruits and veggies in the hottest part of the days. Ice cubes are put in a small tub of water outside also, but I've never seen any chickens get in it.

There's no blood in the stools anymore, after I treated with Sulfa powder and an anti diarrhea for coccidia everyone's poop is normal now.
I have three coops right next to eachother, about ten feet apart. I have a run with a doghouse for the "coop", and they are doing good.
I have a coop with NO run, and only Windows on the north side and that coop has to be 80° consistently, it's so nice in there and I can't figure it out, but I'm glad.

Hmm. I’m less inclined to think this is heat related based on your setup. It sounds like you check them frequently and you would see the change from heat stress (panting and holding wings out) to heat stroke before the death. If you do get necropsy results in, hopefully it is something treatable. Please let us know what you learn and hopefully you don’t lose anymore.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Hmm. I’m less inclined to think this is heat related based on your setup. It sounds like you check them frequently and you would see the change from heat stress (panting and holding wings out) to heat stroke before the death. If you do get necropsy results in, hopefully it is something treatable. Please let us know what you learn and hopefully you don’t lose anymore.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it