We have a heat warning for today and probably for tomorrow.
One of our chickens, Snow (aka Ratboy), has been looking poorly for the past few weeks. Something is wrong with her foot, so she hasn't been roosting at night. She'll tuck herself into a corner on the ground somewhere; sometimes she ends up with chicken poop on her back because she's picked a spot directly under the roosts of the other chickens.

(picture from a summer two years ago, she's always been a spunky chicken.)
Yesterday it was hot enough that I sprayed her off to cool her down and wash off the poop. At the time I decided she wasn't likely to live out the summer. Today she looked like she might not live out the day. I brought her inside. I still don't know if she'll survive, but I'm hoping getting her out of the heat will give her a shot. She's in an old dog carrier I bought for Arrow when he was a puppy. If she survives, I'll probably keep her in for at least a week.
ETA: RIP - she died last night after we went to bed. Too little, too late, I suppose. She would have been 4 this October - she was part of the batch of six we got the fall after we moved into our current house. We lost 3 the next summer (thus inspiring the addition of the ducks), but the Buff Orpington, Americana, and small White Leghorn (Snow) made it. Snow was the only white egg layer I had, she used to lay such large eggs for such a small bird. She was feisty - if I tried to shoo her away from the gate, she would puff herself up and try to attack me or, more often, my shoes.
One of our chickens, Snow (aka Ratboy), has been looking poorly for the past few weeks. Something is wrong with her foot, so she hasn't been roosting at night. She'll tuck herself into a corner on the ground somewhere; sometimes she ends up with chicken poop on her back because she's picked a spot directly under the roosts of the other chickens.

(picture from a summer two years ago, she's always been a spunky chicken.)
Yesterday it was hot enough that I sprayed her off to cool her down and wash off the poop. At the time I decided she wasn't likely to live out the summer. Today she looked like she might not live out the day. I brought her inside. I still don't know if she'll survive, but I'm hoping getting her out of the heat will give her a shot. She's in an old dog carrier I bought for Arrow when he was a puppy. If she survives, I'll probably keep her in for at least a week.
ETA: RIP - she died last night after we went to bed. Too little, too late, I suppose. She would have been 4 this October - she was part of the batch of six we got the fall after we moved into our current house. We lost 3 the next summer (thus inspiring the addition of the ducks), but the Buff Orpington, Americana, and small White Leghorn (Snow) made it. Snow was the only white egg layer I had, she used to lay such large eggs for such a small bird. She was feisty - if I tried to shoo her away from the gate, she would puff herself up and try to attack me or, more often, my shoes.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-24 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-24 06:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-29 06:54 am (UTC)