miss_spent Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I just went home at lunchtime and my Pepperpot is behaving strangely. I have had to come back to work now. She had her wings held away from her body and her beak open more than usual. Is she just hot? I sprayed them both with water to cool them down and moved them into even more shade. She seems to have laid her first egg today, but it has been eaten (probably by Cilla, who kept going on the shell until I got it out). I also gave them straw for the first time today and they have pulled it out of the Eglu, but I couldn't see any of it sticking out of her beak. Is she just hot, upset about her egg or eaten straw? Please let me know your thoughts as I am really worried I will get home tonight to a dead chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reneepren Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I live in Phoenix. Going to get to 109 this week. Chickens pant and hold their wings away from their bodies when hot. They need shade and lots of cool water. They like a shady place with moist earth where they can have a dirt bath to cool off. I also put a small clip on fan in the run and put a large flat blue plastic ice container (filler is frozen water) intended for a cooler under a bunch of bedding in a shady place in the run. I freeze some of their drinking water so they can hover near it to cool off. I give them cold cucumbers or squash to munch on when it is hot to help hydrate them. New to this stuff as my chicks are now only 6 wks old, but have researched it and it seems to work. Good luck! Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss_spent Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 Thank you! Well I moved them to more shade before I left and they have got water, plus they have been sprayted. It isn't that hot here today (about 25 degrees) but they have probably not seen this kind of weather as they were brought up in the UK over winter!! It is the black one that seems the hottest - which I guess makes sense. My Gingernut was dipping her wings in the water - clearly has more sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 We have 92 degrees in the shade here today, it was so hot on our terrace the thermometer went off the scale and we had to move it (it goes up to 120 degrees) Poor little Bluebelle has just layed her egg in the henhouse and came out panting with her wings out, she doesn't like laying with the doors all open so Charlie shut them for her and in she went, but it is so hot in there. I am going to get Charlie to rig up a light coloured tarp over the hen-house on the nesting-box side so that it keeps it a bit cooler. Tomorrow is going to be even hotter here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 She sounds as if she is hot. Have a look at this **stickified article** from the top of the section for some tips about caring for hens in hot weather. The pulling the straw about is a nesting thingy, and common when they come into lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss_spent Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 Well I think it is meant to be cooler here tomorrow. I wouldn't sit outside in a black t-shirt and a rug, so I guess I know how they feel with black feathers!! Hopefully they can cope til I get home and can spray them down again and find a pot for them to bath in! Didn't have time when I was at home for lunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss_spent Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 Have a look at this **stickified article** from the top of the section for some tips about caring for hens in hot weather. Thank you Egluntyne! She looked so unhappy and it was worse because I had to leave, but sounds like I have done everything right. They seemed to like the water spray so won't be able to use that as punishment like I have heard before on here! The pulling the straw about is a nesting thingy, and common when they come into lay. Thanks for that. I was worried that they were eating it. I am going to search in a minute for solving the egg eating. Poor old Audrey having her first egg eaten by bossy Cilla! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss_spent Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 Of course they were both totally fine when I got home! Thanks for all the reassurance! I am a worrier anyway but these two will be the death of me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 My black silkie, Pat, did this on one of Englands hot days, cept she constantly stood with her wings out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
