I have silkie chikens that I raise as a hobby. Yesterday I did chores and went to work, when I came home my white silkie rooster was dead. It has been extremeley hot. They have acess to inside and out and have fresh water. There were no marks on him. Could it be the heat? All the other chickens are fine. The only other thing I can think of is that he possibly choked on an egg shell and suffocated. I have a hen that is setting and have had 1 egg hatch. Could he have tried to eat the egg and some how choked on it? Any ideas? Thanks

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), August 08, 2001

Answers

It could definitely be the heat. We've lost a couple over the last two weeks due to extreme heat here in KS. Ours, too, have access to shade - can be indoors or outdoors - and always have plenty of water. But sometimes when it's as hot as it has been, there's just no way to prevent losing a chicken or two.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), August 08, 2001.

Yes, most likely it was the heat, excess heat and high humidity is especially hard on chickens, rabbits, and big, long-haired dogs, regardless of the availibility of shade, hot is just too hot!!! Sure is bad year for heat this summer!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 08, 2001.

We never lost a lot of chickens to the heat, but when we were in Central Texas, we could count on losing one or two when we had a really hot spell. I, too, think that was probably it.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), August 08, 2001.

We have had a few die of the heat as well. Do your chickens have any shade outside or it could be because you have to many and they need more room.

-- Jeana (Apony4keeps@myexcel.com), August 08, 2001.

I vote for the heat as the culprit. We have an egg ranch in the neighboring town. They've been losing them by the hundreds due to the heat.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), August 09, 2001.