http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009558896_webhot29m.htmlThe thermometer on my porch has cooled off to 90F. I'm in the basement, where it is fairly tolerable in the 80sF. Upstairs is still well into the 90s.
We almost lost a chicken, and I am not happy with the offspring who failed to make sure they had plenty of water, even after being directly ordered to do so. I think the fast thinking of myself and my wife saved her. I sprayed her with cool water, and wife had us put her in a small tub with water.
She was more or less conscious after about 20 minutes, and in a few hours was fairly alert and active. When my kids found her, she had collapsed. The guilty party compounded his mistake by then putting her into the stifling coop, for some reason thinking it might help. It would have finished her off, had I not investigated and immediately removed her to the shade, and proceeded to cool her off with water. I think she was probably about 20 minutes from expiring.
The other chickens were clearly stressed. We sprayed them too.
My kids have had a very easy life. They do not seem to take fatal dangers like heat seriously. So, maybe this was a wake-up call.
