When temperatures are high in hot weather, farm chickens are often struck by heat stroke. Besides laying hens, both young and older broilers die in intense heat. Knowing the signs of heat stroke can help reduce deaths. Here are the signs and ways to cut mortality.

Chickens dying of heat stroke in extreme heat show various signs: difficulty breathing and heavy open-beaked panting, a pale comb, and wings held away from the body. Drowsiness, diarrhoea and convulsions can also occur, and chickens often die of heart attacks.

There are several ways to reduce deaths in high temperatures. Provide cool, clean water on the farm, adding ice cubes if needed to cool it. Keeping the shed clean is essential.

Make sure sunlight cannot enter the shed while allowing enough light and air in. Open the curtains fully and pull them out long on the sunny side like a verandah, but do not lower them to block the sun. Feed the chickens in the cooler parts of the day and avoid feeding in the midday heat, but never leave the water containers empty.

Soak jute sacks and lay them on tin roofs. Stand fans are better than ceiling fans. Let the chickens sit quietly; they will drink when they want. The article also says that at this time the chickens should be lifted repeatedly and made to drink. On the advice of a veterinarian, give a good betaine or betaine-containing saline or electrolyte, and vitamin C.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.