Chickens do not sweat: thermoregulation and heat stroke explained
In Côte d'Ivoire, heat kills more broilers than any disease. Yet a chicken has no sweat glands: it cannot sweat as you do. To cool down, it has only its wings, its legs, its comb and above all its breathing. Understanding this mechanism means understanding why a house at 34 °C with 80% humidity is a deadly trap, why cool water is worth more than any product, and why we do not feed in the hot hours.
13 min read · 5-question quiz at the end
By Abdul Hussein ChoumanFounder of NEXTEKCI · Agnibilékrou hatchery since 2006Lesson reserved for students following the steps
This lesson is part of Level 6 — The bird: anatomy, physiology, behaviour. It opens to registered students who have passed the level 5 exam. Levels 1 to 5 and the tracks remain readable by everyone.
What you will learn
- ✓Explain the four ways a chicken loses heat and why they fail above 30 °C and in humid air
- ✓Know the comfort temperatures by age and read them on the birds' behaviour
- ✓Describe heat stroke step by step and recognise its signs within the hour
- ✓Calculate the water needed in strong heat and apply the prevention actions at the right time of day