An increased or decreased temperature in chickens may indicate internal inflammatory processes. Also, this indicator affects the productivity and egg production of the chicken. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with the rules for keeping poultry and to know the body temperature of the chicken in a normal state.
Chicken eggs are genetically programmed to develop normally when incubated by a female hen. Of decisive importance here is the body heat of the mother hen.
Contrary to the opinion of experts, it does not increase, but decreases. In the first week it is 38-39°C, in the last it rises to 40°C.
Normal body temperature of common species of animals and birds
When sick
Chickens are susceptible to many diseases.
The most common are infectious:
- Bronchitis and paralysis;
- Bird flu;
- Coliinfection;
- Atypical plague;
- Pasteurellosis.
The first sign of these and other diseases is the onset of fever, especially if it is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Lethargy, refusal to eat;
- Discharge of mucus from the eyes and beak;
- Diarrhea.
Monitoring the temperature of the bird will help to diagnose diseases in a timely manner. The temperature of the mother hen is measured with a vaseline-lubricated thermometer, which is carefully inserted into the cloaca. This is the hole through which the birds poop.
Hypothermia and hypothermia in chickens
The peculiarity of the organism of these birds is such that a temperature increase of 0.5 ° C is abnormal and requires the attention of the owner. But this does not always indicate a disease.
Other common reasons why a chicken's body temperature is abnormal are:
- Stress. Chickens quickly get used to the routine, and any major changes in the daily routine and the world around them can cause serious stress. Even a change in diet or transfer to another room can make these birds nervous;
- Heat. If the chicken coop or aviary is more than 30 ° C, the chickens get hot. The processes of heat exchange with the environment do not lead to proper cooling of the body due to the absence of sweat glands in these birds.
Important. Hypothermia is also dangerous, especially for chickens and young animals.
Heat stress occurs, which can lead to death from heat stroke.
Overheating is indicated by the behavior of chickens:
- They open their beak;
- Breathe often
- Lie down on the ground with half-opened wings.
The temperature threshold is 33°C.
These reasons are easily eliminated. proper care and compliance standard requirements to the chicken coop. But if the temperature does not return to normal for more than a day or is increased by more than a degree, this is an occasion for a visit to the veterinarian.
What does temperature depend on?
In all living beings, the normal body temperature depends on internal processes, and is optimal for the metabolism inherent in this species. The more intense it is, the more heat energy is released during the breakdown of substances in the process of cellular nutrition.
The second important factor is temperature. environment, with which the body of a living being constantly exchanges heat. AT hot weather the body will be warmer, in a cold room - colder.
One of the most important indicators of the well-being of a large cattle is body temperature. Like most warm-blooded cows, cows are characterized by a certain temperature norm, a deviation from which in one direction or another may indicate possible health problems. The cause of such conditions must be established by a veterinarian, but the task of the owner is regular monitoring. What are the norms and how to correctly measure the temperature of cattle will be discussed further.
What is the normal body temperature for cattle
The body temperature of mammals depends on the rate of metabolic processes occurring in the body, and is normally within certain limits, the excess of which may indicate any violations.
Important! It should be borne in mind that in some individuals the variant of the norm may differ from the generally accepted one in one direction or another due to the individual characteristics of the organism, but this fact must be confirmed by a veterinarian.
Cattle are characterized by an average temperature of 37.5–39.5 ° C, but there are differences depending on the sex and age of individuals:
- in cows, 2 months before calving, thermometer readings can reach 38.5–40 ° C - this is the norm. Bulls are characterized by a temperature of 38-39 ° C;
- calves usually have a higher temperature than adults - 38.5-40.5 ° C, while as they grow, the indicators may change: up to 6 weeks - 38.5-40.5 ° C, from 6 weeks to 2 months - 38.5–40.2 ° С, from 2 to 12 months - 38.5–39.8 ° С.
How to take a cow's temperature
Measuring the temperature in cows is associated with certain difficulties, so you should follow the general recommendations for this procedure. 
Many mistakenly assume that fever in cattle can be detected by the hot skin of the body or nose, but cows regulate heat transfer by slowing blood flow, and the skin can remain cool even with high thermometer readings.
Did you know?A cow's nose print has a unique pattern, similar to human fingerprints. In the United States, this feature is used when searching for stolen or missing animals.
For measurement, a conventional medical mercury or electronic thermometer can be used. If mercury is used, the measurement time should be at least 10 minutes, electronic gives an answer faster: from 10-15 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the model.
The measurement is made rectally. Some farmers practice vaginal measurement of cows, but the reliability of the results can be significantly distorted if the female is in heat or she is expecting offspring.
Before the procedure, you need to wash your hands and put on medical gloves, fix the animal so that it does not buck during the measurement.
Before this, the thermometer is thoroughly washed and treated with a disinfectant, then the tip of the device is lubricated with petroleum jelly and carefully inserted into the rectum for a set time, and when using an electronic device, until a sound signal appears. 
After the measurement is completed, the thermometer is washed again and disinfected to avoid infecting other animals in the herd.
Important! In the absence of experience with livestock or with increased aggressiveness and anxiety of the cow, it is better to carry out the procedure with an assistant.
Deviations from the norm
Any significant (more than 1-2 degrees) deviation of the cow's body temperature from the norm should alert the owner and become a reason to contact the veterinarian in as soon as possible to establish the cause.
An elevated temperature can be caused by a number of situations:
- violation of the diet and the use of low-quality feed can cause the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines of livestock, which in turn can cause hyperthermia. The solution to the problem lies in the selection of good food and strict adherence to the regimen;
- postpartum complications such as retained placenta, common gynecological diseases in females;
- mastitis, in which it is important to provide udder massage and milking every 2 hours as soon as possible in order to eliminate stagnation. An antibiotic ointment is then prescribed by the veterinarian;
- diseases of an infectious or viral nature (endometritis, plague, pneumonia, and others).
In all cases described, self-treatment is dangerous for the animal and the entire herd. It is necessary to isolate the sick cow and have it examined by a specialist. 
It happens that in adult cattle or calves, the body temperature drops below normal. It is hard not to notice such a state: the behavior changes, the animal becomes lethargic and apathetic, may show anxiety, moo plaintively.
Low temperature is not a very common occurrence, however, the causes that cause such a deviation can be life-threatening for the animal:
- poisoning with toxic substances, oddly enough, is accompanied by a decrease in temperature, in contrast to food poisoning and this is a very disturbing symptom. If there is a suspicion that the cattle could have eaten poisonous substances, mushrooms or plants, you should seek veterinary help as soon as possible. May require intensive care measures;
- avitaminosis in young animals is also characterized by hypothermia, it is eliminated by nutrition correction, the introduction of vitamins into the diet, and ensuring sufficient exposure of calves to sunlight;
- hypothermia in calves. Occurs when calves are in a cold room or outdoors for a long time during the cold season. Prevention consists in providing young individuals with a warm room and bedding, eliminating drafts;
- the most dangerous cause of hypothermia is maternity paresis: a condition associated with paralysis of the pharynx, tongue, and legs of a cow. If left untreated, the animal dies within a few days, so it is dangerous to rehabilitate the cow on your own. Qualified veterinary care is required in the first hours of illness.
How to bring down
With hyperthermia, it is important to show the animal to a specialist as soon as possible for a diagnosis. As a rule, treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of the fever: an ill individual may be prescribed antibiotics, vitamins, and a drinking regimen.
Maintaining a constant body temperature by the body is an important criterion for the health of the animal and is called thermoregulation.
Body temperature- an indicator of the thermal state of the body of animals.
Animals that are able to independently maintain the temperature of their body within certain limits, regardless of the ambient temperature, are called warm-blooded(homeothermic), they include mammals and birds.
Animals that cannot maintain their own body temperature are called cold-blooded(poikilothermic), these include reptiles, amphibians, fish, whose body temperature practically does not differ from the ambient temperature.
Body temperature is an important criterion for assessing the state of the body of a warm-blooded animal. Increase (hyperthermia) or depression (hypothermia) temperature by several degrees leads to metabolic disorders and can cause death. 
In the work of a veterinary specialist, thermometry (measurement of body temperature) is a routine, everyday, repeated, but extremely necessary procedure that allows you to quickly obtain data on the general condition of the patient's body.
What pet owners should know about this procedure:
- From the point of view of modern veterinary medicine, the temperature and condition (humidity / dryness) of the nasal mirror are NOT reliable criteria that reflect the actual core body temperature (although both the nose and auricles can be cold/hot during hypo/hyperthermia, such observations are subjective and do not always correlate with rectal temperature).
- In cases where the body temperature exceeds the norm significantly, hyperthermia can be assumed simply by touching the animal.
- Measurement of temperature "as in humans" in the axillary region is not considered reliable in animals.
- The only reliable method for determining body temperature is its rectal measurement.
- In many situations, the general "bad" state of the animal (lethargy, drowsiness, refusal to eat) is due precisely/only to hyperthermia. Timely use of antipyretics (in cases where emergency assistance is required or there is no possibility to conduct an additional examination) can greatly alleviate the condition.
- Significant hypothermia is also a reason to provide emergency assistance, especially the creation of artificial heating (heating pads, wraps) during the period when the owners get to the veterinary clinic.
- Measuring body temperature is a simple procedure. Pet owners can do it themselves at home.
- Temperature measurement can be carried out both with mercury and electronic - medical thermometers (which can be purchased at any medical ("human") pharmacy).
- The measurement is carried out by inserting the tip of the thermometer, previously lubricated with ointment, into the anus and holding it there until the end of the measurement (sensor triggers electronic thermometer or the end of the growth of the scale on a mercury thermometer).
- In small animals with a fast metabolism (rodents, small birds) determination of body temperature is most often impractical. It also makes no sense to measure body temperature in cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians.
- Normal body temperature in animals different types differs significantly. In most species of domestic animals, the body temperature is higher than human (from 35.5 to 37.4 ° C). Temperature standards are presented in table number 1. For many species of animals (especially exotic ones), temperature norms are not defined or vary significantly in different sources.
In this way, thermometry is a simple but extremely informative procedure. It is important for owners to have an idea about the measurement technique, to know the temperature norm for their pet and to have a separate thermometer for the animal in the first-aid kit.
* Table No. 1: the body temperature of animals is normal
| Kind of animal | Body temperature, °С |
|---|---|
| Dog | 37,5 — 39 |
| Cat | 38 — 39,5 |
| Rabbit | 38,5 — 39,5 |
| Ferret | 38,7 — 39,4 |
| Mink | 39,5 — 40,5 |
| Pig | 38,0 — 40,0 |
| Raccoon | 37,1 — 39,1 |
| Fox | 38,7 — 40,7 |
| baboon hamadryas | 38,0 — 39,0 |
| Budgerigar | 41,0 — 42,0 |
| Chicken | 40,5 — 42,0 |
| Duck | 41,0 — 43,0 |
| Goose | 40,0 — 41,0 |
| Guinea pig | 37,0 — 39,0 |
| Rat | 37,0 — 38,0 |
| Mouse | 38,5 — 39,3 |
| Hamster | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| Chipmunk | 38,0 – 39,5 |
| Squirrel | 38,0 — 39,5 |
| Chinchilla | 36,0 — 37,5 |
| Horse | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| A donkey | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| Sheep, goat | 38,5 — 40,0 |
Veterinarian Kazakov A.A.
Maintaining a constant body temperature by the body is an important criterion for the health of the animal and is called thermoregulation.
Body temperature- an indicator of the thermal state of the body of animals.
Animals that are able to independently maintain the temperature of their body within certain limits, regardless of the ambient temperature, are called warm-blooded(homeothermic), they include mammals and birds.
Animals that cannot maintain their own body temperature are called cold-blooded(poikilothermic), these include reptiles, amphibians, fish, whose body temperature practically does not differ from the ambient temperature.
Body temperature is an important criterion for assessing the state of the body of a warm-blooded animal. Increase (hyperthermia) or depression (hypothermia) temperature by several degrees leads to metabolic disorders and can cause death. 
In the work of a veterinary specialist, thermometry (measurement of body temperature) is a routine, everyday, repeated, but extremely necessary procedure that allows you to quickly obtain data on the general condition of the patient's body.
What pet owners should know about this procedure:
- From the point of view of modern veterinary medicine, the temperature and condition (humidity / dryness) of the nasal mirror are NOT reliable criteria that reflect the actual core body temperature (although both the nose and auricles can be cold/hot during hypo/hyperthermia, such observations are subjective and do not always correlate with rectal temperature).
- In cases where the body temperature exceeds the norm significantly, hyperthermia can be assumed simply by touching the animal.
- Measurement of temperature "as in humans" in the axillary region is not considered reliable in animals.
- The only reliable method for determining body temperature is its rectal measurement.
- In many situations, the general "bad" state of the animal (lethargy, drowsiness, refusal to eat) is due precisely/only to hyperthermia. Timely use of antipyretics (in cases where emergency assistance is required or there is no possibility to conduct an additional examination) can greatly alleviate the condition.
- Significant hypothermia is also a reason to provide emergency assistance, especially the creation of artificial heating (heating pads, wraps) during the period when the owners get to the veterinary clinic.
- Measuring body temperature is a simple procedure. Pet owners can do it themselves at home.
- Temperature measurement can be carried out both with mercury and electronic - medical thermometers (which can be purchased at any medical ("human") pharmacy).
- The measurement is carried out by inserting the tip of the thermometer, previously lubricated with ointment, into the anus and holding it there until the end of the measurement (the electronic thermometer sensor is triggered or the scale on the mercury thermometer stops growing).
- In small animals with a fast metabolism (rodents, small birds), the determination of body temperature is most often impractical. It also makes no sense to measure body temperature in cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians.
- Normal body temperature varies greatly among animals of different species. In most species of domestic animals, the body temperature is higher than human (from 35.5 to 37.4 ° C). Temperature standards are presented in table number 1. For many species of animals (especially exotic ones), temperature norms are not defined or vary significantly in different sources.
In this way, thermometry is a simple but extremely informative procedure. It is important for owners to have an idea about the measurement technique, to know the temperature norm for their pet and to have a separate thermometer for the animal in the first-aid kit.
* Table No. 1: the body temperature of animals is normal
| Kind of animal | Body temperature, °С |
|---|---|
| Dog | 37,5 — 39 |
| Cat | 38 — 39,5 |
| Rabbit | 38,5 — 39,5 |
| Ferret | 38,7 — 39,4 |
| Mink | 39,5 — 40,5 |
| Pig | 38,0 — 40,0 |
| Raccoon | 37,1 — 39,1 |
| Fox | 38,7 — 40,7 |
| baboon hamadryas | 38,0 — 39,0 |
| Budgerigar | 41,0 — 42,0 |
| Chicken | 40,5 — 42,0 |
| Duck | 41,0 — 43,0 |
| Goose | 40,0 — 41,0 |
| Guinea pig | 37,0 — 39,0 |
| Rat | 37,0 — 38,0 |
| Mouse | 38,5 — 39,3 |
| Hamster | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| Chipmunk | 38,0 – 39,5 |
| Squirrel | 38,0 — 39,5 |
| Chinchilla | 36,0 — 37,5 |
| Horse | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| A donkey | 37,5 — 38,5 |
| Sheep, goat | 38,5 — 40,0 |
Veterinarian Kazakov A.A.