High Temps Kill Farm Animals

Scorching summer temperatures have killed tens of thousands of chickens and turkeys this week. According to the Associated Press, 50,000 chickens died at a farm in North Carolina after the power went out for less than an hour. A Kansas Butterball farmer lost 4,400 turkeys last weekend after temperatures escalated to 110 degrees. While most poultry farms equip their chicken houses with cooling systems, power failures can cause extreme heat in the crowded coops. The dangers of factory farming increase in the summer, as birds tend to swarm near any source of ventilation, so even if they survive the heat, they may smother each other. The National Weather Service has announced an excessive heat watch for much of Kansas through the weekend.