Hemoconcentration and erythrocyte fragility in chickens exposed to heat and dehydration.

Chickens were exposed to heat and dehydration, and the effects on their erythrocytes were examined. As chicken and camel (Camelus dromedarius) erythrocytes are of similar shape, the erythrocytes of the exposed chickens were compared with those of the camel. The salient findings were that chickens kept at 35 C without drinking water remained visibly unaffected. Their blood, however, showed hemoconcentration and increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility. Hemoconcentration could lead to an increase in body temperature of chickens in increased environmental temperatures.