Rooster stopped crowing and eating. Is it bullying or coccidiosis?

lovesfarms

Crowing
7 Years
Sep 6, 2016
984
4,550
396
Dauphin county, pa
I wish he could talk and confide in me!I heard my gold laced wyandotte rooster Mr Dark crow soon after 8 weeks old. By 10 weeks he crowed 7:00 sharp every morning. I wanted him to be quiet so the neighbors dont hear him but he wasnt big enough for the pot. And I secretly couldnt bear the thought..One morning all was quiet. He didnt crow, eat or drink but sat with his head pulled to his shoulders. He wouldnt even eat out of my hands. But Later I saw him pecking around the garden so decided I just missed his crowing. The next morning was a repeat.And I saw Goldie the smaller rooster kept him away from the feed and water! So Goldie went into a cage by himself but all day My dark just lay in the sun. He wasnt very interested in the pullets and I didnt see him eat.He had diarrhea but his crop always felt empty.Today I treated him for coccidiosis and moved goldies cage far, far away. Now hes out and about with the pullets. He ate some when I moistened the mash with the treated water but hate to ser him sit with his head pulled tight to his shoulders. Is he depressed or just feeling sick because he hadnt been eating and drinking? I dont mind in the least bit if he doesnt crow but I want him to eat!It didnt occur to me right away that he might be bullied becaused he had been so aggressive just a week ago. But in the past week Goldie changed and attacked me. I dont want roosters but they arent very big yet. I didnt think wyandottes mature this young so I am not quite prepared for a fight. Should I be treating for coccidiosis or am I panicking?
 
It sounds a bit more like he is being bullied or kept from food and water, but he also could have coccidiosis at his age. Symptoms are hunching or puffed up posture, sleepiness, not eating, runny poops with mucus or blood, and this can be treated with Corid in the water for 5 days. When you have more than one cockerel, they usually can start being trouble around 3-4 months of age. The hens can even bully them until they are older, so I would make sure there are a couple of food and water stations where he can sneak and eat, but also separate extra cockerels or roosters. Your hens will appreciate only having one randy fellow to deal with.
 
I was going to the nearest stores and nobody carried corid. I finally started calling and the sales people didnt seem to know what Im talking about.They had probiotics and vitamins but not medicine. One store convinced my husband to buy terra-vet but he had no respiratory symptoms.I finally found some sulfadimethoxine. He lost weight now. I didnt see any blood. It was cold and rainy yesterday and while I saw everybody elses chickens frisking about outside,mine sat in a tight huddle inside.They hadnt looked unhealthy before except I noticed a lot of dropped feathers and a big drop in appetite this week.I thought maybe the chickens loss in appetite was partly because I took their rooster. Wish they could talk!
 
400
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom