My rooster won't eat or drink after a bad fight. Please help!

Date sort Score sort
cochins1088

cochins1088

Crowing
9 Years
Jul 17, 2012
3,247
129
261
Southern Minnesota
My beautiful dark brahma rooster Alexander got into a fight with another rooster. His face is hot and swollen and full of scabs. His comb is literally shredded and his beautiful white feathers are now stained red. I put him in a large dog kennel full of hay in the garage to recover.

I covered his comb, wattles, and face generously with antibiotic ointment to try to help prevent infection. His mouth was extremely bloody and I believe the tip of the bottom part of his beak broke off, but I'm not sure.

It has now been a full 36 hours since the fight and I haven't been able to get him to eat or drink anything. How long can a chicken last without water? I tried shoving his beak in it, but I didn't have much luck. He's very weak and just lies down all day.

He's super friendly and beautiful so I really don't want to lose him. Any advice?
 
You could try to use an eye dropper and I've him some fluids..fluids emetic vitamins of some sort..then move to some mashed up food with water. He's probably freaking out and it probably hurts to eat. He'll die if he doesn't get some food and water in him very soon though
 
This is something I haven't had to deal with yet, but I'll at least give you a bump so maybe some of the more experienced chicken keepers will chime in...

I think the eyedropper idea sounds like good advice. And have you tried offering him scrambled eggs, yogurt, or anything like that? Sorry you're going through this, and I hope your boy pulls through!
 
I have a rooster who got in a bad bad fight once (he has one eye now ) but I say you should use a eyedropper for water and maybe soften the food into a mash so its easier to eat. Sorry to hear about him I hope he gets better
 
It's very possible that if you force a little nourishment on him he'll take over after the little push, but if a chicken goes too long without food or water they become too weak to take in the food and water they need
 
As soon as I saw your response, I rushed out with an eye dropper to get some water in him. He's obviously in a lot of pain and he didn't like me touching his beak. I wasn't able to get much in him, but he swallowed at least 6 times. He refuses to drink from his water dish and won't eat. He wouldn't even eat his favorite treat, cheese.

I'll scramble an egg for him to see if he'll eat that.

Do you know of anything I could give him to ease his pain?
 
It seems like most things advise against pain killers for chickens...make sure you have him somewhere warm it sounds like he went into a little shock..just keep on with the water. I mean not too much...perhaps google how to tube or syringe feed a chicken. If you have any vitamins put a little in the water and then give that to him. Chickens are super resilient sometimes and can recover after some serious injuries with minimal medical care. Just simple first aid is usually best...food water and warmth are what he needs now
 
Also make sure the antibiotic ointment doesn't have any pain killer in it. Anything with Caine at the end Is toxic to poultry. I have read where people give chickens a baby aspirin dissolved in water...and the chickens lived so..I guess you could try that...
 
missnu01 said:
It seems like most things advise against pain killers for chickens...make sure you have him somewhere warm it sounds like he went into a little shock..just keep on with the water. I mean not too much...perhaps google how to tube or syringe feed a chicken. If you have any vitamins put a little in the water and then give that to him. Chickens are super resilient sometimes and can recover after some serious injuries with minimal medical care. Just simple first aid is usually best...food water and warmth are what he needs now
Click to expand...

I brought him into our heated garage, but we only heat it to 40 degrees. Is that warm enough?
 
Do you have a brooder lamp so you can give him some extra heat..when something IRS into shock their body temp drops basically readying them for death. The body starts to shut down, so sometimes keeping something toasty can help break the trance of shock and death
 

Similar threads

MysticMountian
Help! Rooster fight = scabbed shut eyes??
2
Replies
12
Views
1K
JacinLarkwell
JacinLarkwell
G
HELP! I think my rooster is dying
Replies
1
Views
167
MarlaMac
MarlaMac
V
Rooster limping
Replies
1
Views
224
Vgali
V
Dom Mom
Rooster recovering from dog attack has stopped eating/drinking
2
Replies
15
Views
2K
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock
G
is my rooster dying?
Replies
7
Views
234
MysteryChicken
MysteryChicken

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom