Lethargic barred rock rooster.

fishmanwill

In the Brooder
6 Years
Jan 16, 2014
48
2
36
Our barred rock rooster was lethargic when I got home this afternoon. He was fine this morning and at noon. Got home and he was laying next to the coop in the shade, did not get up when I went toward him. He will only move if I pick him up. He is real slow and not active. Laid back down right away. There was a lot of watery poop almost clear behind him. He is free range during the day, locked up at night. We have 30 other chickens he is the only one acting that way. He is 6 months old and one of the oldest ones. Please help, thanks.
 
Do you have any electrolytes or Poultry Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell to give him? Could he be suffering from heatstroke or dehydrated? Try cooling him with a little cool but not cold water, either with a bucket or a sprayer. Have you added any new chickens where he could be exposed to a new strain of coccidiosis? I would try giving him fluids with electrolytes, and check him for lice and mites, and maybe worm him tomorrow with fenbendazole or Valbazen. Placing flat pans of water in the shade help them to keep cool by standing in the water, and extra water bowls help to prevent dehydration in summer.

HOMEMADE ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION courtesy of The Chicken Chick.com
1/2 teaspoon salt substitute*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 gallon water
*Salt substitute is readily available in most stores in the spice aisle near the salt, but if you do not have it, don't worry, the solution will still have most of the benefits intended to combat heat stress.
 
Got him in the shade and misted with a spray bottle. Also had some electrolytes and mixed it up.

I have not added any new chickens these are our first chickens and the only chickens we have gotten. Can they get worms, lice, or mites without adding new chickens? What is good for lice and mites? Thanks.

Will
 
It sounds like he might be dehydrated. But just check him out for the rest, just in case. Worms are normal in chickens from being on dirt. Lice and mites are things they can possibly get from bales of straw and hay, or from other chickens, and possibly from their coop. For worms, fenbendazole or SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer is inexpensive, and will treat all chicken worms except for tapeworm (which most don't have.) Valbazen will get all chicken worms, but is more expensive, and has more doses. For lice and mites, you don't need to treat unless you see signs of them on the skin--either tiny insects around the vent, or lice eggs, which are round white balls near the base of feathers. Permethrin or Sevin dust will kill lice or mites on contact, but the coop and nest boxes should also be cleaned. Then re-dust in 7-10 days depending on whether you see mites or lice. Here is a good link on lice and mites:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf
 
When using SafeGuard or Valbazen, there is a14 day withdrawal from the last dose. It should be given 1/2 ml by mouth to each chicken, then repeated in 10 days, so that is a 24 day total egg withdrawal. So you may just want to worm him.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom