Rooster not acting normal for about a week. Lethargic, fluffed, away from flock, stands still, or just lays down. Bubblefoot??? Please help!

[azygous]

I would select the oxytetracycline. The dosage is 5mg per each two pounds of body weight per day. Do not give anything with calcium in it just before or within three hours of the injection. Inject in the breast muscle.

As for what's causing his crop issue, it could be any of a number of things. Worms, tumors, blockages in the gizzard, etc. No, an antibiotic won't help a yeast infection.

Edited to correct dosage amount, removed an erroneous decimal point.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

I would select the oxytetracycline. The dosage is .5mg per each two pounds of body weight per day. Do not give anything with calcium in it just before or within three hours of the injection. Inject in the breast muscle.

As for what's causing his crop issue, it could be any of a number of things. Worms, tumors, blockages in the gizzard, etc. No, an antibiotic won't help a yeast infection.

This one is in tablet form. Is it possible to not inject it and feed it orally? Maybe broken up as a powder in something he will eat? Or in water and syringe into the crop? I'm not sure how much he weighs.

 

[azygous]

The tablet form is formulated to be given orally. But the same dosage per weight applies. Weigh the rooster and divide the tablet accordingly. You are able to work a calculator or do simple math, I assume.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

I just went and checked on him and thankfully he is still breathing. Although his breathing seems even slower than yesterday. He had moved since this morning and was on his food bowl, which doesn't look touched. I checked his vent and he has still got the yellow pudge coming out slowly. I applied a slight bit of pressure to the bulge around his vent and a bunch of yellow stuff came squishing out. I'll add a picture. He won't eat or drink. And he still won't stand. I'm trying to not give up on him but nothing I'm doing is working. I'd you think antibiotics will get rid of the infection and help him eat and drink, then I'm willing to so that. My brother can pick up some when he goes into town. I also posted a picture of some nylon tubing at TSC if that will work for tube feeding him.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous I think ai have made the final decision to put him to rest. He can't even hold up his head and when he was it was ticking back and forth slightly. He won't open his eyes, or eat even an egg. He can't stand and his breathing is labored. He's barely hanging on and if God doesn't take him by morning then we are going to have to put him to rest tomorrow. Clearly nothing is working and at this point we still don't know what exactly what we are dealing with. It just seems like he has 5 different things going on at once and he won't get better.

 

[azygous]

The tubing will work if it's no more than a quarter inch in diameter. You only need a ten inch length. But you need a syringe to fit into it and the syringe has to be large enough to hold a thick slurry of liquid food.

To be candid, I think your rooster is beyond help at this point. If you cannot revive him by syringing some raw egg and sugar into him, tube feeding probably isn't going to do any good either. Neither is an antibiotic.

I make this claim from experience. It's pretty simple. If a chicken is getting worse in spite of all you're doing, it's likely the chicken will die. If the chicken remains in a steady holding pattern, not getting worse, even though they aren't necessarily getting better, there's hope. What we want to see is a chicken that is fighting to get well, and then we add our support care to their fight. Your rooster has given up. I would be surprised if he is alive by morning. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I'm not one to give false hope.



I just read what you just posted, but I'm posting what I just wrote. I think we both are on the same page. This is a tough situation. I've been through this many times. It never gets any easier, although it does get easier to read the signs. You are brave to have reached this conclusion.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

The tubing will work if it's no more than a quarter inch in diameter. You only need a ten inch length. But you need a syringe to fit into it and the syringe has to be large enough to hold a thick slurry of liquid food.

To be candid, I think your rooster is beyond help at this point. If you cannot revive him by syringing some raw egg and sugar into him, tube feeding probably isn't going to do any good either. Neither is an antibiotic.

I make this claim from experience. It's pretty simple. If a chicken is getting worse in spite of all you're doing, it's likely the chicken will die. If the chicken remains in a steady holding pattern, not getting worse, even though they aren't necessarily getting better, there's hope. What we want to see is a chicken that is fighting to get well, and then we add our support care to their fight. Your rooster has given up. I would be surprised if he is alive by morning. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I'm not one to give false hope.



I just read what you just posted, but I'm posting what I just wrote. I think we both are on the same page. This is a tough situation. I've been through this many times. It never gets any easier, although it does get easier to read the signs. You are brave to have reached this conclusion.

I just went to put the chickens away for the night. One is bleeding likely from the roosters. I'll try to find the vetericy. Spray to put on her. One hen was limping earlier and it she had a scab so I'm hoping she doesn't have bumblefoot. Another hen was ik n the nesting box. It's past dark and I have NEVER seen her in a nesting box after dark and it isn't broody season. Another looks like she has a bulge or something on her neck I'm guessing that huge balloon on her chest is her crop.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

I just went to put the chickens away for the night. One is bleeding likely from the roosters. I'll try to find the vetericy. Spray to put on her. One hen was limping earlier and it she had a scab so I'm hoping she doesn't have bumblefoot. Another hen was ik n the nesting box. It's past dark and I have NEVER seen her in a nesting box after dark and it isn't broody season. Another looks like she has a bulge or something on her neck I'm guessing that huge balloon on her chest is her crop.

I'm about to just give up on all of them and never own chickens again.

 

[ChickenTender1203]

Please please tell me I'm just going crazy and they are all going to be fine

 

[azygous]

These things do get overwhelming at times. You can go months with everything going well, all the chickens happy and well and laying eggs. Then it seems everyone has a problem. This state of affairs is called "life".

You might take a cue from how they work things in a hospital ER when Friday night arrives and sick and injured and the drunk and injured all mob the ER at once. They triage. Triage means they sort the patients and treat them according to the sickest and most life threatening injuries first. The rest just have to wait their turn.

We've all been in your shoes. Just remind yourself how much you love chickens and get a good nights sleep and do an ER triage come morning.