13 week old black copper Marans sitting a lot

[PegJ]

I have 25 chickens, 13 weeks old. 3 are black copper marans. 2 hens and 1 rooster. Just beginning to be able to tell which are hens or roosters. They are about half grown and fully feathered. One I think is the rooster has taken to sitting a lot the last week or so. He’s not eating as much as he used to but doesn’t seem sickly otherwise. Thinking I’ll separate him tomorrow. The rest seem to be acting normal. Moved them from chick mash to grower feed this week. I added a little flax seed to their feed last week. 1 cup to every 9 cups of feed. 4 cups total over a week. I also give them chick grit, a handful in the dirt bath every other day or so. I put a little of the chick enzymes in the water every other tank. They’ve been out in the run days for around 2 weeks. He’s never been real friendly, so I haven’t tried to handle him to check him out. Any advice on what to check will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is his crop emptying overnight?
Any swelling of the leg joints?
What's his poop like?
Lice/mites?
Is flax seed something you normally feed your chickens?

Photos of him and his poop may be helpful.

What protein % is the grower vs the chick starter?

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Is his crop emptying overnight?
Any swelling of the leg joints?
What's his poop like?
Lice/mites?
Is flax seed something you normally feed your chickens?

Photos of him and his poop may be helpful.

What protein % is the grower vs the chick starter?

Excellent questions @Wyorp Rock
Welcome from New Orleans, @PegJ

Calcium percentage?

 

[PegJ]

Is his crop emptying overnight?
Any swelling of the leg joints?
What's his poop like?
Lice/mites?
Is flax seed something you normally feed your chickens?

Photos of him and his poop may be helpful.

What protein % is the grower vs the chick starter?

This is terrible, but how do you check to see if his crop is emptying overnight? I had chickens many years ago but have forgotten more than I remember. Does seem a bit more complicated now than it was then.
I didn’t see any swelling in his legs but I’ll check it out more thoroughly this morning. Same with the poop. I may have to wait on that till I get him into his own cage. With 25 of them… there’s a lot of poop. Haven’t seen any sign of lice or mites. They love rolling in their sand box, but haven’t seen any excessive scratching or picking.
The flax seed is to increase the omega 3 in the eggs and meat. Hubby and I suffer from terribly high cholesterol that hasn’t corrected with diet so hoping our chicks will help us with this. Just started it a week ago and am keeping it light. It’s fine ground. I’ll check the protein and get some pictures for you.
Thank you for your help!

 

[PegJ]

Excellent questions @Wyorp Rock
Welcome from New Orleans, @PegJ

Calcium percentage?

I had bought a new bag of feed thinking it was grower and mixed it in with the mash, 3 cups mash to 1 of grower to let them get used to it. After 3 days realized it wasn’t grower it was layer and went and made sure I got grower (no calcium) they probably won’t start laying until March, then I’ll get them some oyster shell? That was just last week and I had already noticed him sitting more than the others.
Thank you from Crystal River, FL

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Have you checked him for injuries? That just sounds so odd for a Marans cockerel.

 

[PegJ]

Is his crop emptying overnight?
Any swelling of the leg joints?
What's his poop like?
Lice/mites?
Is flax seed something you normally feed your chickens?

Photos of him and his poop may be helpful.

What protein % is the grower vs the chick starter?

His crop seems soft.no swelling in the legs. When he walks (not much or very far) his legs shake and if he stands his whole body shakes. Doesn’t want to eat even out of my hand.
Old “mash” didn’t have any calcium and had 23% protein. The new “grower” has 19% protein and and a little calcium. It’s also medicated.
Holding him in my lap and he’s falling asleep. Has never liked being picked up or held so this is very unusual. Seems to be twitching a little on and off.
Putting him in a separate crate with his own feed and water just in case.

 

[PegJ]

Have you checked him for injuries? That just sounds so odd for a Marans cockerel.

Not seeing any injuries, sores etc. vent looks ok. I’m getting really worried.

 

[PegJ]

His crop seems soft.no swelling in the legs. When he walks (not much or very far) his legs shake and if he stands his whole body shakes. Doesn’t want to eat even out of my hand.
Old “mash” didn’t have any calcium and had 23% protein. The new “grower” has 19% protein and and a little calcium. It’s also medicated.
Holding him in my lap and he’s falling asleep. Has never liked being picked up or held so this is very unusual. Seems to be twitching a little on and off.
Putting him in a separate crate with his own feed and water just in case.

Got him into a large wire dog kennel. He did poop again, smaller this time but still firm. I think all the rest of them poop pretty much liquid. Do roosters get constipated? He took one bite out of the food, didn’t touch the water, plopped down and panted a little. Maybe from the stress of me carrying him around?
The rest of them still seem fine, but are spending more time inside the coop than they used to. They do have food and water outside.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[PegJ]

Have you checked him for injuries? That just sounds so odd for a Marans cockerel.

It is unusual for him! He was the most energetic (and flighty) of all of them except my freebie blue Australorp. Sp?
I forgot to tell you that I’ve been chopping up zucchini, carrots, celery pretty fine maybe twice a week. They love the zucchini! There’s just about a cottage cheese container that I spread out between the 24 chicks.