Are Roosters More Prone to Disease than Hens?

[BlackHackle]

A necropsy is an animal autopsy to determine the cause of death. With so many losses and almost all of them being cocks it would be a good idea to have a necropsy done.

Gotcha

 

[BlackHackle]

What do the poops of the affected birds look like? Can you post a picture?

The poops are the same as the hens, oddly enough.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

1/2 month ago I imported a pair of Andalusians, the rooster has a leg disease

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.

It does seem to be a puzzle if just the males are dying and the females are not.

You mention your current acquisition has a leg disease?
Do you have any photos of the leg?
Did any of the others you lost have a problem with the legs?

Can you describe any symptoms the roosters exhibited?

Without necropsy, it would be hard to know the cause of death. Do you have a department of Agriculture or Veterinarian college that you can contact. Your local vet should be able to help you find these resources. A necropsy is basically an investigative tool that will give you information to what, if any, disease or condition caused death.

I read this thread, but just can't remember- do you house the roosters separately from the hens? The roosters that die, were they all kept in the same location/pen - I wonder if that's the case if they are picking up something in environment.

Getting a fecal float is always a good idea, but the next time you have one that just suddenly starts a decline, I would consider treating for Coccidiosis. Amprol/Amprolium (Corid) is the treatment, I do believe you need to get that from a vet since you are in Canada, but some people ask a neighboring cattle farmer for some

 

[BlackHackle]

You mention your current acquisition has a leg disease?
Do you have any photos of the leg?
Did any of the others you lost have a problem with the legs?

First, thanks for the reply!

He has what I think is bumble foot.
I don't have photos, but can get some tomorrow.
Nope, non of the others, this is a first

Can you describe any symptoms the roosters exhibited?

At first they start to stand as if they are always a little cold. Just a slight tightening of the wings and an odd angle in the tail feathers. Then they become slow to walk and rarely do, and their feathers start standing on the back of their heads. Then they start to eat less and just lay there sleeping. Then, you guessed it, they die

do you house the roosters separately from the hens?

Nope, all of them are housed with their respective hens

 

[Wyorp Rock]

First, thanks for the reply!

He has what I think is bumble foot.
I don't have photos, but can get some tomorrow.
Nope, non of the others, this is a first

At first they start to stand as if they are always a little cold. Just a slight tightening of the wings and an odd angle in the tail feathers. Then they become slow to walk and rarely do, and their feathers start standing on the back of their heads. Then they start to eat less and just lay there sleeping. Then, you guessed it, they die

Nope, all of them are housed with their respective hens

Look forward to the photos.
Bumblefoot is treatable, so we can help you with that.

If any others show symptoms like that, photos or a video of their actions would be good.
I'm not sure what to think about the feathers standing up on the head. The tightening of the wings and odd angle of tail could be due to disease like Marek's.
Birds can act cold with a Coccidiosis overload as well.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

At first they start to stand as if they are always a little cold. Just a slight tightening of the wings and an odd angle in the tail feathers. Then they become slow to walk and rarely do, and their feathers start standing on the back of their heads. Then they start to eat less and just lay there sleeping. Then, you guessed it, they die

Do they have nasal discharge?
At the farm I work at there was a Buff Orpington cockerel who was showing the symptoms that you listed and he had nasal discharge. Sadly he passed away.

 

[BlackHackle]

Do they have nasal discharge?
At the farm I work at there was a Buff Orpington cockerel who was showing the symptoms that you listed and he had nasal discharge. Sadly he passed away.

No nasal anything, they just seem to starve themselves to death for no reason

 

[rebrascora]

If these are grown birds (as oppose to day old chicks) my guess would be coccidiosis. Moving adult birds to a new location can expose them to strains of coccidia that they have not previously encountered and developed resistance to. The symptoms you describe sound like coccidiosis. Would you remember if they had loose stools? I don't know why the hens are surviving when the cockerels don't. It may be that they are more stressed by the change of scenery, especially if you have other roosters on site, even if they are not penned together. It may also be something like Marek's Disease. Stress will trigger an outbreak and perhaps the males are more susceptible. I would be interested to know if you have lost any females from your purchases? It can be easy to overlook the death of a hen here and there if you have a lot and focus on the fact that you are losing lots of males.

I will say that you are putting your flock at risk of Marek's Disease by bringing in birds from different breeders like you have been. The disease has dormant phases that can easily evade the most conscientious quarantine procedures and healthy resistant birds can carry infected material in their feathers onto your property without ever showing any symptoms themselves. Once you have it in your flock it is there for good and it is an incredibly common and widespread disease.

You might be better purchasing straight run chicks or hatching eggs and raising them on your property, than bringing in grown birds. That way, the chicks can develop resistance to your local coccidia as they grow. Definitely acquire some Amprolium to treat any birds that start showing the symptoms you describe. The earlier they are medicated, the better chance they have of surviving. Amprolium is a relatively mild medicine that starves the coccidia in their gut by blocking their absorption of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

It sounds like you have probably spent quite a lot of money on these birds, so a necropsy would be a sensible option so that you know for sure what you are dealing with and how to manage it.

 

[BlackHackle]

If these are grown birds (as oppose to day old chicks) my guess would be coccidiosis. Moving adult birds to a new location can expose them to strains of coccidia that they have not previously encountered and developed resistance to. The symptoms you describe sound like coccidiosis. Would you remember if they had loose stools? I don't know why the hens are surviving when the cockerels don't. It may be that they are more stressed by the change of scenery, especially if you have other roosters on site, even if they are not penned together. It may also be something like Marek's Disease. Stress will trigger an outbreak and perhaps the males are more susceptible. I would be interested to know if you have lost any females from your purchases? It can be easy to overlook the death of a hen here and there if you have a lot and focus on the fact that you are losing lots of males.

I will say that you are putting your flock at risk of Marek's Disease by bringing in birds from different breeders like you have been. The disease has dormant phases that can easily evade the most conscientious quarantine procedures and healthy resistant birds can carry infected material in their feathers onto your property without ever showing any symptoms themselves. Once you have it in your flock it is there for good and it is an incredibly common and widespread disease.

You might be better purchasing straight run chicks or hatching eggs and raising them on your property, than bringing in grown birds. That way, the chicks can develop resistance to your local coccidia as they grow. Definitely acquire some Amprolium to treat any birds that start showing the symptoms you describe. The earlier they are medicated, the better chance they have of surviving. Amprolium is a relatively mild medicine that starves the coccidia in their gut by blocking their absorption of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

It sounds like you have probably spent quite a lot of money on these birds, so a necropsy would be a sensible option so that you know for sure what you are dealing with and how to manage it.

Thank you soo much! Yes, from now on I am doing hatching eggs. So far birds bought as hatching eggs or chicks have never ever died on my property. I'll look into all the things you have mentioned

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I've had the opposite. Roosters tend to live longer and healthier lives because they are not subject to the sicknesses associated with egg laying which often kills hens too soon.