Beat up roo, head injury? - Photo added

[lishah2000]

He looks quite a bit better today! Keeping the eye open a lot more and the eye itself looks almost normal. Still tilting the head, but not quite as much. We will see how the day goes.

As it started to get dark, the hen wanted to go back to her coop. I went back and forth, but decided to take him out to the coop for the night. He couldn't get up to the roost, but did try to grab one of his hens. LOL So mentally he is at least trying to do all his roo things. I put up netting over the run with the other roo and blocked their vision of each other as much as I could. He will need help getting in and out of the coop (it's about 2 feet up without a ramp), but he has plenty of shelter under the coop and they really only use it for egg laying during the day.

I found this treatment for wry neck and I am going to start it. He has all the symptoms. I already have everything on hand. It's good information for anyone else who might have this issue from an injury.

http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

 

[lynxs1981]

Is that one pupil still dilated? If so, it's a sign of brain injury.

 

[shay20]

Poor guy, Sounds he got kicked in the head to hard, it can be swollen on teh inside, give him some bayer baby asprin a day.
I hope he pulls threw for you.

 

[lishah2000]

Quote:
It's pretty much normal now. Seems to be the same size as the other eye.

 

[lynxs1981]

Well that's good. Probably just got a little chicken concussion. Hope he pulls through.

 

[lishah2000]

Not a great photo, they were resting in the shade, but he looks so much better today. His girls have stayed right by his side. Oddly enough they picked him as their roo (flew over the fence to join him in his bachelor coop) and are very loyal to him.

I finally have some hope he might pull through and recover well. Most of the time he is holding his head at this angle, which is much better than yesterday.

 

[drumstick diva]

Maybe it is some injury with the ear - that can easily cause balance problems. He sounds like he is lots better with his girls and being adored.

 

[lynxs1981]

He could also be blind in the one eye. Chicken's alway seem to favor with head tilting.

 

[chkn]

He was just hurtin' like hell. I hope it doesn't happen again. They can kill each other when they set their mind to it.

 

[lishah2000]

Quote:
These two roos have always free-ranged together. Usually the other one runs from this one even though he is twice the size. In general they really only fight when there is a fence between them. But the other one now is bonded to his hens and they were locked in their runs (training a LGD and don't fully trust her yet). When all the runs are open, my tom turkey keeps the roos from fighting. He hates fighting and is quick to stop it.

This time they just didn't have the room to get away from each other. I'm not even sure the injury was from the other roo, he could have hit his head on something trying to get away. The scab along the bottom of his comb, near the head, came off. that injury was a lot deeper than it looked. All the way down to his head.

Hopefully he recovers to his old self. I will take care of him regardless, but his lack of fear when protecting his hens, is what makes him the perfect roo for free-ranging. Plus I never have to worry about him. I trust him even with little kids.