Hi.
I have a problem with Apache le Colosse - my light Brahma rooster : his skin is quickly blackening on his head (crest and wattles).
Look at the picture, and you can notice how his skin is dark compared with my dark Brahma :
If I am not mistaken, this is caused by a lack of oxygen in his blood...?
He has had some breathing problems since I bought him in July (I did not realize he had problems right away, because he did not sound sick at the time I bought him), so much so he can only crow in the mornings : he has literally no voice in the evenings.
But lately, he has been sounding like he is healing : a much better voice, and a "healthier" breathing... so I was surprised to see his skin blackening, and so fast...?
Could it be actually a cardiac problem? Brahmas are at risks because of their weight, no...?
I am 100% sure his problem is not from diseases, worms, lice, his food, the weather, or whatever...
So really : his heart is bad, or his difficulties breathing are worse I thought...?
...In order to help him, I have put sodium bicarbonate in my chickens' waterer for two days now.
(2,5-3 grams per liter of water...)
That's a first for me... so I am not sure I am really doing good by trying to help him with sodium bicarbonate?
...I don't even know how long will I have to keep putting baking soda in the waterer... How long is too much? 2 weeks? One month? One year...?
Actually, could an excess of sodium bicarbonate cause problems for my birds later...?!
...What more could I do to help my Apache?
I don't want him to die : he is so young his spurs are just beginning to grow, and... everybody love him!
If needed, I can give him herbs and spices... Calcium or Vitamins... But no antibiotics : I don't have any, and trust me when I say it is harder and harder to find what we need in France... (I don't even think I could obtain antibiotics for my rooster without a prescription!)
Drugstores dont always give what we need, and ... for now, I can't even take him to the vet : I absolutely don't trust the nearest vet, and the ones I actually trust are too far away from me, and I won't go to them for now because some of the roads until there are much too bad for me to drive on in this weather...
So... what do I do?
Do I keep putting baking soda in my flock's waterer? And if so, for how much longer...?
(How will I know my rooster is healed, if baking soda works? Because since what I once read is correct, his skin will stay black/purple even if he is better...?)
Please, help! Thank you!!
I am so worried for Apache... He is such a good boy...!!
I have a problem with Apache le Colosse - my light Brahma rooster : his skin is quickly blackening on his head (crest and wattles).
Look at the picture, and you can notice how his skin is dark compared with my dark Brahma :
If I am not mistaken, this is caused by a lack of oxygen in his blood...?
He has had some breathing problems since I bought him in July (I did not realize he had problems right away, because he did not sound sick at the time I bought him), so much so he can only crow in the mornings : he has literally no voice in the evenings.
But lately, he has been sounding like he is healing : a much better voice, and a "healthier" breathing... so I was surprised to see his skin blackening, and so fast...?
Could it be actually a cardiac problem? Brahmas are at risks because of their weight, no...?
I am 100% sure his problem is not from diseases, worms, lice, his food, the weather, or whatever...
So really : his heart is bad, or his difficulties breathing are worse I thought...?
...In order to help him, I have put sodium bicarbonate in my chickens' waterer for two days now.
(2,5-3 grams per liter of water...)
That's a first for me... so I am not sure I am really doing good by trying to help him with sodium bicarbonate?
...I don't even know how long will I have to keep putting baking soda in the waterer... How long is too much? 2 weeks? One month? One year...?
Actually, could an excess of sodium bicarbonate cause problems for my birds later...?!
...What more could I do to help my Apache?
I don't want him to die : he is so young his spurs are just beginning to grow, and... everybody love him!
If needed, I can give him herbs and spices... Calcium or Vitamins... But no antibiotics : I don't have any, and trust me when I say it is harder and harder to find what we need in France... (I don't even think I could obtain antibiotics for my rooster without a prescription!)
Drugstores dont always give what we need, and ... for now, I can't even take him to the vet : I absolutely don't trust the nearest vet, and the ones I actually trust are too far away from me, and I won't go to them for now because some of the roads until there are much too bad for me to drive on in this weather...
So... what do I do?
Do I keep putting baking soda in my flock's waterer? And if so, for how much longer...?
(How will I know my rooster is healed, if baking soda works? Because since what I once read is correct, his skin will stay black/purple even if he is better...?)
Please, help! Thank you!!
I am so worried for Apache... He is such a good boy...!!
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