chicken illness only affects roosters

[pgnppl]

I don`t usually do forums but I`m trying to help a friend.He has a few various poultry species and breeds. He has had them since I met him over 30 years ago but this illness has him stumped. He doesn`t use computers so Im asking in his place. Something is killing his millie fluer roosters. He says their heads turn blue and they die very quickly.They die so fast after he sees the symptoms there would be no time to treat the sick ones. The birds are caged and the hens are kept with the roosters. None of the hens have died. His first roosters died over a year ago. I found him another. It died also. He got some babies from a hatchery. The roosters died when he moved them out. The rooster I found him fathered some babies before he died and four were roosters. All four died. He has other chickens and except for one red rooster none of the others have died from this. I doubt he would send anything off for an autopsy and I can suggest it but he probably won`t. With the way the government is sticking their noses into everyones business I probably wouldn`t either. Not for a couple roosters. Why only the roosters ? Why almost exclusively the mille fluers ( which are not inbred ) ? Someone else he spoke with said he had the same problem once but he couldn`t remember what he treated the birds with. He called it bluehead. I`ve heard of blackhead but never bluehead. Does anyone have an answer ? thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Perhaps he meant blue comb? Blue comb disease is caused by excessive salt intake, but is usually a disease of turkeys, so I dont know if that would even apply. Blackhead is also a turkey disease, but chickens can get it, but it isn't that common for them to do so.

From Merriam Webster:

an acute infectious disease of domestic turkeys that is caused by a coronavirus (genus Coronavirus) and is characterized by lack of appetite, weight loss, and wet droppings -- called also blue comb disease, mud fever

And this from Welp Hatchery:

Blue Comb Turkeys Transmitted by eating contaminated substances or direct contact with infected birds or droppings. Weight loss, constant chirping, bluish colored head. P-Get rid of birds, disinfect & leave empty for a time. T-Raise temperature in building, use antibiotics & vitamins.​

 

[DuckingLost]

I have lost all my roosters but one little Silkie. I haven't seen a blue head however. 2 were Millie fleur as well. One a show girl one a blue maran and one a frizzle polish. Only the roosters