Chicken illness

[Jhendershot]

Hi,
My rooster has been sick for some time now. He always chatters his beak and swallows a lot. Sometimes he acts like he’s choking. The symptoms seem to worsen in the cold. I have been giving him vet rx which seems to helps. He’s the only one in the flock that has experienced this. There has been multiple times where I thought he was going to die. I bring him inside and he perks right up. No nasal discharge or difference his bowel movements. If I had to guess. I would say it’s a respiratory disease but I find it strange that he is the only one that has got it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. Thank you.

 

[FowlProtector]

Hi,
My rooster has been sick for some time now. He always chatters his beak and swallows a lot. Sometimes he acts like he’s choking. The symptoms seem to worsen in the cold. I have been giving him vet rx which seems to helps. He’s the only one in the flock that has experienced this. There has been multiple times where I thought he was going to die. I bring him inside and he perks right up. No nasal discharge or difference his bowel movements. If I had to guess. I would say it’s a respiratory disease but I find it strange that he is the only one that has got it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Hi there!

It sounds like you're doing a great job caring for your rooster. Based on the symptoms you described, here are a few things that could be going on:

1. Cold weather: The cold might be making his breathing harder, which could be why he feels better when you bring him inside where it’s warm.
2. Respiratory infection: Sometimes only one bird in a flock gets sick, so it could be a virus or bacteria affecting him.
3. Gapeworm: This is a parasite that affects the throat and makes birds cough and gasp, which might explain the choking sounds.
4. Something stuck in his throat: It’s also possible he has something stuck in his throat, which could make him choke or make beak noises.

If he doesn’t get better, it might be a good idea to check with a vet. They can help figure out what’s going on for sure.

Hope he feels better soon!

 

[FowlProtector]

That’s definitely strange that only one bird is affected if it’s a respiratory issue. Sometimes, though, a respiratory disease can still affect just one bird, especially if that bird is more stressed or has a weaker immune system. It's also possible that something else, like a parasite or a foreign object, could be causing similar symptoms but only impacting one bird.

If it were a respiratory disease, it might be worth keeping an eye out for any changes in behavior or new symptoms in the others. Since the rooster is the only one affected, it could still be something more specific to him, like a reaction to the cold or stress.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi,
My rooster has been sick for some time now. He always chatters his beak and swallows a lot. Sometimes he acts like he’s choking. The symptoms seem to worsen in the cold. I have been giving him vet rx which seems to helps. He’s the only one in the flock that has experienced this. There has been multiple times where I thought he was going to die. I bring him inside and he perks right up. No nasal discharge or difference his bowel movements. If I had to guess. I would say it’s a respiratory disease but I find it strange that he is the only one that has got it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Welcome To BYC

Can you get a video of his actions? Upload to youtube and provide a link.

Photos of your rooster and his poop too please.

What is his crop like? Is it emptying overnight?

How old is he?

What do you feed, including treats?

Have you looked inside his beak for any obstruction, canker, mucous, lesions, etc.?

How cold is it? What the housing like?

What breed is he?

He improves when you bring him in to a warmer area?

I'd work on hydration, then see if he can eat some wet mushy feed.

Observe for any signs of mucous from the nostrils, coughing, sneezing, bubbles in the eyes or facial swelling.

 

[dawg53]

Hi,
My rooster has been sick for some time now. He always chatters his beak and swallows a lot. Sometimes he acts like he’s choking. The symptoms seem to worsen in the cold. I have been giving him vet rx which seems to helps. He’s the only one in the flock that has experienced this. There has been multiple times where I thought he was going to die. I bring him inside and he perks right up. No nasal discharge or difference his bowel movements. If I had to guess. I would say it’s a respiratory disease but I find it strange that he is the only one that has got it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Welcome to BYC.
Open your roosters mouth and look for tiny white splotches in the back of his mouth and going down into his esophagus. I suspect you're dealing with a yeast infection. Gurgling when he crows is a symptom as well.
There are several treatments; Acidified Copper Sulfate, Epsom Salt, Metronidazole.
I have a rooster with the same issue. Treatment is ongoing. I prefer using Acidified Copper Sulfate (ACS) and Epsom Salts. Sometimes Metronidazole doesnt treat the yeast infection.