Chicken sleeping all day long!

[Darius123]

Hi! I have a Brahma x Unknown cockerel that s around 6 months old! He was good up until now, but for about 4-5 days he is sleeping constantly.

When i enter the chickens zone he is always asleep , even when i bring food or something he is sleeping!

I move him to wake him up, he stays awake for 2 3 minutes, than falls asleep while still being on his feet.

He eats i guess from time to time, but that s it! Do you know if this is some kid of disease? Could it be genetic or some kind of illness?

 

[Eggcessive]

What do his poops look like? Do you have other cockerels or roosters that might have kept him from food and water. I would take him right now and give him some water, and a few ml of Poultry NutriDrench or other electrolytes and vitamins would be good. Chicken feed made wet with water and scrambled egg is good too. He is sick, or possibly dehydrated. Young cockerels can easily be kept from drinking and eating by others. Coccidiosis might also be a problem. Corid is the treatment. Has he or your flock been wormed recently? It is always good to look a sick bird over for lice or mites under their abdomen.

 

[Darius123]

What do his poops look like? Do you have other cockerels or roosters that might have kept him from food and water. I would take him right now and give him some water, and a few ml of Poultry NutriDrench or other electrolytes and vitamins would be good. Chicken feed made wet with water and scrambled egg is good too. He is sick, or possibly dehydrated. Young cockerels can easily be kept from drinking and eating by others. Coccidiosis might also be a problem. Corid is the treatment. Has he or your flock been wormed recently? It is always good to look a sick bird over for lice or mites under their abdomen.

I get him out 2/3 times a day out to give him some space out of the flock and feed him separately. I will try as soon as i can to check him for mites and lice, but ive seen as you said maybe he is being kept from drinking? He was one of the top cockerel but now being sick i see some pullets going at him from time to time

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, it might be best to feed and water him separately until he is back on his feet. If you have other roosters, you may need to separate him. I have had a young cockerel his age who was head of a young flock, suddenly begin to act sickly, and be pecked and ostracized by even the smallest bantam. We culled him since he got worse and worse.

 

[Darius123]

Yes, it might be best to feed and water him separately until he is back on his feet. If you have other roosters, you may need to separate him. I have had a young cockerel his age who was head of a young flock, suddenly begin to act sickly, and be pecked and ostracized by even the smallest bantam. We culled him since he got worse and worse.

At a closer inspection, he is not sleeping. He cant open his eyes. They are full red and extremely moist, like he tears every time i open them.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be good to see pictures of his eyes. Do you have another rooster that might have attacked or pecked him? Look for any eye bubbles or pus. When eyes are inflamed, flushing them with eye wash, saline, or Vetericyn eye wash is good to do, followed by applying Terramycin Eye Ointment or plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment 2-24 times per day.

 

[NatJ]

At a closer inspection, he is not sleeping. He cant open his eyes. They are full red and extremely moist, like he tears every time i open them.

If he cannot open his eyes, you should certainly separate him from the other chickens while you work on treating it.

You may also have to help him find food and water. Even blind chickens can learn to eat and drink, but it's new to him so he is probably having trouble.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hold water up to his beak in a lid or small cup. Electrolytes or Poultry NutriDrench would be good to give. A wet mash can be made with a small amount of chicken feed, water, and cooked egg, and dip his beak into it. Just make enough for a feeding. It can take days for swelling to go down in eyes, and as NatJ said, he will need to be fed until he can see.

 

[NatJ]

A wet mash can be made with a small amount of chicken feed, water, and cooked egg, and dip his beak into it. Just make enough for a feeding.

After you feed him, you can give any extra mash to your other chickens, so it's not wasted. They will probably love it.

 

[Darius123]

It would be good to see pictures of his eyes. Do you have another rooster that might have attacked or pecked him? Look for any eye bubbles or pus. When eyes are inflamed, flushing them with eye wash, saline, or Vetericyn eye wash is good to do, followed by applying Terramycin Eye Ointment or plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment 2-24 times per day.

He is getting better, today is the first day since this happened when i found him in the middle of the flock eating with his eyes opened. He has conjunctivitis btw, if you were curious