cockerel breathing difficulty, no voice?!

[windrose]

I hope someone can help. Just joined the forum.
Have been searching the posts to see if my problem has already been discussed, have not found an exact match so far.

My cockerel has lost his voice. This morning letting them out, he was trying to crow but it was very weak and hoarse. I share chicken duties with a neighbor and she was on the dawn shift last week, so I don't know how long he has had this problem. I have been checking him all day, he is keeping himself apart from the girls, closing his eyes, the back of his comb is looking a bit dark (he is a cotswold legbar, large red comb). I just shut them in and noticed his breathing sounds strange, like gurgling.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Maybe gape worm? respiratory problems? something with his crop?

I prefer to treat my chickens with natural treatments... but really want him to make it as he is the kindest cockerel, really treats the girls well.

 

[sammi]

have you checked the crop?
best way to check is in the morning before he eats to see if it is empty, or flat..
feel for lumps..
describe his droppings..color and consistency..

could he have been exposed to any dusts?
(lawn/garden chemicals)

what bedding are you using? check for any signs of mold or mildew..

are you hearing gurgling, or wheezing?
with the dark comb..sounds like he could have respiratory illness, effecting the heart..he could have a form of pneumonia.
if he were mine, I'd treat him with him Tylan 50 injectable..asap.
you can get it at most farm/feed stores in the livestock section.
I might also consider bring him in and giving him a treatment with vaporizer or humidifier..

there is a product called oxine that seems to help with some forms of respiratory problems usually caused by dusts and molds....

I's also get some vitamins..either poultry, or Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins, Enfamil brand, no iron..and give 3 drops on beak once a day for a week, then taper off for a week..
offer cooked eggs for the protein he needs to help fight the disorder..

good luck, and fingers crossed for the roo..

 

[sammi]

about Oxine:

http://shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm

 

[Chickaroo!]

If it is a respiratory thing you could try Aureomycin. I have a RIR that is almost full of fluid and her breathing sounds horrible; like a coffee pot just finishing it's brew. I've even taken her to the vet. There is a thread somewhere here on BYC about it. Anyway, she's had injections of Ivomec, Lasix(sp?), & Tylan 50. The vet also gave me Baytril to administer orally. All that in a week/week in a halfs time and no improvement. So now I'm using some Aureomycin in her water (thanks to some info from BYC member kinardmommy). She sounds better and is more active. She only sounds bad when she gets stressed. I've also been giving her, her normal food pellets, scrambled egg, organic yogurt, grass from outside and some bread drizzled w/olive oil.

You can get Aureomycin at TSC or SS. I had to do some searching on the internet for the amount to mix. What I found said mix 1 t. per gallon as a preventitive and 2 t. per gallon for treatment.

Now, I'm not telling you that is exactly what you should use, just what seems to helping my chicken. I've spent an unbeliveable amount of money at the vets for this chicken. She had some blood drawn yesterday and I should get the results by Wed. So, any more info. I find out that I think may help you in anyway I will be glad to share.

Feel free to PM me and keep me posted on your roo.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

this sounds kind of like whats going on with my 20 week old cochin girl. She normally is very "talkative" if she gets a treat she lets everyone know she has it....runs around with it in her mouth and makes this honking sound...its really cute. Last night before they went in for the night I went out to see the girls and she sounded funny. kinda a sneeze sound, and she let me pick her up (she ALWAYS runs from people). Her sounds are muffled, like there is something in her throat. I held open her beak and DH looked down her throat...saw nothing (we have no idea what we are even looking for). So last night I brought her inside in the pet taxi and covered it with a blanket so she could relax and sleep. She is the same today. I just gave her some oatmeal and water, she is eating some of teh oatmeal, but I havent seen her drink water yet. I did feel her crop area and it didnt feel full or swollen. I kind of rubbed around on her throat and she didnt react but it if push right below her waddles her tounge kind of sticks out but I dont want to do damage to her. I didnt mean to take over this thread....just wonder if anyone knows what is going on??? I dont know if I should put her back with the flock or leave her in another night? I am wonderfing if she is sufficating slowly or something?
any ideas?

 

[windrose]

Thank you all for your responses!
Coloniel Custard is still going strong. Had five of us chasing him up and down the field today. After a few ill attempts we gave up as he was breathing too hard. I didn't want his heart to give out.
Have just waited until dark and lifted him out of the roost. Checked his throat, nothing just laboured breathing. There is a bit off discharge around his nostrils, but his comb is looking better today.
I gave him peanut butter (treat), garlic (antibiotic), grapefruit seed extract (anti-fungal & antibacterial), psyllium husks (draws out toxins and soothes digestive tract) and linseeds (treat and source of fibre), but he is so generous he lets the girls have almost all of it. Will separate him tomorrow for feeding.

I was overdue with treating his legs for scale mites, and read somewhere, thought it was on this forum, that campho-phenique works wonders. I think it may also help his breathing if it is congestion.

Yes, he is gurgling, breathing with his beak open. I will have a look at his poo in the morning, didn't catch him at it today.

I think he may have got this respiratory thing from some of the new hens we got, they came in sneezing but did not notice till they were with us for a week. I think I need to treat them all for respiratory fungal disease.

Thank you all for your suggestions will check them out. And your quick responses! What a great forum!