Comotose Rooster

[goosemama]

Found one of our 9 month old roosters in a nesting box yesterday almost comatose. head droppy, eyes closed - didn't resist when we brought him to the house. Had a big clump of poop on him which we removed. Gave him Terramycin in water by dropperful and at few points he opened his eyes and looked around then back to head on the bottom of the crate. Removed him from the rest of the birds in case they caught it too. Not sure what it is? Does anyone have any ideas? We also had some other antibiotics which we gave him today twice but no improvement. Its as if he is sleeping with eyes closed, head flat on floor - not even curled into sitting position.

 

[easttxchick]

The head flat on the floor is not a good sign.
Lethargy can be caused by so many things it's very difficult to know.
Have you noticed anything else with him, the other birds, etc. lately?
Any symptoms you can remember?
Wish I could help, but I really don't know what it could be.

 

[goosemama]

There doesn't seem to be any other symptoms - he isn't gasping for breath or seem in respiratory distress. We had to force open his beak to insert the antibiotic drops and the first time yesterday and I noticed there was a white milky substance in his mouth. Second administration of drops I didn't see it. We have never had any luck in recuperation in past years when a chicken was so unresponsive - I'm wondering if I should put him out of his misery?

I just checked him and he is not laying but sitting over his feet in a normal position - opened his eyes and moved his head when I touched him. That SEEMS an improvement from this morning when he his head was flat on the floor - at least he is upright? Guess we will just continue with the antibiotics and hope they work - of course it could be a viral disease which they won't touch.There are so many different chicken diseases but most of them have symptoms of respiratory trouble which he doesn't have???? It is puzzling!

 

[goosemama]

Just went to give him another dose of liquid antibiotics - we offered him a piece of bread to see if he would eat first since he wasn't flat out in the crate - he would not take it in his beak and then went into convulsions and died. It was a mystery to us what he had? But thanks for your help.

 

[easttxchick]

I'm so sorry. Sometimes these things happen so fast we can't do anything to help them.
It is true that by the time chickens show symptoms of anything, they are usually pretty sick.
Kind of a testament to their "spirit", so to speak.
I don't really think you could have done anything to help the poor thing.
Just keep a close eye on the rest of the flock to make sure they don't start to exhibit any symptoms.

 

[fratmor]

could he have gotten into anything poisonous

 

[4-H chicken mom]

So sorry about your roo. easttxchick is right, sometimes there just isn't anything that can be done.