- Jul 10, 2013
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The farm where I board my horse (and do chores two nights a week) acquired a new Buckeye rooster, "Rudy", about two months ago. At first, he was very alert, assertive, and friendly and very healthy/beautiful.
He would enthusiastically greet people at the door of the coop and "talk" to them. He would even occasionally somehow get out of the coop and follow people around like a puppy while they were doing their barn chores.
Over the last two weeks or so, Rudy has changed dramatically. The first unusual thing he did was that he didn't greet me one night, and charged at me while I was trying to round him & the hens up to go inside their house for the night. I noticed on this night that his tail looked a little thinner.
On Sunday and today, I noticed he was looking pretty rough. His comb and wattle seem pale, almost dusty looking. He is not friendly anymore; in fact he stands on one leg a lot and looks kind of tense, as if he is considering attacking. He is also missing feathers around his thighs, shoulders and back.
He lives with about 10 hens that appear to be Bantams, and a Bantam rooster. The other rooster looks pretty healthy, and the hens aren't exhibiting any odd signs, other than missing a few feathers here and there, possibly from molting and being picked on a little by each other. They spend all day in a shady dirt enclosure, and spend their nights in a shed with pine shaving bedding.
I know when Rudy first arrived, he claimed dominance over the other rooster, as that rooster is extremely laid back to begin with. That rooster has since been hiding in the shed during the days, but today I noticed he was hanging outside with some of the hens.
Could the other rooster have put him in his place? Could the hens be picking on him? I don't know much about hens and roosters, but I know this poor guy is not the same rooster he was when he first came to us, and I'd like to help him if I can. The owners of the farm are in their 80's, very old school, and don't really bother with these things.
I haven't noticed if he has had any dietary changes, or what his bowel habits are. He doesn't seem to have any open sores, cuts or broken bones. I haven't administered any kind of treatment so far. I thought maybe he would snap out of whatever the problem was, since it has been very hot the last few weeks, but today he looked worse off than he had on Sunday.
It is really upsetting to see such a beautiful, lively rooster go downhill like this. Any advice to get him healthy again would be much appreciated.
He would enthusiastically greet people at the door of the coop and "talk" to them. He would even occasionally somehow get out of the coop and follow people around like a puppy while they were doing their barn chores.
Over the last two weeks or so, Rudy has changed dramatically. The first unusual thing he did was that he didn't greet me one night, and charged at me while I was trying to round him & the hens up to go inside their house for the night. I noticed on this night that his tail looked a little thinner.
On Sunday and today, I noticed he was looking pretty rough. His comb and wattle seem pale, almost dusty looking. He is not friendly anymore; in fact he stands on one leg a lot and looks kind of tense, as if he is considering attacking. He is also missing feathers around his thighs, shoulders and back.
He lives with about 10 hens that appear to be Bantams, and a Bantam rooster. The other rooster looks pretty healthy, and the hens aren't exhibiting any odd signs, other than missing a few feathers here and there, possibly from molting and being picked on a little by each other. They spend all day in a shady dirt enclosure, and spend their nights in a shed with pine shaving bedding.
I know when Rudy first arrived, he claimed dominance over the other rooster, as that rooster is extremely laid back to begin with. That rooster has since been hiding in the shed during the days, but today I noticed he was hanging outside with some of the hens.
Could the other rooster have put him in his place? Could the hens be picking on him? I don't know much about hens and roosters, but I know this poor guy is not the same rooster he was when he first came to us, and I'd like to help him if I can. The owners of the farm are in their 80's, very old school, and don't really bother with these things.
I haven't noticed if he has had any dietary changes, or what his bowel habits are. He doesn't seem to have any open sores, cuts or broken bones. I haven't administered any kind of treatment so far. I thought maybe he would snap out of whatever the problem was, since it has been very hot the last few weeks, but today he looked worse off than he had on Sunday.
It is really upsetting to see such a beautiful, lively rooster go downhill like this. Any advice to get him healthy again would be much appreciated.
