"down" rooster, not sure what to do.

[Celtic Hill]

Im posting this for a friend. Her rooster is 4 months old and is acting funny today. Full crop, but isn't showing interest in food, kinda moopy acting with it's tail down. Not that responsive, Nothing visual. The rest of the birds in the flock are fine, Any ideas? Is there something like a pro bios or some electrolytes she can give him? Thanks guys ANY input would be really appreciated!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Well, we don't have a lot of information.

But just based on what we do know, i would tell her to isolate him and withhold food (but not water) until morning. If his crop is still full or mostly full in the morning, then you know that his crop is impacted.

She should also give him a good looking over in case he has an injury or something that has nothing to do with his crop.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Okay, normally he is scratching around and today he was just acting different and not active. Would it hurt to give him Duramycin, or Aurithromycin?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't personally believe in giving antibiotics without a really good reason. Antibiotics kill good gut flora and may complicate things if this roo does actually have a crop issue.

 

[chickenlover205]

Well if his crop is still full tomorrow then he probably has an impact crop like punkinpeep said. One way to get rid of it (may sound mean) is to put a turkey baster down his throut then massage his crop and carefully suck what is in his crop out. if he is a Rhode Island Red then he will probably suffer from this quit a few times in the future. Good Luck.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Okay, WAIT! cant we just pump that thing with oil and it will loosen it up and let it pass? lol, that's what we do with horses

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
I must comment that sticking anything down my chicken's throat is last resort right before crop surgery. There are lots of other ways to go at it that are very often successful.

And i don't believe that impacted crop is really related to breed. I raise RIR, and i have had one minor case of impacted crop with them - ever- and that one was resolved with a very simple massage.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
Sometimes oil can help, but sometimes it can also cause the food to kind of meld together. You have to be careful.

 

[chickenlover205]

Like i said it may sound a little cruel but it has saved some of my friends chickens lives. if you do do that you just have to be very careful.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Oh okay, thanks guys!