Dying rooster - How to care for him in his last moments...?

[Papaye]

Hello!!!!

...I could make use of the wheelchair yesterday and today, and here is the result now :

Apache standing on his feet like a big, strong boy!

(I'm so sorry if you feel the pictures are baaaaaaad...!!)

I'm so happy Apache is getting stronger...

I noticed he needs to strenghten the muscles around his wishbones, so I now pull him higher in the wheelchair, so it could help him... and it looks like it is working?

He can at least move and (almost) walk, but still tends to fall backward when he tries to move forward...

(Also : Apache has no more green in his droppings!
His poop is still relatively liquid, but looks pretty fine now...)

 

[Papaye]

Here is a new picture, taken just now :

And now, I am going to put Apache to bed...!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Looking good!

 

[Papaye]

Hi!!

Today is MA.GI.CAL : Apache is walking!!!
And when I say he is walking, I mean he is walking - standing on his feet, and moving forward to go where he wants to go...!

He still has some difficulties, but really... nothing to worry about : he just falls backward sometimes, but only because he still needs to strenghten his muscles...

Otherwise, all is good. So much so I can't believe it...!
Do you believe it...? Apache is taking a walk in the garden, and eating grass, and living his life without any help from meeeeee...!!!
(I seriously don't even need to make this wonderful boy use the wheelchair again...?!)

I'm so amazed...!!

 

[BDutch]

Hi!!

Today is MA.GI.CAL : Apache is walking!!!
And when I say he is walking, I mean he is walking - standing on his feet, and moving forward to go where he wants to go...!

View attachment 3766627

He still has some difficulties, but really... nothing to worry about : he just falls backward sometimes, but only because he still needs to strenghten his muscles...

View attachment 3766638

Otherwise, all is good. So much so I can't believe it...!
Do you believe it...? Apache is taking a walk in the garden, and eating grass, and living his life without any help from meeeeee...!!!
(I seriously don't even need to make this wonderful boy use the wheelchair again...?!)

I'm so amazed...!!

Congrats. This is really a fantastic achievement!

You showed us what lots of love can do to heal a very sick rooster.

… better than a real vet!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am so happy for you and Apache!
Congratulations!

 

[Papaye]

Hello.

So... today, for the first time since what...? ...december? ...Apache has drunk water.
And NOT water from wet pet food, nor water mixed with egg yolks... but JUST.PURE.WATER...!

Being able to (really) walk again is doing him good, because he can now drink and eat without any (human) assistance... even though there is very, very strong wind for the time being; and he is - of course - bothered by it, and so, needs to make use of his muscles to not be carried by gusts of wind...

...Boy is STRONG.

He had trembling legs sometimes yesterday, when he was tiring out from overworking his muscles... but yet, he kept standing on his feet, and walking like the big boy e is...

Today is the same : he is walking, but has to resist the gusts of wind... and I saw his legs trembling once or twice, but he continues to make real efforts and to hold all of his weight on his feet...

That is impressive.

...Could it be (because of) Spring?
Does Apache feel he now needs to recover fast(er) in order to do his job - mating...? (He really wanted to go to bed with the hens, yesterday...)

In any case, he is healing splendidly.
He still need to be stronger, and to gain weight; and so, has yet some difficulties... but his recovery is clearly on the right track!

(He looks bad for now, or dirty, or whatever because of the loss of a part of his tail and butt feathers... but not to worry : the next molt will bring his beauty back!)

Congrats. This is really a fantastic achievement!

You showed us what lots of love can do to heal a very sick rooster.

… better than a real vet!

Thank you!!!

90% of the work is Apache.
If he did not want to live, he would have let himself die. But he chose to cling to life, and did suffer to survive and to be healthy again... Boy deserves all the praises!

I am so happy for you and Apache!
Congratulations!

Thank you!!

I'm happy for Apache.
He looks alive and happier, and is not even in pain in spite of all his physical efforts... really : all is good for now!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Hello.

So... today, for the first time since what...? ...december? ...Apache has drunk water.
And NOT water from wet pet food, nor water mixed with egg yolks... but JUST.PURE.WATER...!

View attachment 3767565

Being able to (really) walk again is doing him good, because he can now drink and eat without any (human) assistance... even though there is very, very strong wind for the time being; and he is - of course - bothered by it, and so, needs to make use of his muscles to not be carried by gusts of wind...

View attachment 3767566

...Boy is STRONG.

He had trembling legs sometimes yesterday, when he was tiring out from overworking his muscles... but yet, he kept standing on his feet, and walking like the big boy e is...

Today is the same : he is walking, but has to resist the gusts of wind... and I saw his legs trembling once or twice, but he continues to make real efforts and to hold all of his weight on his feet...

View attachment 3767567

That is impressive.

...Could it be (because of) Spring?
Does Apache feel he now needs to recover fast(er) in order to do his job - mating...? (He really wanted to go to bed with the hens, yesterday...)

In any case, he is healing splendidly.
He still need to be stronger, and to gain weight; and so, has yet some difficulties... but his recovery is clearly on the right track!

(He looks bad for now, or dirty, or whatever because of the loss of a part of his tail and butt feathers... but not to worry : the next molt will bring his beauty back!)



Thank you!!!

90% of the work is Apache.
If he did not want to live, he would have let himself die. But he chose to cling to life, and did suffer to survive and to be healthy again... Boy deserves all the praises!



Thank you!!

I'm happy for Apache.
He looks alive and happier, and is not even in pain in spite of all his physical efforts... really : all is good for now!

How wonderful!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Apache walks more and more during the days, and takes now a lot of time to preen his feathers... and thus, thanks to that, actually does not even need the wheelchair anymore... really : walking and preening his feathers, and even lowering his head several times during the days to drink and eat, make apparently a great physical rehabilitation.

Boy still is weak, technically - not lying here -, but he is working on that all alone...!

His condition is improving amazingly, so much so he even has now real, solid, brown and white poop.
Yes... that's is very important to precise! (I was soooooo looking for that...!!)
And for the record, I have cut his Vitamins intake two days ago, since I didn't feel he needed them anymore...!!

So... for the time being : Apache drinks well, eats like a king, poops healthy-looking droppings... and in addition, he is finally gaining weight!!
I did not weight him, but I still have to carry him everyday to get him in and out of his coop, and I am serious in the monitoring... so I could notice yesterday, and then today, boy now really feels heavier when I carry him...

...Of course, for a Brahma rooster, Apache is still much too light...!

He is also small, although for that... it looks to me like his appearence only is because of his lack of muscles? (He had been big once, so...)
...Hard to tell for now, since he needs to strenghten himself to get higher yet on his feet, and for me to really see if he is small for a Brahma, or just needs more muscles to have a healthier-looking body...
(And let's not forget he also has lost a lot of tail and butt feathers lately, and it of course affects how he looks like to me...!)

But otherwise, I think everything is going great.

I have been desesperate two months ago, but now...?
I feel like these months were longer they actually were; and I am not so pretentious I would say I did a so good job in helping Apache, because let's be honest : he was responsible for at least 90% of his recovery... (Seriously : he even works out totally by himself now...!!!)
...But I can't help feeling proud. Of myself, and of Apache... And so, so HAPPY...!!

At first, I did not think Apache could survive.
I repeat myself, but I would have culled him if I had had the courage to do so by myself...
Thanksfully, I am too much a coward to kill an animal; and so, Apache have had his chance to prove to us there is ALWAYS hope...

And God do I feel so much closer to him now...!
He already was my favorite rooster, but since then, we lived his condition together, and I don't know... now, I feel I understand him better, and honestly, he also even looks like he likes me better...?

Now, I am just waiting for the boy to get stronger.
...To be able to get out of his coop in the mornings, without my help; and get to bed alone in the evenings...
...To crow; to sing like a star and make himself hear by the neighbours, and why not : compete with my other rooster...?
And, very important : to move the muscles he should have tail-level, because last year, I actually noticed his paralizis began there; and as of today, he still can not move these muscles...!! (But I don't know how to make him work these muscles, if ever it would be necessary for me to help him...? The wheelchair would be useless here...)