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

[Curnow]

am observing... that Apache is doing AND feeling better and better... He is improving, and fast!

He can now preen his feathers on his back, and he keeps moving all day and trying to stand by himself - and there are progress... SMALL progress, but progress nonetheless.

Rooting for Apache. Give him time, he'll get there. I think perhaps your theory of injury was correct. I think you're other rooster or chickens may have injured him.

Wishing you both the best to get through it!

 

[Papaye]

Hello!

Again today, Apache is doing better and better...!

He can now preen his feathers on almost his entire body, including between his legs...!!

BUT more amazing yet : Apache can now stand by himself - not entirely (not by holding all of his weight), but at least exactly like he does when I am helping him with physical rehabilitation - AND walk a few steps by doing so!
So, clearly : his hips are also healing...

How can he be so strong, so quickly... seriously...?

I'm so proud of my boy...
He really is making efforts, and walk more and more, and try to get strong by himself...

...And some people - including ME - had thought it would be better (for him) to put him down - not so long ago?
God... I'm so glad I'm too cowardly to kill animals...!!

Apache has fought and survived, and is alive, and WANTS to live...
He eats, walks, talks... he is getting heavier and heavier, and actually looks and sounds happy for now... A bit unconfortable, but at least a lot of happier he has been during the worst of his condition...

(Weather is relatively warm these days, and sky is generally clear. It helps greatly!)

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

YAY!!! I'm so happy for you and Apache!!!!He is such a strong boy!!!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Yay Apache!!! We are so happy for you are we are still rooting you every step of the way! Continue to get stronger, buddy!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Yay Apache!

I'm so happy for you @Papaye!

 

[Papaye]

Hi!

Thank you to all of you!!

Today, Apache was stronger again when I got him out of his coop : first thing he did was to stand as much as possible on his legs, then hold his weight in this position until I moved him in front of my kitchen - where I can look after him even from the inside of my house.

...I did not help the boy with physical rehabilitation this morning, since I was much too busy, and not even in my house then...
So : I just decided today would be a day of rest for Apache. Can't hurt him!

He is - again - doing better than yesterday, and is now feeling sufficiently comfortable to SLEEP in broad daylight - what he had not been doing since he got in this condition in December... (He only slept at night!)

And since he is sleeping now, I prefer to leave him alone for the afternoon so he can recover his strenght faster yet.
If he wakes up, he has his bowl of food just in front of him; so... he really does not need me for the next hours...!

 

[BDutch]

…. Since Apache is recovering so well he probably is no longer infectious to the other chickens. Maybe its a great idea to bring in a hen for a few hours each day to give him company?
Be sure he doesn’t get attacked though.

Btw: its just an idea, not a thrust worthy recommendation, I have no experience with such a situation.

 

[Papaye]

Hello.

…. Since Apache is recovering so well he probably is no longer infectious to the other chickens.

I... am not worried about Apache infecting the other chickens : if he was contagious, it would be too late too worry about it, since he already had physical contact with the other birds before I isolated him...

But given that NONE of the bird was affected - luckyly -, I really am not worrying about that.

Maybe its a great idea to bring in a hen for a few hours each day to give him company?

I would, but since I am feeding Apache so much wet cat/dog food, and the chickens LOVE it... if I put a hen with him, she will eat all of Apache food, and the poor boy will starve...

But even if he has no physical contact with them, Apache can see AND communicate with his friend when he wants to.
That is at least something...

To explain myself precisely...

...Every morning, I get Apache out of his coop, and put him in front of my kitchen - just around here :

And so, during the mornings, he moves and walks around as much as possible - around here :

He is doing physical rehabilitation ALSO by himself for now, but without going too far away from the kitchen (in the mornings at least)...

Next, late morning/early afternoon, he goes here - just behind the pink Eglu Cube (that has the blue blanket on) :

One of the metal panels of the run has no cover, so Apache and the other chickens can see each others through it...

...And in the afternoons, Apache walks as much as possible - so he can get near here :

(The coop on the right is the one Apache is sleeping in for now...)

The garden is separated in two parts for now, but the separation is made with metal panels (from Omlet)... so, even if they can not touch each others, the chickens can see each others...

Yesterday evening, Apache was here, and was then doing so good he even wanted to go sleep with the hens in the pink Eglu Cube...
But I prefer to keep him in the Eglu Go for now, since I don't know if a hen would not assault him in the night, you know...?

Voilà...
That has been life for Apache for these last days... in addition to physical rehabilitation, of course!!

Btw: its just an idea, not a thrust worthy recommendation, I have no experience with such a situation.

No.
I really, really appreciate all you could want to recommend.

I am working almost completely in the dark with Apache here, so I assure you I am grateful when people give recommendation, share their ideas, etc...
You could think about a thing that did not even cross my mind, and help greatly by telling me...

Really... THANK YOU!

 

[Papaye]

...I just put Apache to sleep in his coop...

Just before, he was trying to get near one of my Eglu Cube - clearly in order to go to sleep with the other chickens (especially the hens)...
Doing so, he was standing higher on his legs than previously - NEW RECORD since he has been in this bad condition -, and also walked thus for a few seconds more than his previous tries...

When he stopped walking - because he needs more strenght yet to keep going for longer without stopping -, Apache decided to stay as high he could on his legs, and preen his feathers... on his butt!
That's a first!
(So, tomorrow, I obviously have to shower Apache again : if the boy wants to preen his butt feathers, he needs to be cleaner than he is!
...Since, you know, his poop being liquid FOR NOW - because of wet pet food, remember -, boy gets dirty easily...!)

...I think at least physical rehabilitation is really useful!
I actually was not sure I was/am doing good, but... here we are : Apache doing more and more progress everyday...!!

Progress are so fast and apparent I'm impressed. I did not expect THAT...!!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

...I just put Apache to sleep in his coop...

Just before, he was trying to get near one of my Eglu Cube - clearly in order to go to sleep with the other chickens (especially the hens)...
Doing so, he was standing higher on his legs than previously - NEW RECORD since he has been in this bad condition -, and also walked thus for a few seconds more than his previous tries...

When he stopped walking - because he needs more strenght yet to keep going for longer without stopping -, Apache decided to stay as high he could on his legs, and preen his feathers... on his butt!
That's a first!
(So, tomorrow, I obviously have to shower Apache again : if the boy wants to preen his butt feathers, he needs to be cleaner than he is!
...Since, you know, his poop being liquid FOR NOW - because of wet pet food, remember -, boy gets dirty easily...!)

...I think at least physical rehabilitation is really useful!
I actually was not sure I was/am doing good, but... here we are : Apache doing more and more progress everyday...!!

Progress are so fast and apparent I'm impressed. I did not expect THAT...!!

That's wonderful! Apache is making such great progress