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

[The Welch Chickens]

Sorry!!
I actually know adding an update on the first post is a thing... (?) but I just did not think to put one myself.
My bad...

But I will add an update on my first post, so there will be no more confusion!

Or perhaps you can put an update to the title, such as “updated with his recovery!”

 

[The Welch Chickens]

...Hmm...
I wrote too fast, sorry : indeed, I actually can not edit my first post... I don't know why.
So, I can NOT notice people Apache is recovering - at least on the first page.
Sorry for that...

You need a PFM to do that.

 

[BDutch]

he is so bothered by his binds when he is in the wheelchair he then finds the strengh to struggle so much he ends up actually exercising...

Glad to hear he is improving. And also glad I was wrong about the wheelchair. Or should I say fitness device?

Or perhaps you can put an update to the title, such as “updated with his recovery!”

Only possible if you are member.

 

[Papaye]

Or perhaps you can put an update to the title, such as “updated with his recovery!”

Thank you for the idea...!!
But I don't think it is possible : I can not find any option allowing me to edit the title.

Glad to hear he is improving. And also glad I was wrong about the wheelchair. Or should I say fitness device?

No, but even me, I did not know if the wheelchair would actually help Apache - especially when I hung him in it the first time!!!
(I am also navigating in the dark, with this situation!)

The wheelchair works, because Apache is making it work for him.
Boy is the one who made it a "fitness device" (ah, ah!), and even if he does not walk with it...? Whatever, as long as the wheelchair has actually some uses - even though these uses are not (exactly) what the thing what made for...

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Only possible if you are member.

Thank you for the idea...!!
But I don't think it is possible : I can not find any option allowing me to edit the title.

Sorry @Papaye, I hadn't realized that you need a PFM for editing the title, so you wouldn't be able to.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

can get Apache inside of my house, but he really does not like that : floor is much to smooth to his liking... and in his current condition, he would not be able to walk on it. At least by himself!

Well. Hmm. Do you have a rug you can put down for him to walk on instead of the slippery floor? How about some towels laid end to end to make a little runway? Or maybe a sheet? My mother used to say, " for every problem there is a solution."

indeed, I actually can not edit my first post... I don't know why.

Because you are not a paying member, that's all.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It is so exciting to follow Apache's progress.

What you are calling Apache's "knees," we would call his hocks. By putting him in the wheelchair you are doing physical therapy on him. It is acting as a sling to support him and forcing him to straighten his legs. Even though he is not pushing the wheelchair forward, he is still exercising his legs. He is straightening them, flexing them back and forth, and pushing up with them, which is strengthening them. By accident you are doing exactly what he needs! Good job! Every day leave him in it a little longer and every day he will grow a little stronger.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

There was rain, then SNOW, in the morning...

So Apache is still inside of his run, and... he is standing on his feet - again!!

I of course decided to let him be for the time being, even though it is not raining nor snowing anymore...
(But it is supposed to start again, if weather channel is not lying/mistaken!)

Exceptionally, I did not give him yolks to eat today, but canned tuna instead.
(I did buy some yesterday, just for him...!)
So, Apache had tuna mixed with his Multivitamins Juice AND some water from the can in one bowl of the double cat bowl, and his Premium Mix for Poultry in the other bowl.

Let me tell you the boy was very much happy to eat TUNA!!
...Looked like it tasted DIVINE...! (Miam, miam...!!)
(First time I gave him tuna!!)

...Also : yesterday, I forgot to tell, but I finally did find a drug store that could get Riboflavin.
The pharmacist actually had to call one producer to know if they still made and sold Riboflavin, because the only one other she did know of did not anymore...

So, yesterday afternoon, she called me to tell me she found Riboflavin.
Then she informed me of the price, and... trust me, my ears bleed : I could not afford a sufficient quantity of Riboflavin to even make a treatment of it...!
(With the money necessary for me to procure some B2, I could seriously buy GOLD...!!)

Thus : I can not buy Riblofavin.
Not that Apache needs it, since he is already improving and probably doesn't have a B2 deficiency - especially given he eats food rich in Riboflavin... but it would have been nice to at least have some in my house in case I have a bird that eventually needs it...

Do you have a rug you can put down for him to walk on instead of the slippery floor? How about some towels laid end to end to make a little runway? Or maybe a sheet?

I had some.
Then I had none...

I... actually already used all of these I had in reserve - and just for Apache, so he could sit comfortably after his showers while I dried him...

I would need to buy some additional towels!

What you are calling Apache's "knees," we would call his hocks.

Thank you for the information!
I will remember it.

By putting him in the wheelchair you are doing physical therapy on him. It is acting as a sling to support him and forcing him to straighten his legs. Even though he is not pushing the wheelchair forward, he is still exercising his legs. He is straightening them, flexing them back and forth, and pushing up with them, which is strengthening them. By accident you are doing exactly what he needs!

...That makes sense!!

Good job!

Thank you!

 

[Papaye]

I just put Apache to sleep.

Boy was standing on his feet almost ALL day today, and a little bit higher on his legs than yesterday...!!

He even was walking, but just on very, very short distances - I can not tell if it is because he needs more strenght to walk more, OR just because he is confined in a small run, and thus just does not want to move more... (Probably the former...!)

...I honestly don't even think Apache still need the wheelchair from now on : he did not use it today nor yesterday, and yet, he can strenghten his muscles alone now.
(Just to be precise : the wheelchair is too big to go inside of the run, so when Apache is confined in his run, he can not be hung to it!)

Wheelchair has helped him to BEGIN real physical rehabilition...
...Apache actually just needed a little help to overcome his muscle weakness - being some days hanging in the thing to improve his physical strenght by being a bad boy, and struggling so much in his binds he has actually used the most of his energy trying to get out, and so working his muscles just like that...

Apache clearly knows how walking work; and now, he is trying his best, and is recovering entirely by himself.

For two days, I just have had to help him by getting him in and out of his coop, and giving him food...
But did I support him in his physical efforts? No. Because he did not need me (for) once.
(And strangely, weather has not even slowed down his progress...!!)

...I can not wait to get Apache out of his run : given the remarkable speed of his progress, nothing can surprise me anymore... and so, I would not even be surprised if the boy would walk in his part of the garden like if he was a new, healthy rooster (that never got in such a bad shape)...!
(I say that, but I actually was really shocked by his incredible progress today; ah, ah!!)

I will have to see if Apache need the wheelchair, but... I really don't think the thing is actually still necessary...?
(Apache's improvements are so amazing, yeah...!)

(Also : boy is noticeably happy to eat grass, and to do so standing on his feet (huh), and to just... peck the ground! And to take his time doing so...!! He has made so in the evening, until I put him to sleep!
...Regaining so much strenght in his muscles has made him a very alive rooster!)

 

[KayisforKale]

I have read through this entire thread, and like many people, I was frustrated and angry at the beginning. But now I am so very happy with your choice of caring for Apache rather than culling him. Your dedication and determination to help your pet survive is nothing short of inspiring. Keep up the amazing work, and please keep posting daily updates!