Failing Cochin Rooster - need help

[cochinfan]

My young rooster seems very listless and has slowly been getting worse. No sign of any injury and no symptoms other than docility and depression.

What could this be and what should I do?


1) What type of bird , age and weight. almost a year Cochin rooster - 2) What is the behavior, exactly. Just sitting in corner, seems uninterested in anything even the hens
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? about 5 days
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. not that I can see
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Doesn't seemed to have eaten or drank today
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. looks reasonably normal maybe a little runny
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use

 

[chickenzoo]

Have you wormed him? Worms can cause a bird to go down hill fast, so can a heavy lice/mite infestation. Check him good all over for parasites. I would worm him with Wazine for roundworms(the most common). Keep up supportive care, vitamins in water, make him drink by dipping beak in the water and stroking the back of the head/neck. Put food in him, warm mushy canned dog food, scrambled egg etc... water ever you can fit into his beak that won't choke him.....

 

[cochinfan]

Would a product called Rooster Booster help? My husband saw it in the feed store and wondered if it might help. We are making him drink and he is eating dog food and yogurt.

 

[chickenzoo]

I personally would dose him with some Safeguard liquid goat wormer, similar to horse wormer paste but in a liquid form. 1cc per 10lbs, so use less depending on his weight. Right in the mouth.

 

[cochinfan]

I have Wazine and was planning on using that in the morning. I don't have the goat wormer. i do have paste ivermectin for horses. He is eating dog food - rather ravenously and yogurt as well. I can get him to drink by dipping his bill. He will stand up but doesn't seem steady on his feet. The hen he has been living with is fine but I guess I will worm her as well.

thanks for your help.

 

[cochinfan]

I have given Paco-roo the wazine wormer in water this morning. Wow, I hope I converted the 100 chicken dosage into 2 chickens (he is with a hen). He is still eating what ever I feed him and drinking water. I don't know if he is eating otherwise. This morning I checked his vent and realized he had a ball of bright emerald green poo stuck on his feathers. What causes it to be green?

Also he seems like he is staggering when he walks. I can't really tell if it is a limp or stiffness.

Any additional thoughts or help?

 

[chickenzoo]

The green is because he is not eating well yet and the staggering is because of weakness more likely. You need to keep getting him to drink and eat. I use parrot handfeeding formula that I get at a pet store, has lots of good stuff in it. Do you know how to tube feed ? If you can find a goat feeding tube I can tell you. If not you might want to ask a vet.

 

[mamamary]

How do you tube feed?

 

[cochinfan]

He is actually eating fairly well when I feed him. He loves the dog food and I have really been surprised with how much of it he is eating. After he slows way down, I give him yogurt for desert. I'm hoping that the worming and this feeding will get him back on track. He is going to be one very tame bird if he survives and I have to say there is nothing that gets you more attached to an animal then this kind of nursing.

thanks again!

 

[Turner]

Your roo might have Marek's. This is a virus, support him with food and water - he might get worse (could die) but could also recover. Keep food and water in front of him and give him time. Don't give up on him - good sign that he is eating and drinking. Could take a while for him to fully recover but you will see it as he gradually gets stronger. Good Luck