Fixing Florus, neck injury from fighting...

[NovaAman]

Yes, he is eating and drinking on his own. His neck is still swollen in the one spot i pointed out in the vid. I did aspirin doses. He actually seems a lot better about 30 minutes or less after an aspirin dose. Walks much more upright. I read how much to put in water somewhere, but since he is such an escape artist, figures out how to get out of everything, AND I don't have a dog cage... think investment time, right? Right. Anyway, since he's sharing water with everyone else, dosing him alone is real fun, he stresses, I stress. I love my boy. I will stress my self silly until he is better. But aside from the feet feathers that were ripped up, the tail ripped out and the neck swelling and cocked, he still thinks he is the man. Crows, even with his head cocked...

 

[drumstick diva]

I wonder if the swollen spot on his neck is from infection - beaks and claws aren't very sanitary. That could be affecting the way he twists his neck also.
I don't really know about selenium _ I have a fleeting thought that I read on some other thread that it shouldn't be continued to long - which is vague - how long is too long

 

[drumstick diva]

Did the other rooster get injured at all?

 

[NovaAman]

I checked him for that first. There is no puncture or cuts to the neck or head. I think it has to do with that low roost I found him under... It does feel like a knot...

 

[NovaAman]

No. Rod Stewart is the son of Roger. You remember the Roger Stories I used to tell on the old MI thread right? Roger was my silkie roo. Huge for a silkie. Big and Beautiful... Survived a hawk attack, raccoon raid, had the biggestballs of any roo. Lol. Loved me my Roger... Anyway. Rod Stewart is a lot like Roger. He's good to the girls. Good to the mamas with babies. Very protective and alert. But he's threatened by Florus. Florus is bigger than Rod. Rod is older.

 

[NovaAman]

Roger

Rod

Roger and Leila, see he was HUGE

After the first hawk attack

After the hishead healed, guarding chicks..

 

[scratch'n'peck]

His improvement 30 minutes after the aspirin dose does suggest inflammation and pain from injury is a factor. (Although I think I have read that inflammation can play a role in wry neck as well, but I don't know if you would notice a difference just with an aspirin dose with wry neck.)

Maybe you can find a way to give him an aspirin dose in solid form hidden in a treat. I gave my rooster aspirin wrapped in soft bread, and he gulped it down because he loves bread. I have also used those pill pockets made for cats and dogs for a chicken.

It sounds like your escape artist, Florus, is determined to make the best of a bad situation.

 

[drumstick diva]

Nova please tell us how Florus is doing.

 

[NovaAman]

He isn't worse, but he's not a whole lot better. I am keeping him confined, and he does NOT like it. LOL. Poor guy. He's crowing his heart out right now. He still being lovy on his girls, though he's not quite able to be LOVEY. LOL. That cock in his head makes hit harder to make the mark. I think his ladies are not so much minding though. I am making it so he can not roost. He has to stay on the floor. I put him in the coop and take him down. He's not to keen on that either. But as soon as I set him in next to his broody lady, I shut the door and cut the light so he can not jump up. He is eating and drinking just fine though. I put a wider water dish instead of the 1 gallon waterer so he can get water easier, and the feed is easy too. Working with that crooked head so he's got an easier time. He can hold it up straight, but when he gets excited, like when I am trying to get him picked up, it drops, but he's able to right it faster. i will be very happy when he's healed.

 

[NovaAman]

Florus is still with twisted head. I have him confined with one of his broody ladies, Beulah, so he's not lonely. The coop also has an added heat lamp at the moment so he's not got the added stress of keeping warm. I am using a large dish for both food and water.. He got a bit worse for a day there... But he's not being let out of his 20 sq coop for nothing for the rest of the week... Hope good food and vits and warmth and confinement help that heal...