Harvey the Great is Dying. . .

[Peppercorngal]

My huge Jersey Giant Harvey seems to be dying. I see him eating some and drinking but he "falls asleep" just standing and ends up lying down. I go up to him and "wake him up" and he jumps up and acts relatively normal for a few minutes. He jumps on a hen, (I can hardly understand this urge to procreate) eats a bit, drinks some water and 5 minutes later he's asleep on his feet again. I can't find any thing wrong, he is breathing normally, he can eat (but he is not eating much) drinking water too. He is 17 months old and had trouble when young because he grew so fast. At one point he couldn't walk. I gave him vitamins and he was restored. I notice that he is going into the coop during the day and this is not normal for him. I think he is dying. Any thoughts? These photos were all taken today!

 

[nightowl223]

I would suggest you put him where you can control what he eats and drinks, give him vitamins/elecrolytes in his water (like the kind Durvet makes) or Rooster Booster on his feed, and mix whichever doesn't get the vitamin booster with some ACV and honey. Like, if you use the vitamins mix in the water, make a mash with his feed that includes the ACV and honey, and if you put the booster on the feed, add the ACV and honey to the water. That way, he's not using all his energy chasing girls, and just using it to get past whatever issue he might be having.

Preferably, put him where you can keep a closer eye on him. Now, you might not want a noisy rooster in a crate in your restroom, but perhaps in the garage or laundry room. And then you can also check his crop to make sure he fills it and then it empties overnight. And keep us updated.

 

[CaramelKittey]

Poor Harvey ;(
Hope he gets better!

 

[micstrachan]

I’m sorry about poor Harvey the Great. What an awesome name! I think for a rooster (though I don’t have any) the first thing I would investigate is crop function. Can you check his crop before bed and then again in the morning? Can you also feel his breast muscle to make sure it is not wasting? How does his poop look? Can you take it in for a fecal float? You might also look him over for external parasites.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I would suggest you put him where you can control what he eats and drinks, give him vitamins/elecrolytes in his water (like the kind Durvet makes) or Rooster Booster on his feed, and mix whichever doesn't get the vitamin booster with some ACV and honey. Like, if you use the vitamins mix in the water, make a mash with his feed that includes the ACV and honey, and if you put the booster on the feed, add the ACV and honey to the water. That way, he's not using all his energy chasing girls, and just using it to get past whatever issue he might be having.

Preferably, put him where you can keep a closer eye on him. Now, you might not want a noisy rooster in a crate in your restroom, but perhaps in the garage or laundry room. And then you can also check his crop to make sure he fills it and then it empties overnight. And keep us updated.

I've been planning all afternoon on how and where to isolate him. We have 3 dogs, they would all love to kill him so the house/laundry room is out. I have a dog crate but I think it's too small for him, he wouldn't be able to stand at all. I'm trying to brainstorm a cage that he will fit in and won't get eaten by the dogs, the only other place I can put him is the garage. Ever since he was a few months old he's been getting vitamins (the whole flock does) regularly but maybe I should increase it for him alone. I'll do everything I can for him. Thanks for the advice! I'll keep you posted. Tonight he even managed to climb to the top of the roost to sleep! Picture shows why he won't fit in a dog crate!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I’m sorry about poor Harvey the Great. What an awesome name! I think for a rooster (though I don’t have any) the first thing I would investigate is crop function. Can you check his crop before bed and then again in the morning? Can you also feel his breast muscle to make sure it is not wasting? How does his poop look? Can you take it in for a fecal float? You might also look him over for external parasites.

Yes, I checked him over and he seemed fine but today he's really listless. I need to isolate him but I have to figure how where and how, he is truly huge. He has been eating but not enough to really fill his crop I'm sure of that, I watched him this afternoon for a while. I have 42 chickens, so unless I trail him for hours I don't know about his poop! I haven't done as much as I should, this just started yesterday and I thought maybe it was a fluke. My Son is building a home and we have been meeting with officials from the county and I've been distracted from my foremost duties. Thanks, I'll see what I can find out tomorrow.
This is Harvey last month with a normal sized full grown hen. He just keeps growing and growing. I think that is part of his problem.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Poor Harvey ;(
Hope he gets better!

Thank you I hope so too. He was supposed to be a pullet, his name was pearl! When he was just a few months old he stopped walking, I dosed him with vitamins and he got better, but he seems to just keep growing!

 

[micstrachan]

Wow! He’s ginormous and beautiful! He might enjoy some scrambled egg all to himself to get his appetite up. Please keep us posted.

If he is happiest with his girls, I would not isolate him. Maybe just for short periods when he can eat hearty for a little while. Does he have some favorite foods? He might enjoy some starter/grower damped with warm water.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Wow! He’s ginormous and beautiful! He might enjoy some scrambled egg all to himself to get his appetite up. Please keep us posted.

If he is happiest with his girls, I would not isolate him. Maybe just for short periods when he can eat hearty for a little while. Does he have some favorite foods? He might enjoy some starter/grower damped with warm water.

I'm feeling really sad. Harvey will not eat. I tried scrambled egg, mealworms, 20% starter mash, dove and quail seed and even some greens. He won't open his mouth to any of it. And he does love his girls, and they love him too. I had him isolated in the run this morning to try to get him to eat and the hens were not happy, they milled around the door wanting to get in. When none of his favorite foods worked, I opened the run again for the girls to come in. It started raining and it's the only shelter they have anyway. He is still walking around, every couple of hours when I go to check on him and tempt him with food he is in a completely different place. It doesn't look like this will end well for him. I have a feeling that he's genetically messed up in some way.

 

[CaramelKittey]

Poor Harvey the Great! Please get better soon!

Have you tried force feeding him?