He won't get down

[FluffyButtBabies]

So I recently posted a thread about my supposedly "depressed" Polish rooster. Quick rundown: he's physically healthy with no symptoms, he eats and drinks and walks around, but he's much more slow/lethargic, stopped crowing, stands sadly on his own, etc. This started a month after I gave him a crow collar (which I've since taken off) and when I stopped letting him sleep with the hens, and also one of his hens had just passed away. Now, I understand that his vision is obscured so I cut some of his facial feathers away. Also, due to sleeping in a brooder outside for a month, I also understand why he would rather sleep in the nest boxes at night. But there's this new problem that I don't understand at all. Once he's on the roost, he doesn't know how to get down (although he won't get on it either, I have to put him on). He'll cry for help and look around in distress, but then he'll just sit there and give up. I have to take him down in the mornings or he won't be able to reach the food/water at the bottom. I checked his legs and wings, and they're both fine (I've seen him flap around and run), so I don't know what could be causing this behavior. Honestly, I feel bad for the poor guy. And like I said, I have done a THOUROUGH check for any signs of illness other than his sad behavior, and I swear I couldn't find any. What should I do about this? Will he figure out how to get down on his own? Thanks!

 

[Aapomp831]

Any possibility he’s blind, or has eye damage obscuring his sight?
How high is your roosting bar? Have you checked to see if he is in pain somewhere and doesn’t want to jump down? To me that sounds like the lost logical explanation....

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

I haven't checked his eyesight, but I would think if he was blind that he wouldn't be able to find food/water. And of course, injury was the first thing I checked for. I looked to see if any of his joints had been dislocated, I combed through his feathers to find any wounds or lice, I even checked down his throat for any facial/inner mouth issues. I didn't find anything. You can see why I'm so confused and concerned right now...

 

[Aapomp831]

I haven't checked his eyesight, but I would think if he was blind that he wouldn't be able to find food/water. And of course, injury was the first thing I checked for. I looked to see if any of his joints had been dislocated, I combed through his feathers to find any wounds or lice, I even checked down his throat for any facial/inner mouth issues. I didn't find anything. You can see why I'm so confused and concerned right now...

If you don’t see any signs of illness or injury, it may be that’s he’s just gotten spoiled. I would leave him up there and see if he comes down for food and water.... I wouldn’t coddle him at all.

 

[ackie]

Maybe provide him a lower roost? Or even just a milk crate for starters to get him out of the nest box. I definitely wouldn't put him on a high roost and leave him there.

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

Okay, I'll try that. But tbh, the roost is already really low because my hens are all bantam faverolles. It's only about 3 feet off the ground. Why would he be exhibiting such weird behavior though? He roosted just fine when he was younger.

 

[ackie]

It sounds like hes been through a lot of changes and stressors lately. Maybe that's all it is?

 

[FluffyButtBabies]

I'm really hoping so. I've heard that maturing roosters sometimes get stressed and hormonal when they're no longer the top dog. I'm counting on him breaking out of it in a couple of weeks, but then again I don't have a lot of experience with roosters lol