heeeeeeeeelp

[maytham]

My 18 week rooster is starting to loose his feathers under his wings and around his butt (sorry)..... He is becoming much less active and is weaker. .. He also has droopy wings. I have isolated him today
His skin looks fine and no sign of mites.
it looks like soft spikes are coming out of his skin. ... my guess is that newer thicker feathers are coming out. .. plz help I am sort of panicking.
Thanks

 

[nuttinfancy]

Hi and

It could be that he is molting. Sometimes molt will cause them to become weak. When mine went through their molt I fed them a higher protein feed like flock raiser or gamefowl feed. I even gave them cat food as a treat as it is high in protein and seemed to help them get back to normal sooner. Hope this helps and do keep an eye on him for any other symptoms but hopefully it is just the molting process.

 

[maytham]

thanks, i do hope that is the case, i took pics to show you guys....

 

[Eggcessive]

He is probably too young for a molt. He could be getting his feathers pulled out and eaten by other flock members. He also may be bullied and kept from the food. I would put him in a cage for a day or so, and examine him for lice, mites, and diarrhea or color of his poop. Offer him some high protein foods such as scrambled or boiled egg, unsalted meat, fish, or dry cat food. Watch to see if he eats chicken feed when alone. Give him medicine for worming--flubenvet, levamisol, or fenbendazol or othersmay be available locally. Observe him after letting him out of confinement after a day or two to see if they start picking on him. Bad tasting lotions or ointments may be used to discourage further picking.

 

[maytham]

yea i thought he was too young too, i did isolate him today, and hoping he gets better soon...thanks

 

[nuttinfancy]

My eyes read the words "18 weeks" but my brain thought "18 months"! I got up too early haha Yes, at that age he may be getting picked by the others.

 

[maytham]

He got better and started to be more active after i gave him some protein. Thanks guys..

 

[nuttinfancy]

So glad he is doing better!