HELP!!! My rooster is dying...

[MeTxLady]

Little Roho has expired.

I just feel horrible - wondering if it was something I did or did not do. I'm new to all this and didn't realize there was so much about keeping them healthy. My husband had chickens years ago and said he rarely had any problems with them...maybe he was just lucky. At the least, I've done lots of research and have gained a lot of knowledge about raising them and keeping them healthy and have found this amazing forum. Thanks to each of your who posted and tried to help me out. I'm glad he passed when he did because he was looking so bad I was ready to humanely "end" his suffering and at least I didn't have to do that. Can they die from getting too cold? Although we have the light in his house, our electricity went out night before last and not sure how long it was out - maybe he got too cold? Oh well, thanks again for yálls help! It's so much appreciated!

 

[Outpost JWB]

Oh

I am so sorry. At least you now know what to watch for and how to treat some of the illnesses. I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your flock. Let us know if you need anything else.

 

[LipsChicks]

I don't think I'd try to get the karo down his throat- just put it inside his mouth. It will absorb into his system. You are not a bad chicken mom! I hate to say this, but as much as we love them, we can't save them all. What about taking him to the vet? Please don't beat yourself up over this. I can really feel for you!

 

[Bocktobery 10]

MetXLady,

Don't feel so bad about not being able to help. Chicken illness is difficult to pinpoint and treat.. at least from my perspective. There are probably those who know a lot more than the rest of us, but its difficult to know exactly what is ailing a chicken as there is so much to go wrong.

It would be helpful to all of us to know, plus I'm wondering- did you treat him at all with the Duramyacin 10, as someone suggested? To me, from your posts, he sounded as though he had something respiratory.

I would doubt the light going out/loss of heat would have done much, unless the temperature difference was extreme. I think I measured there is only about a 15 degree difference that the heat lamp helps from the outside temperature- and that is at a close safe proximity to it. So, I don't think that would have been it.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Don't beat yourself up too badly over it as these things happen. Sometimes its not at all about the husbandry but just pure chance. Do watch out for your other chickens exhibiting the same symptoms and its always good to have chicken meds on hand to try and treat them with it.

 

[MeTxLady]

Just wanted to post a follow-up for those who are interested. I did not treat with Duramyacin 10 as I didn't have any. The day he passed it seems like it happened so fast I really didn't have much time to do anything. A vet was out of the question as my husband would not pay for that and plus it would have been a 25 mile drive. I may have taken him had he lasted longer - and just paid for it myself if it were reasonable. We lost a hen about 2 months ago also but don't know what happened to her either. She was fine one day then we found her dead in the coop the next. No signs of anything except that we had found an egg without a shell on top of the laying boxes and another egg my dad found that he said appeared to have no shell or membrane. I'm just glad I didn't see that. I read that can happen to them and no reason. The rest of the flock is fine and we have 3 new babies. One born just today and others are 2 and 3 days old. These bantams sure are broody. Two hens went broody then the third did for 2 days then decided to get off the nest so not sure why she changed her mind but she's a little ditzy - wanders off alone and the rooster has to run and try to round her up sometimes then she'll wander off again. haha! I named her Phoebe - after the character on the old TV series "Friends". Now I'm gonna research about what to do/how to care for the baby chicks or will mom do all the work? She took them out of the laying box today and scratched up a nest beneath the laying boxes in the corner of the coop. The one born today was from an egg she has been on and we put it under the other hen and it hatched today then we put it with the mom and other 2 chicks. I have really enjoyed learning about them and watching them. I also now have five 2 week old mallard ducklings.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Glad to hear all else is well. If I were you, I would buy some Duramycin 10 and keep it on hand. I have some stored in a ziplock bag in my emergency kit. It cost me $8 at the feed store. I've only used it on 2 of my 123 chickens. These 2 chickens came from a chicken swap and while they were in isolation I noticed heavy breathing and sneezing from one of the hens. I treated both and now they are fine & with the rest of the flock.

 

[MeTxLady]

Thanks! I will certainly do that. I have got a few other things recently and always good to know extra things to have on hand.