Help! My rooster is sick

[LoveYourRoosters]

I set up a humidifier for him, may try to get some betadine later today.

 

[azygous]

There are avian viruses that cause tumors to grow on organs such as heart, lungs and liver. That can interfere with breathing, and a chicken can die suddenly of heart failure from these tumors. You may have LL (lymphotic leuosis) in your flock. Most chickens are resistant to it while some develop tumors. The only way to know is by getting a necropsy after a chicken dies.

If you are doing antibiotics and your patient does not respond to them, instead getting worse, you might assume tumors. At some point it may become apparent that you will need to consider ending his suffering.

 

[LoveYourRoosters]

He’s had 3 doses of Baytril that i got from a bird rehabber friend, but it didn’t seem to help and I don’t have any more. I can try to get more, but I think that if it’s a respiratory infection, he should be doing better now, after three doses, right?
No other chickens in the flock have shown symptoms yet

 

[azygous]

There's a better than even chance that he's suffering from tumors.

As I said, if he continues to fail, it makes the case stronger that the cause is tumors. But do continue to treat for infection and the crop disorder. Chickens often surprise us by making a recovery when we least expect them to.

 

[LoveYourRoosters]

I purchased some betadine - how much do recommend to mix in the water? He is not drinking much on his own, but I’ve been giving him water in a dropper

 

[azygous]

Maybe a tablespoon of Betadine in a quart of water. You want to mist it over his head, not directly in his face.

 

[LoveYourRoosters]

I turned the humidifier on for a little while, but it seems to make it harder for him to breathe (he starts opening his beak and gasping when it’s turned on).

 

[LoveYourRoosters]

Update: this morning he crowed for the first time in a few days, and his crop was finally empty (hopefully good signs??).
His breathing is still the same, and comb still purple. When I offered him food, he only ate a little.
I took him to the vet today (This is the earliest I could get an appointment) and was basically told the same thing I’ve been treating for, bacterial respiratory infection and possible yeast infection. I got antibiotic to continue giving for a total of 10 days and flucanazole for 14 days (a better yeast treatment).
We’ll see if he gets better

 

[LoveYourRoosters]

Rooster seems to be doing a lot better, he has a lot more energy and has been crowing and talking a lot. His breathing is still sometimes noisy, but is otherwise almost back to normal.
Today is the last day on antibiotics, then a few more days of the flucanazole.
Here he is enjoying some fresh air