Help! (Pics) Young rooster sores on face and drastic weight loss!

[Lyveana]

Good morning everyone! New member here, I recently adopted a 15 week old Rooster from a friend. He integrated fine into my coop and is a marvelous roo, veterinary care is an option if I can't solve this myself.

Zeus is about 6 months old now, cuckoo marans (allegedly) and he's down half his original weight.

Including pic I just took and how he looked when I got him.

Thank you everyone!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
It looks like he has fowl pox. If it has gotten into his mouth it will be considered the wet form. Because of his weight loss that sounds likely. Can you open his mouth and see if there are lesions and mucous in there?
You can try feeding him a very wet mash. That might help him eat.
But I would try to clear any excess mucous from his mouth if you can. Adding some poultry nutri drench to his feed will also help give him a boost.

 

[Lyveana]

Thank you! I will try that! Should I vaccinate the rest of my flock? Everyone else looks lesion-free, but we've had some awfully hot temperatures so I've been attributing poor plumage and weight to heat stress. They are all getting electrolytes and vitamins in the water. But compared to my last group of chickens (who were killed by a dog) this group just isn't thriving as well.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you! I will try that! Should I vaccinate the rest of my flock? Everyone else looks lesion-free, but we've had some awfully hot temperatures so I've been attributing poor plumage and weight to heat stress. They are all getting electrolytes and vitamins in the water. But compared to my last group of chickens (who were killed by a dog) this group just isn't thriving as well.

The virus is spread via mosquitoes. The rest of the flock may have already been exposed so vaccination won't help. It has to run its course.
You can dab a bit of antiseptic on the scabs and just try to keep the stress levels down.
How are you managing the heat? Are you also providing just plain clean water in addition to the water with electrolytes and vitamins?
What are you feeding your flock?
I freeze large blocks of ice and leave them to thaw in a shallow plastic pan. The birds drink from that and wade in it. I dump the water out when they go to roost and put out a fresh block of ice before I leave for work in the morning.
They are also kept in the shade and I have a fan blowing through the run for them. They have managed very well during all our heat waves thus far.

 

[Lyveana]

The coop is under shade during the morning until about 1pm, then is shaded again from 4pm onward. I feed them Dumor medicated chick feed (Mixed age flock, roo is the oldest. Rest are from 5 weeks to 2.5 months old). All of the water sources have the electrolytes, I have three waterers in the coop.

Ice is a good idea! I can implement that right away!

Thank you again!

 

[dawg53]

@Lyveana did you look inside the roosters mouth for lesions?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like fowl pox, but not that bad. There could be some oral lesions. If you are aren’t seeing others with it, it may be a mild strain or you are not too troubled by mosquitoes. Flock Raiser by Purena or other brands are a little higher quality and less dusty/powdery, but it is not medicated. Medicated feed is not required. I have used it, and not used it, and still haven’t had any coccidiosis. Your cockerel might eat a little better. I would have some droppings checked for coccidiosis and worms, because Zeus should not have dropped that much weight. Is he having any other problems? Any diarrhea? Here is a good article about fowl pox:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

 

[Lyveana]

@dawg53 He's doing a little better! No lesions in his mouth, but the ones on his face and comb are becoming more numerous. So far none of the others have shown signs.