My guy is about a three year old buff orpington roo.
Yesterday morning he was fighting with the other roo, a younger black copper marans who is much smaller. The BO has no spurs due to two separate accidents when younger. Unfortunately, he also had a healing frost bitten comb. Yesterday after the fight, his comb appeared bloody and he acted normal, but was kinda off by himself. This morning when I let him out, he was the last one out of the coop. An hour or two later, I noticed I did not see him, so I went looking for him. He was in the feed shed, laying down with his head kind of hidden. I picked him up and looked him over carefully. Both his eyes appeared bright, but it was obvious that his comb was very red and raw and had been bleeding, and his head looked bloody. I checked his body, and there were no other visible injuries, but he did seem thinner and lighter than the last time I picked him up. His behaviour and eating had been normal until the fight.
I separated him, and confined him in a 4X5 foot cage. I gave him water, scratch, layer feed and canned cat food. He seemed a little unsteady when I put him in the cage, and drank for about ten minutes. He has been confined all day, and still seems very lethargic, and isn't eating well. One of his eyes is now also swollen shut. He seems to have only pooped about once today, and when he was eating it almost looked like a watery discharge came from his mouth.
I've never had any chicken injuries before, except the easily treated self-inflicted spur removal on this same rooster. I'm not sure how to treat him, what I should look for in term of behavior to predict the seriousness of his injuries, and if he should remain separated from his hens over night. I can keep him caged, and put him in a pet carrier over night, Should I? Does he need antibiotics, special food, or any other treatment?
I like him much better than the other rooster, he is kind to the girls, and gorgeous. I plan on rehoming the other rooster very soon. My yard is really too small for two roosters, but this is the first real conflict in the year that I have had two.
Yesterday morning he was fighting with the other roo, a younger black copper marans who is much smaller. The BO has no spurs due to two separate accidents when younger. Unfortunately, he also had a healing frost bitten comb. Yesterday after the fight, his comb appeared bloody and he acted normal, but was kinda off by himself. This morning when I let him out, he was the last one out of the coop. An hour or two later, I noticed I did not see him, so I went looking for him. He was in the feed shed, laying down with his head kind of hidden. I picked him up and looked him over carefully. Both his eyes appeared bright, but it was obvious that his comb was very red and raw and had been bleeding, and his head looked bloody. I checked his body, and there were no other visible injuries, but he did seem thinner and lighter than the last time I picked him up. His behaviour and eating had been normal until the fight.
I separated him, and confined him in a 4X5 foot cage. I gave him water, scratch, layer feed and canned cat food. He seemed a little unsteady when I put him in the cage, and drank for about ten minutes. He has been confined all day, and still seems very lethargic, and isn't eating well. One of his eyes is now also swollen shut. He seems to have only pooped about once today, and when he was eating it almost looked like a watery discharge came from his mouth.
I've never had any chicken injuries before, except the easily treated self-inflicted spur removal on this same rooster. I'm not sure how to treat him, what I should look for in term of behavior to predict the seriousness of his injuries, and if he should remain separated from his hens over night. I can keep him caged, and put him in a pet carrier over night, Should I? Does he need antibiotics, special food, or any other treatment?
I like him much better than the other rooster, he is kind to the girls, and gorgeous. I plan on rehoming the other rooster very soon. My yard is really too small for two roosters, but this is the first real conflict in the year that I have had two.
