Is it Gapeworm? Bird Flu? Air Sac Mites? My Rooster is fighting but not sure how much longer...

[mestes0906]

My rooster Rufio and me are fighting a good fight, I've been hydrating him with a dropper for about 1.5 weeks but he does not seem to be getting better. Here's our story - bullet style...

- 3 weeks ago we got a couple of new hens, quarantined for several days but they were pecking eachother so much I let them lose with my chickens, they needed more space.
- My flock (9 hens+Rufio) have a very large secure coop, a sheltered run, and access to as much free range space as they want, whenever they want
- 2.5 weeks ago a possom got in the coop at night when the automatic door failed. Rufio was seen in the run on camera at night so I can only assume that he saved all the hens, except for one. No physical signs of injury on Rufio, he was his good ol crazy self until...
- 1.5 weeks ago (week after possom encounter) he did not come out of the coop in the morning. When I went in his eyes were crusted shut and he had little black bugs / mites (??) all over him
- I gave him a bath, made sure his eyes were still there (wasnt sure!). He had mucus all over his beak, his eyes were there but crusted over again pretty quickly. I submerged him in water and applied dim earth, coconut oil, and other things in the chicken cabinet for the bugs.
- Cleaned the coop and run, all of the hens are healthy and thriving.
- He has been seperated from the flock in a dog crate half full with hay, a heatlamp and just sits there mostly.
- I'm a week and a half in - feeding him with a dropper once or twice a day. I've given him egg yolk, nutrient booster, some doxycycline, water, apple cider vinegar, herbs, garlic, and more. The bugs or mites (whatever they were) are gone.
- Gapeworm seems like a real possiblity because of the stretching his neck, gasping for air, labored breathing, and turning his head and neck
- Dont know if the new hens had anything to do with it
- Dont know if the possom encounter had anything to do with it
- Today - bugs are gone, hens are still thriving, Rufio is still alive but extremely weak and only eats what I give him via dropper. His comb and waddles are still bright red but they look terrible, his eyes have been "closed" for nearly two weeks. He sounds raspy when he breaths and has made all kinds of pitiful noises I have never heard before. I'm about to invest in an ingredient for gapeworm specifically.

I'm doing my best and will be devastated if I lose him. Call it what you want, I do not take my chickens or rabbits to the vet. I have yet to encounter anything I could not solve and I will do anything within my non-prescription/vet-bill means to save all my animals that are dear to me. Any idea what could be going on with him? Comments about the no-vet will fall on deaf ears, I will not be offended. Just looking for advice on figuring out what is wrong with him and treating him within my means. Thank you!

 

[GodLovesU]

Can you post a picture of him?
@Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

How old is this rooster? How much fluid do you think he's getting each day? He should have at least half a cup or 100ml per day. If he isn't getting that much, you should probably tube it into him along with added sugar to boost his blood glucose.

There is a possibility that he has an avian virus that is causing tumors, thus the rattly breathing. Was he hatched within the flock? Or was he added as an adult chicken? Was he obtained from a private breeder as a chick?

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be that the new addional hens brought in a respiratory virus, even though they are not showing symptoms. Most respiratory diseases including mycoplasma (MG) and coryaza, have only a couple of days incubation time. The might have brought in mites as well. What did you use to treat the mites besides bathing him? Permethrin garden dust can be used at 7-10 day intervals dusting the body with a sock filled with it, and rubbed into the skin. The coop or his facilities usually need to be treated as well. How much doxycycline are you giving him? Dosage is 20-25 mg for each 2.2 pounds of weight. I prefer Tylosin powder in the water and some use Denagard/TiaGard for treatment of MG symptoms. He should be taking at least 15 ml (1 tablespoonful) of water per pound 2-3 times a day. Tube feeding a chicken is easy to learn from videos online.

 

[mestes0906]

How old is this rooster? How much fluid do you think he's getting each day? He should have at least half a cup or 100ml per day. If he isn't getting that much, you should probably tube it into him along with added sugar to boost his blood glucose.

There is a possibility that he has an avian virus that is causing tumors, thus the rattly breathing. Was he hatched within the flock? Or was he added as an adult chicken? Was he obtained from a private breeder as a chick?

Thanks so much for this. He is 1.5 years old, got him as a day old chick from an online hatchery. I would say half a cup is a close amount to what he is getting - maybe a little more each day. Easier said than done. Sugar… noted!

 

[mestes0906]

 

[mestes0906]

Can you post a picture of him?
@Eggcessive

Photo added in comments. He’s a Delaware.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like he has a respiratory disease. Mycoplasma (MG) is a common one that may cause mucus from the beak and crusty eye drainage. If you can get some Tylosin powder antibiotic from Jedds.com, you could start treatment for possible MG. Rinsing his eyes with saline or eye wash, and putting some Terramycin or plain Neosporin ointment into his eyes twice a day may help. Offering or tube feeding a bit of chicken feed mixed in a lot of water often would keep him nourished and bits of scrambled egg could be offered.

 

[mestes0906]

It could be that the new addional hens brought in a respiratory virus, even though they are not showing symptoms. Most respiratory diseases including mycoplasma (MG) and coryaza, have only a couple of days incubation time. The might have brought in mites as well. What did you use to treat the mites besides bathing him? Permethrin garden dust can be used at 7-10 day intervals dusting the body with a sock filled with it, and rubbed into the skin. The coop or his facilities usually need to be treated as well. How much doxycycline are you giving him? Dosage is 20-25 mg for each 2.2 pounds of weight. I prefer Tylosin powder in the water and some use Denagard/TiaGard for treatment of MG symptoms. He should be taking at least 15 ml (1 tablespoonful) of water per pound 2-3 times a day. Tube feeding a chicken is easy to learn from videos online.

Thank you for this. I’ve been giving 20 mg of doxycycline per day. My 7 hens that were here before I brought the new hens are fine, it’s just the rooster. I’ve treated and cleaned the coop and the run consistently since bringing the new birds for mites and birds as a precaution. Dim earth, water supplements, and dust bath. All the hens are great, it’s just the rooster.

 

[mestes0906]

Thank you for this. I’ve been giving 20 mg of doxycycline per day. My 7 hens that were here before I brought the new hens are fine, it’s just the rooster. I’ve treated and cleaned the coop and the run consistently since bringing the new birds for mites and birds as a precaution. Dim earth, water supplements, and dust bath. All the hens are great, it’s just the rooster.

I may need to look into the tube because he’s spitting up what I give him with the dropper now. He’s going downhill and I feel like he is suffering. I hate this.