lethargic rooster with bugs and discharge from beak

[ScottK]

I have a rooster (a silkie/frizzle or sizzle if that matters) that is so lethargic he can't get up. My wife found him with his head propped up near a waterer.

We brought him in and found he definitely has mites or some bug so we dusted him with Sevin just a few minutes ago. Now we notice when he put his his head down water runs out his beak. At least we think it's water. Now what? He doesn't seem to have any other discharge. Eyes are clear. Seems to have life in him. Can hold his head up but he's sleepy. Vent looks normal. He took some water from a syringe we think.

Scott

 

[klmclain1]

Among other things (which I am sure someone will detail here shortly) you need to immediately clean out any coop or nesting area (and dustbathing area), dust with sevin and put in new bedding. You have to get it into the cracks and crevices! Then dust any other birds that use those areas or are around him. My understanding is you must do this again in 10 days to get any new hatches.

I'm guessing the water out of the beak is probably just some he tried to drink but hasn't gotten down?? I don't know though. If you can get some electrolyte mixture down him with a dropper every couple of hours - that might help him to regain some strength so he can start eating and drinking again himself.

These are just some quick things to do until someone else with more experience can help!
Good luck!!!

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Check his crop? Does he have a sour crop? Bad breath? Could he have gotten something bad or contaminated to eat? Check, feel, massage his crop... smell his breath.

How old is he? Anyone else in the flock acting off, sick?

Fresh food and water everyday for all? No frozen water that denies access? What do they eat? Free range? Have there been any other issues with the flock? Hens laying? Have you wormed the flock? When, with what?

The first post on this topic "a sticky" has a list of questions you should answer when posting a problem.. more info helps others to help you.

Also, use the Search option here on BYC to search anything but "lethargy", it's too generic and too common. Search "Sour Crop", or "Impacted Crop"... See if he is eating and drinking at all, on his own if you offer it... read up on crop problems before you force food or water.. also be careful not to get water into his airway/windpipe... Search "giving oral medications", "giving water orally", etc...

And, when you answer all the questions in the topic header... hopefully someone will be able to offer more help than I can.

Best of luck. I hope he makes it....

 

[BamaSilkies]

x2 if you dont have vitamins/electrolytes on hand tonight give sugar water for energy. The bugs probably made the chick anemic. See if you can get it to eat some egg, yogurt or something like that.

 

[ScottK]

Let me add he has no respiratory issues - no wheezing. He does free-range although we have not let them out for a few days due to a visiting dog. We don't worm and he is just one of our flock of 32. We have a couple fenced acres where they free range that includes all kinds of terrain.

He is full-grown but less than a year old.

We don't know much about the crop but it doesn't seem to bulge or anything. They eat Del's layer pellets while in their compound. One of the waterers has a heater but it hasn't been been below freezing in a week or so (Seattle area). The other 31 chickens seem healthy. Sizzles have backwards feathers and we know they are genetically prone to more disease than other breeds. He is the only one of this breed in the coops.

We will have to look in the morning to examine the coop compound carefully as it's pretty extensive including two buildings and an interconnected outdoor area that's fully enclosed. We will treat if the others have any bugs but as 29 of them are layers we will hold off a bit. They have all gone to roost for the night.

Currently he is in a box in our mud room so we can keep an eye on him.

 

[ScottK]

Anything I missed before:

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) - Sizzle -seems to have his normal weight maybe 9 months old

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? He wasn't in his usual location yesterday at roosting time, but we didn't notice him being sick until an hour ago.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? NO

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. NO

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. - Will update when we see it - he's in a box right now.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. - he just looks like a ball of feathers

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use - we have white shavings on the floor of the coops (not cedar).