Lethargic/Sleepy Rooster

[marissajaynee]

Please help... need some guidance.

Returned home from vacation to find my roo suffering from an eye injury (very swollen, can't open it all the way). I believe he got into it with the others. No bleeding, we have removed him from the rest of the flock. He is very lethargic and sleepy. He ate a small amount yesterday and I have been trying to get him to drink. I tried 1.5cc of electrolyte booster from TSC last night. He seemed a bit more alert this morning but hard to tell... He is so very special and I want to make sure he can overcome whatever is happening. I have never seen him like this, even when he has gotten injured in the past. I am so afraid he is going to die from dehydration. I am not sure how long this has been going on since we just returned home from vacation this past Wednesday.

Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please post some photos of your rooster and his eye.

 

[marissajaynee]

So his swelling has gone down, slightly more alert than a few days ago. However he’s still pretty lethargic and not sure how much he’s eating or drinking. No smell or drainage from the eye. All the others are fine without symptoms. He is coming in and out of the coop just fine...

please any help would be appreciated

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is that food or mucous on his beak?

 

[marissajaynee]

It was kinda hard to tell. It was dryer than I would expect mucus to be... he is mouth breathing. Could this be coryza? Even though we have not introduced any new flock members, no change in diet or environment? He is about 13 months old and this all came out of no where.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It was kinda hard to tell. It was dryer than I would expect mucus to be... he is mouth breathing. Could this be coryza? Even though we have not introduced any new flock members, no change in diet or environment? He is about 13 months old and this all came out of no where.

Was there a bad odor?
It would be a very good idea to look inside his beak and try to determine if that's food or mucous.
Examine him all over.

 

[marissajaynee]

No bad odor. No mucus. Starting to eat and drink a bit more yesterday and become more alert. Swelling is continuing to improve. No eye bubbles or discharge. Starting to think it’s more of an injury than anything... but don’t think we are out of the woods yet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No bad odor. No mucus. Starting to eat and drink a bit more yesterday and become more alert. Swelling is continuing to improve. No eye bubbles or discharge. Starting to think it’s more of an injury than anything... but don’t think we are out of the woods yet.

Having no odor is good.

It may help to flush his eyes with saline and apply a little neosporin.
If need be, syringe fluids into and see if you can entice him to eat with some scrambled egg.

 

[marissajaynee]

He is eating and drinking on his own today! Much more alert than yesterday. I have been syringe feeding him water and food the past few days as well as electrolytes. The swelling has also improved today and he is not mouth breathing as much which is a sigh of progress. Still a bit sleepy but so much better than he’s been. He’s starting to fuss more when I try to feed or give him water since he’s more alert now.

what kind of saline do you recommend? Just normal? Or would something like eye drops or contact solution work? Not really sure how or what to use for that on a chicken.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can use saline for eyes or you can even make your own. Look up diy saline for flushing eyes.
I'm glad that he's starting to make a little progress.