Motor Oil on face & head of rooster

[BeccaSmith]

The neighbors rooster is over visiting my girls again, yesterday was the first time and today is his second time. I went to take some scratch out to the girls and noticed he had black stuff all over his head, comb, and waddles. It wasn't there yesterday. It looks like car oil or something, but only he has it on him, none of the girls. I know we have several old vehicles that the girls like to hang out under, but like I said they don't have anything on them from what I saw. I can get to close to him, he really keeps his distance from me. I don't think there is anything I can do for him, he would probably kill me or me accidently hurt him if I tried to capture him. If it is oil, can it harm him? I feel so bad for him but there is nothing that I can do, and I doubt the owners would be able to do anything either. Just thought I would mention the situation on here and see if anyone has any recommendations?

 

[BeccaSmith]

Well the rooster decided he was going to stay in our coop tonight. If he starts staying in our coop, I have a chance at catching him and trying to clean him up when my husband returns from out of town in a few days. So what am I getting myself into with trying to catch a rooster? He isn't human friendly like my girls are, and even they are a struggle if I have to catch them for any reason. So is catching a rooster something I should attempt? Anything I should know ahead of time or be forwarned of? Also what should I use to clean the oil of of his face and feathers...it looks like it could be on his neck feathers but he is black so it is hard to tell. And it does look to be car oil. I was thinking if it was one of our old vehicles out where the girls free range that they would have the oil on them as well and I looked them over pretty well this evening and didn't see anything on them, and I am sure I would notice it on them because they are SLW. Anyways, any help would be much apprcieated, I am mainly concerned with what will happen when I try and catch a rooster, is there a best way to go about it?

 

[BeccaSmith]

Well, no responses but I thought I would post an update. My husband still isn't home so I am not able to catch him yet, I could try and catch him this evening when he goes into the coop for the night and the lights are out, but honestly I am scared to try and catch him on my own. I was trying to get a look at him again this evening after I got home from work. It almost looks like he is losing some of the feathers on the top of his head around his comb, would the motor oil be causing this?

 

[Busybee1]

I found an injured rooster that I treated. I caught him at night and put him in a pet carrier. The next day I took him upsrtainr into our small bathroom. I put a saline solution in a sports bottle and chased him around the bathroom squirting it on his wounds. It was a little unnerving at first, then it was quite comical. My husband came home in the middle of the treatment. He was not sure who would emerge alive...lol

You could do something similar. I don't like chemicals, so I would use a natural mild cleaner like Shaklee Basis H or a mild dish detergent diluted. Didn't they use that on penquins in an oil spill?? I would and squirt it on him from a distance. I don't think he will hurt you. Good luck!

 

[RedBrush Farm]

Could it be dried blood? My Australorp rooster just nicked his comb and he looked like he would bleed to death. After the blood dried it turned black. He is black and with the dried blood he really looked bad. He is very friendly so I cleaned him with water and put antibiotic on the cut. If you do decide to catch him, grab the legs first and immediately turn him upside down. I have caught several this way and they do not fight much. (but every situation is different)
Good luck.... If it is oil, I have no idea what would be safe to clean him with. Hopefully it will be a minor thing for u both.....

 

[BeccaSmith]

Well could try and catch him on my own this evening, but I would have to try and wash him in the bathtub with a hand held sprayer, it would be much easier with two people in case he gets feisty. I think I will opt to wait for my husband to get home and help...I had a hard time with one of my hens on my own, I couldn't imagine a rooster on my own!

 

[BeccaSmith]

Could it be dried blood? My Australorp rooster just nicked his comb and he looked like he would bleed to death. After the blood dried it turned black. He is black and with the dried blood he really looked bad. He is very friendly so I cleaned him with water and put antibiotic on the cut. If you do decide to catch him, grab the legs first and immediately turn him upside down. I have caught several this way and they do not fight much. (but every situation is different)
Good luck.... If it is oil, I have no idea what would be safe to clean him with. Hopefully it will be a minor thing for u both.....

I'm 99% sure it is motor oil. I just got back from looking at him again, he sure is noisy when I come into the coop. I don't mind him with our girls, but we just got a baby rooster with our other pullets we are raising currently so there would be a rooster in the flock. So now I guess we have two...hope it won't be a problem!

 

[BeccaSmith]

Could it be dried blood? My Australorp rooster just nicked his comb and he looked like he would bleed to death. After the blood dried it turned black. He is black and with the dried blood he really looked bad. He is very friendly so I cleaned him with water and put antibiotic on the cut. If you do decide to catch him, grab the legs first and immediately turn him upside down. I have caught several this way and they do not fight much. (but every situation is different)
Good luck.... If it is oil, I have no idea what would be safe to clean him with. Hopefully it will be a minor thing for u both.....

Ok, I must eat my words now! Hubby and I wrapped the rooster in a towel and brought him indoors. We started cleaning him with warm water and dish soap and the stuff came off as a redish color....it was not motor oil! He must have gotten in a fight with the other roosters he lives with, no wonder why he doesn't want to go home! I don't really have anything that has antiseptic stuff in it so I used the no pick lotion I have on hand since it listed tea tree oil in the ingredients. I couldn't tell where all the blood came from, but he sure looked like he had extra red tender spots on his comb and he was missing an aweful lot of feathers from his neck. I also recently posted a question about the skin on his legs looking like areas were scraped off or peeling off and it is pink in certain areas. He must have gotten in a fight. Well I'm not sure what else to do for him, I'll just hope he doesn't get an infection or anything.