my 5 month cockerel is not eating and comb is droping turning a pink/ white color. please HELP

[yoderfarms]

2 weeks ago I noticed my 5 month cockerel is not eating and comb is droping, turning a pink/ white color. I asked a few people. they had told me worn, vitamins and maybe heat exhortion. so, it been 2 week. I've used safe-guard and wazine wormer, nutri-drench and durvet vita and electrolytes, probiotic, apple cidar viniger, garic, and antibiotic. I change his food and put him in a cool area. I check his crop thoughout the day to see if he is eating and it has a little liquid in it. I've tryed everything that people tell me, still no change. this is a picture of him 2 weeks ago his comb is now like a white spoted pink with a few scabs on it. If anyone knows whatis wrong with him I would appeciate their input. I'll try to get a more recent picture. thanks

 

[enola]

Can we see a profile picture of him standing up?

 

[ChicKat]

2 weeks ago I noticed my 5 month cockerel is not eating and comb is droping, turning a pink/ white color. I asked a few people. they had told me worn, vitamins and maybe heat exhortion. so, it been 2 week. I've used safe-guard and wazine wormer, nutri-drench and durvet vita and electrolytes, probiotic, apple cidar viniger, garic, and antibiotic. I change his food and put him in a cool area. I check his crop thoughout the day to see if he is eating and it has a little liquid in it. I've tryed everything that people tell me, still no change. this is a picture of him 2 weeks ago his comb is now like a white spoted pink with a few scabs on it. If anyone knows whatis wrong with him I would appeciate their input. I'll try to get a more recent picture. thanks

So sorry to hear your cockerel is sick. Hopefully you will get the answers here. Sometimes a chicken has a congenital problem that can't be explained (until necropsy) and it causes their illness. He's a very pretty bird. Hopefully he recovers. It sounds like you are doing all that you can and should to help him out.

 

[Michael Apple]

2 weeks ago I noticed my 5 month cockerel is not eating and comb is droping, turning a pink/ white color. I asked a few people. they had told me worn, vitamins and maybe heat exhortion. so, it been 2 week. I've used safe-guard and wazine wormer, nutri-drench and durvet vita and electrolytes, probiotic, apple cidar viniger, garic, and antibiotic. I change his food and put him in a cool area. I check his crop thoughout the day to see if he is eating and it has a little liquid in it. I've tryed everything that people tell me, still no change. this is a picture of him 2 weeks ago his comb is now like a white spoted pink with a few scabs on it. If anyone knows whatis wrong with him I would appeciate their input. I'll try to get a more recent picture. thanks

In two weeks, you have dewormed, given "antibiotic" (what type?), apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Where some of those products can be beneficial, in a two week period, you may have just caused intestinal irritation to worsen. Antibiotic dispersible powders are not always effective and are generally given 7-14 days being the only source of drinking water for bacterial infections. Also if the bird is not drinking enough, he won't get enough to be effective. Also, does the bird have watery droppings or are they firm and normal in appearance?

You know the bird is anemic, but cannot determine what is causing it without a fecal culture. If you wormed with the proper dosage and saw no improvement within a week, or did not dose 10 days apart a high worm load may not be remedied. An iron/vitamin B deficiency can also cause anemia.

The bird is not going to be immune to coccidiosis infections at 5 months old, and just know that any condition such as nutrient deficiency, or protozoa, intestinal worms, bacterial infections in the gut, can cause enteritis, which then causes anemia.

 

[yoderfarms]

I'm using tetracycline powder. he is drinking, but not eating. his droping are watery and i did give his wormer 10 days appart. when I tryed different things, I didn't give them at the same time. just because I was worry they might not mix well

 

[Michael Apple]

I'm using tetracycline powder. he is drinking, but not eating. his droping are watery and i did give his wormer 10 days appart. when I tryed different things, I didn't give them at the same time. just because I was worry they might not mix well

If you've been giving tetracycline, it is not a very effective antibiotic. Chlortetracycline is 3x more effective than Oxytetracyclne, but still requires Vitamin C to assist with absorption.

At 5 months old, I would see Coccidiosis as a suspect. Generally, if you treat with a medication, and you do not see improvement in 3-4 days, you are not using the proper medication. I would stop the tetracycline. Avoid giving scratch grains at this time and just give pellets/crumbles. If it were me, I would begin dosing water with Amprolium (Corid, Ampromed are a few brands). It comes in a 9.6% liquid and a 20% powder. You can use either. Dosage is as follows for treatment of symptoms:

9.6% liquid: 2 to 3 tsp per gallon of water for 5-7 days

or

20% powder: 1 to 1.5 tsp per gallon of water for 5-7 days

Do that and post results in no less than 2-3 days of treatment.

 

[yoderfarms]

ok, i'm going to pick some up. what should I do for the iron/vitamin B deficiency?

 

[Michael Apple]

ok, i'm going to pick some up. what should I do for the iron/vitamin B deficiency?

Just use the Corid for now, then supplement vitamins/iron after you finish the last dose of Corid. Like I said, post some details about the cockerel's health in 2-3 days after dosing with Amprolium. There are a few ways to add a little extra iron with supplements.

Red Cell is a good source of iron and B vitamins so long as it isn't given too often. I dose 1 tablespoon per gallon of water for one day.

Or you can use nutritional yeast (Kal is a good brand) once a week. It is loaded with B vitamins. Take 2 tsp wheat germ oil per pound of feed. Mix it is really well with a large spoon so oil coats all the feed. Then mix in 2 tsp of nutritional yeast powder per pound of feed so it it sticks to the oil coated feed, and give it for them to eat.

For regular supplementation poultry vitamin-electrolyte powder is good to add in waterers 2-3 days a week. Dawes Stress-eez Plus http://dawesnutrition.com/_reports.html#protekallplus and Agrilabs Vitamins, Electrolytes Plus http://agrilabs.com/Products.aspx?CategoryUid=11&ProductUid=143 are a few good quality brands. Probios dispersible powder is also a great way to keep the intestinal tract health intact. I use it in waterers once a week, 1 tsp per gallon. It can be used with poultry vitamins which do not contain probiotics: http://www.probios.com/powdersgranules.html

 

[yoderfarms]

just a update. he is eating again and he is getting his red back on his comb. the comb is still a little lop sided but it is looking better. thanks so much for the help Michael

 

[Michael Apple]

just a update. he is eating again and he is getting his red back on his comb. the comb is still a little lop sided but it is looking better. thanks so much for the help Michael

You're welcome. Glad to hear it, and as good as he seems, complete the treatment. Keep us posted through the 5-7 day treatment.