My Rooster Died This Morning.

[TropicalChick]

This attached pic wasnt my rooster, but mine looked just like this one. He just started crowing about 3 months ago. I had him about maybe 6 months - at first I thought he was a pretty hen, and then it was pretty obvious he was a rooster. 3 months ago he had started mating with the hens, being a rooster and roostering around...then about 3 weeks ago he stopped crowing. He was subdued, Id allllmost say lethargic, but he was very alert and active just slighty ...less...but not so much as to think him ill. He looked spectacular until I found him dead in the coop. It was like all of a sudden he assumed a subordinate role. His comb looked great and he was big and sturdy. He just wasnt assuming the lead or mating the hens as much.

We went away for 10 days and I had friends look after my chickens. I returned and they were all fine, and he was the exact same as when I left. I picked him up yesterday though and he was much lighter than I expected, but he usually was so HEAVY that it was a chore to pick him up. Once I felt how light he was, I hung around the coop and yard and watched him and he just showed no signs of anything other than being subdued, he was eating, roosting, hanging with the ladies, poop looked normal, then this am he was dead in the coop.

Im so so sad. He was just so big and beautiful - a real stunner. I was going to get some wormer from the vet as to address the weight loss, and now I feel like I failed him by not being suspicious when he stopped crowing. Im really kindof devastated, that he was sick for potentially 3 weeks and I didnt understand enough.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Unfortunately without a neocropsy after death it can be impossible to say what your rooster died of. Many things have the same symptoms. Sorry.

 

[TropicalChick]

Ya, Iknow and Im...Im just so wrecked by it and really feel sad.

 

[staceyj]

Awwww I’m sorry to read of your loss.
I bet he was handsome.

It’s hard. Most of us have been through something similar and this is a safe place to express the feelings you’re having.
...even the part about being disappointed in your own actions.

While I can’t guess what was wrong with him that caused him to pass away, I can suggest that you allow yourself to grieve but try to remember him at his very best.

Tomorrow, even if looking at the others is the last thing you feel like doing, go out and give each of your birds a few minutes of your time to look them over individually.

Lift them to see if they feel light in weight as well.
Check them all over for lice and mites.
Examine their legs and feet, and look in your coop for any evidence that might point to clues of illness.

That way, if you see something troubling, you can act on it right away and avoid having your loss compounded.


Edited to add, if you have a local vet who treats chickens, maybe you could take a poop sample in from the rest of the flock for worm testing.

 

[rosemarysugar]

This attached pic wasnt my rooster, but mine looked just like this one. He just started crowing about 3 months ago. I had him about maybe 6 months - at first I thought he was a pretty hen, and then it was pretty obvious he was a rooster. 3 months ago he had started mating with the hens, being a rooster and roostering around...then about 3 weeks ago he stopped crowing. He was subdued, Id allllmost say lethargic, but he was very alert and active just slighty ...less...but not so much as to think him ill. He looked spectacular until I found him dead in the coop. It was like all of a sudden he assumed a subordinate role. His comb looked great and he was big and sturdy. He just wasnt assuming the lead or mating the hens as much.

We went away for 10 days and I had friends look after my chickens. I returned and they were all fine, and he was the exact same as when I left. I picked him up yesterday though and he was much lighter than I expected, but he usually was so HEAVY that it was a chore to pick him up. Once I felt how light he was, I hung around the coop and yard and watched him and he just showed no signs of anything other than being subdued, he was eating, roosting, hanging with the ladies, poop looked normal, then this am he was dead in the coop.

Im so so sad. He was just so big and beautiful - a real stunner. I was going to get some wormer from the vet as to address the weight loss, and now I feel like I failed him by not being suspicious when he stopped crowing. Im really kindof devastated, that he was sick for potentially 3 weeks and I didnt understand enough.

Sorry you lost your fella. We've had a hen on edge the last few days and I'm hoping and praying that we don't go there. Hang in there.

 

[TropicalChick]

Thank you. I spent alot of time down there with the rest of the flock today (there are 10 hens) Some are pullets (the babies) and I went over each and every one of them thoroughly. I live in Costa Rica....its deep rainy season rt now so I super cleaned the coop and washed everything with white vinegar ...I found no bugs or lice or mites on any of them and I added some DE and vitamins to their feed - I added DE to feed for about 2 weeks every 3 months.

The rest of the ladies seem good. It was a mess though at roosting time, nobdy wanted to go in the coop, and there was a bit of chaos as I had to physically pick them up and put them in and close the door to keep them in while i Gathered the rest of them up. They usually just marched rt on in after the roo and would settle in after he was perched. They were all confused. His two main ladies were looking for him and staring out of the coop clucking like crazy.

Not a good day, but the rest of them look fit and sturdy.

Awwww I’m sorry to read of your loss.
I bet he was handsome.

It’s hard. Most of us have been through something similar and this is a safe place to express the feelings you’re having.
...even the part about being disappointed in your own actions.

While I can’t guess what was wrong with him that caused him to pass away, I can suggest that you allow yourself to grieve but try to remember him at his very best.

Tomorrow, even if looking at the others is the last thing you feel like doing, go out and give each of your birds a few minutes of your time to look them over individually.

Lift them to see if they feel light in weight as well.
Check them all over for lice and mites.
Examine their legs and feet, and look in your coop for any evidence that might point to clues of illness.

That way, if you see something troubling, you can act on it right away and avoid having your loss compounded.

did

 

[TropicalChick]

I hope your roo makes it!.

Sorry you lost your fella. We've had one on the edge for the last few days and I'm hoping and praying that we don't go there. Hang in there.

 

[MissChick@dee]

He was stunning! Looks like he posed just for that picture. Some people just can’t understand how and why we love them the way we do...but we do. Sorry for your loss.
Best wishes

 

[staceyj]

I hope your roo makes it!.

X2

 

[staceyj]

Thank you. I spent alot of time down there with the rest of the flock today (there are 10 hens) Some are pullets (the babies) and I went over each and every one of them thoroughly. I live in Costa Rica....its deep rainy season rt now so I super cleaned the coop and washed everything with white vinegar ...I found no bugs or lice or mites on any of them and I added some DE and vitamins to their feed - I added DE to feed for about 2 weeks every 3 months.

The rest of the ladies seem good. It was a mess though at roosting time, nobdy wanted to go in the coop, and there was a bit of chaos as I had to physically pick them up and put them in and close the door to keep them in while i Gathered the rest of them up. They usually just marched rt on in after the roo and would settle in after he was perched. They were all confused. His two main ladies were looking for him and staring out of the coop clucking like crazy.

Not a good day, but the rest of them look fit and sturdy.




did

Good news on the gals.
You will probably have to put them to bed for several days til one of the ladies takes charge.