My rooster loses his voice every afternoon

[Balfour Girl]

It's quite funny, but I wondered if anyone knows whether roosters get laryngitis? He gets so squeaky that no sound comes out when he tries to tell the hens that he's found food, and his crowing is pathetic, but hilarious! Should I be worried about this? I also noticed yesterday that the back of his comb was quite dark, almost purple. Is that indicative of anything?

 

[threehorses]

Sounds like he's stressed with something. Is it very hot there? We're seeing a lot of darkened combs d.t. heat here and around the boards. Give them two water stations - one with electrolytes, one without. Clean both daily because warm weather pampers bad bacteria. Make sure that he's eating and drinking a lot.

Otherwise, if you could answer the questions on the 2nd sticky message in this section, it would help us get a better big picture and thus be better armed to help you more accurately, please.

Incidentally, to get him back on track, you can dribble a little pedialyte into his beak today.

There are some illnesses that cause a rooster to lose his voice, but we still need more information if you don't mind.

No other symptoms at all?

 

[Balfour Girl]

Sorry, threehorses, I didn't even realize that there were "stickies" to read first... he's just over a year old, a buff orpington, who witnessed the death by coyote of his good buddy, a bantam RIR rooster, a month ago. Since then I've noticed that his voice is fine in the morning (and he uses it a lot) and as the day goes on it gets more and more squeaky. To me it seems like overuse-related laryngitis. I can't find anything to read online, so I thought I'd post here to see if anyone else has ever experienced this.

He is apparently completely healthy, eats and drinks normally. Poops look normal. We free-range him so can't tell you exactly what he eats. It was cool here until a couple days ago and now the weather has become hot and sunny (21 degrees celcius, not really that hot!). We also introduced him to our 3 young pullets a couple of days ago, which is the only recent major change... oh, and have installed all of them in our new coop, with dried lawn clippings on the floor. My hubby built the entire thing with arborite to make it easier to clean, but it's a bit slippery... I can't see this having anything to do with his purple comb, but you never know!

He actually seems fine, with no other symptoms, and I have no plans to take him to a vet... was just curious about his condition. I will change his water more often, thanks for that advice. How do I add electrolytes to water?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

My Langshan cock does the same thing. He crows himself hoarse every day. But the next day...bright and early he's back to his normal self!

 

[Balfour Girl]

It's really not a bad thing, is it?!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Not in my cock. I just accrue it to him not having annoying vocal chords...

No other symptoms in my bird. Just loud crowing in the mornings...that gradually weaken as the day goes on.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Adding the electrolyte really depends on what brand you get. They come in a package like vitamins/minerals do. I like to use them less strong than recommended in the summer - personal preference - as the birds are drinking so much more water. Usually you had X-number of tablespoons to a gallon of water. Again providing a second non-treated water does two things: a) insures if one gets knocked over, your birds don't die. And b) gives them an opportunity to self-regulate. If birds don't like the electrolyte water, they don't go the day without drinking anything - they have their usual water in the same amount.

I'm curious - did the crowing issues start after his friend was lost? Is he calling out more often than usual?

It didn't start after you got the new birds, did it?

 

[wohneli]

can you send me some rooster laryngitis please?

 

[Balfour Girl]

lol wohneli!

Threehorses, thanks again for getting back to me so quickly. His voice has been funny for a few days, but longer than he's been with the girls... although when his buddy was killed we stopped letting him free range and set him up in a dog kennel in a covered, fenced run, with a clear view through a screened window of the young pullets. We are new at this chicken raising, so didn't know if he could be put with them while they were too young. The other night a raccoon (we think) broke into the coop and killed two of the five pullets, so we brought the survivors and rooster home to our almost completed new coop. So, to answer your question, he's been losing his voice for about a week or two, but he's been the only rooster for a month and he's only been with the hens for a couple of days. Incidently, he's wonderful with them... perfect gentleman, babysitter, shares his food, helps groom them when they're dust bathing. It's amazing to watch!

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
LOL now that's funny!!!