Newbie Here With Strange Rooster Question

[wayne33]

Hello everyone.This is my first post on here.I have been reading and learning all about chickens for months on here but have not posted a topic so let me say hello.This site is has been very helpfull to me.I have 6 golden buff hens and have been wanting a rooster for a while.I kept going back and fourth about it.I love hearing them crow and I think they are so gorgous.I know they can be aggressive but also some can be very sweet.Anyhow I was at a local hatchery last weekend and saw him.

I thought he was beautifull so I had to buy him.The hens love him and really took to him right away.I was worried about that and that went off without any issues at all.I was told he is less then a year old.After I got him home I noticed he gurgles.Its not constant but its every few minutes or so.Sometimes it kind of sounds like darth vader.Thats the only way I can describe it.Then sometimes it sounds like someone blowing bubbles in a glass of milk kind of.I thought it was because its been so hot but he still does it off and on when its pretty cool out as well.Also his comb is getting a little darker.Not alot but just a little and only on one side.Kind of purply or blackish.He acts alert,he crows,he shows off for the girls exc.but its driving me crazy.Im afraid something may be wrong with him even though he acts good.H e eats well also.Thats the other thing.His beak.The top part of his beak is shorteer then the bottom part so he cant really peck the scratch on the ground like the hens.Im assuming that its because his beak was trimmed.So I was wondering will his beak grow back.I feed my hens layer crumbles is this ok for a rooster??He seems to be eating it ok??Oh by the way I bought Duramycin-10 for him but have not addministered it yet.Is this ok if its a respiratory issue??I held him upside down the first day I brought him home a couple of times bringing him home exc.Could this have caused this problem.I hope someone will help me and Im sorry for the length of my first post.Its just been driving me crazy.

I dont know what to do and I dont want to hear raspy darth vader in my hen house but I want him to sound nice and clear lunged.Not like he smokes 6 paks a day.Ok 6 paks is a exageration but you know what I mean LOL.

 

[fl_deb]

First of all,

People on here are great at helping each other out, so you have come to the right place.



If you think he may be ill, or just because he is new, he should have been (and still should be) separated from the rest of your flock for at least 14 =21 days.

This gives you enough time to evaluate his health w/out sharing diseases with your flock.

Some one more experienced than me maybe able to help you with the respiretory issue.

Good Luck and enjoy!


Take care of you and yours.

Deb

 

[PoultryPedia]

He definitely could be sick. I would separate him right away & keep him separated 2-4 weeks. Meanwhile you can research what kind of disease he might have, and see if he gets worse and/or shows other symptoms.

That said, I had a Bantam Brahma rooster that made gurgly breathing noises his whole life but was healthy. I think his nasal passages were just a bit odd-shaped.

p.s. You can use a nail file to carefully shorten his lower beak some so it matches better with the top beak. If you look inside the rooster's mouth, you usually can kind of see different coloring where the sensitive parts of the beak start, so you can tell how far is too far to file.

Best wishes!

 

[wayne33]

Quote:
Thanks for the welcome Deb!!!I was bad for not seperating him for a while when I first got him so now I just seperated him.I will keep an eye on his condition for sure.Im giving him the duromycin 10 for now to see if he improves.Hope hes not sick or got my other hens sick due to me not seperating him.Thanks for the reply
Wayne

 

[wayne33]

Quote:
Awesome.Actually that is a fabulous idea about the nail file.Why didnt I think of that.I will try that very soon.I will be afraid to hurt him or something but I will be very happy to see him be able to eat seeds off the ground exc. I hope he is healthy but it was his comb coloring that made me fear sickness.Thanks for your advice!!

Wayne

 

[starforever61]

Hi there! Congratulations on your new rooster! When you said that his comb was purplish, you reminded me of when my rooster had frost bite and it was pretty gross. The only thing is, it's summer so it couldn't be that! So sorry he's gurgling

Wishing you luck!

 

[wayne33]

Quote:
Exactly! His comb isnt really as purple as they get when frost bitten but if it was cold winter that is totally what I would have thought he had was frost bite.Hopefully I can mend him back to health and hopefully my girls are ok too.They really seem to love him!!Thanks for the reply

 

[Lollipop]

Get him some VetRX at the feed store. It is very good for respiratory problems as you discribe. Welcome to the forum......Pop

 

[dmdhart]

Welcome! I have been around chickens all of my life, but I didn't start learning about them until I discovered BYC. It is a great community.
A few things that I have learned since being here: if giving antibiotics, also give yogurt so as not to destroy all of the good bacteria. And add some organic apple cider vinegar to his water. I don't do it every day, but a few days a month. It's supposed to help their digestive system. I did this with one sick hen that I had and it also seemed to help clear up her cold. If he is sick, give him some poly-vi-sol (infant vitamins) (without iron) daily. It will really help build his system up.
Good luck, and again welcome!

 

[wayne33]

Quote:
cool.I will definatly check this vet rx out.Should I stop with duramycin 10 or get the vet rx if the d 10 does not work?? I hope it does.Thank you for the welcome and the reply!!