Not sure what to label this, rooster help?

Aug 9, 2019
494
1,626
316
Ontario, Canada
I’ve been talking with my vet regarding Ori here and his issue with breathing. They are doing the same thing I’m doing here with this post, asking advice from people more knowledgeable than they are. I’ve included the same photos I have sent to the vet, with a few additional from last night.
Photos 1-3 are from August 17, 2019.
Photos 4-7 are from August 23, 2019.
Photo 8 is from August 25, 2019.
Photos 9-16 are from August 28, 2019.
Photos 17-21 are from August 29, 2019.

A little about him:
Ori is believed to be a silkie cross with who knows what, he also has frizzled feathers. He is a cockerel somewhere between 14-16 weeks old. He stands at 12” tall (was that to the top of his cowlick..?), 12” long and 7” wide when he’s sitting. He weighs 0.7#.

About his issue:
He seems to struggle to breathe as every so often he breathes through his mouth. I notice it happen mainly when he gets worked up/running around/flapping his wings a lot he will breathe through his mouth for a bit depending on how long he does said activity and then return to breathing through his mouth. At night I’ll hear him take a breathe through his mouth 1-2 times a minute but he does use his nose as much as he can, that’s how he breathes 90% of the time. When his nostrils got closed nearly right up they stared to have clear discharge, it moves with his inhale and exhale (almost like an ebbing tide). Just yesterday I noticed his left nostril looks to have a wider opening than it did, his comb also seems to be drooping more to the right side.
EDIT: The vet has stated it isn’t a respiratory infection. They were suggested some sort of cardiac infection from outside experts before the photos were available to the experts.

He acts no different than he always has. Eats the same, would rather be out free ranging than eating the crumble they have out there actually. He runs around with the others and plays with them the same as he always has. I’ve had him for 6 weeks now. His comb was very tiny when I first got him, was hoping for a pullet. Oh, should I add a photo to show how much his comb has developed in the 6 weeks I’ve had him?

Why I am here:
I came here to ask what you think could be causing this and what we should go forward with doing to help him. The vet and I have different ideas on what’s wrong with him as they are also asking others opinions but did so prior to getting photos to show their outsourced chicken experts (as they’ve called them). They’ve been suggested something that’s more serious thank I think it is but I’m open to what the vet thinks and if it’s surgery or whatever I need to do to help this little fella, I will. He’s just stolen my heart (and everyone’s at the animal hospital too) :love :love

Thank you to all for reading and any advice you may have! This forum has helped me a lot and I’ve gotten some amazing ideas and have read some great advice on here as you are all very knowledgeable :bow
 

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Last edited:
I’ve been talking with my vet regarding Ori here and his issue with breathing. They are doing the same thing I’m doing here with this post, asking advice from people more knowledgeable than they are. I’ve included the same photos I have sent to the vet, with a few additional from last night.
Photos 1-3 are from August 17, 2019.
Photos 4-7 are from August 23, 2019.
Photo 8 is from August 25, 2019.
Photos 9-16 are from August 28, 2019.
Photos 17-21 are from August 29, 2019.

A little about him:
Ori is believed to be a silkie cross with who knows what, he also has frizzled feathers. He is a cockerel somewhere between 14-16 weeks old. He stands at 12” tall (was that to the top of his cowlick..?), 12” long and 7” wide when he’s sitting. He weighs 0.7#.

About his issue:
He seems to struggle to breathe as every so often he breathes through his mouth. I notice it happen mainly when he gets worked up/running around/flapping his wings a lot he will breathe through his mouth for a bit depending on how long he does said activity and then return to breathing through his mouth. At night I’ll hear him take a breathe through his mouth 1-2 times a minute but he does use his nose as much as he can, that’s how he breathes 90% of the time. When his nostrils got closed nearly right up they stared to have clear discharge, it moves with his inhale and exhale (almost like an ebbing tide). Just yesterday I noticed his left nostril looks to have a wider opening than it did, his comb also seems to be drooping more to the right side.

He acts no different than he always has. Eats the same, would rather be out free ranging than eating the crumble they have out there actually. He runs around with the others and plays with them the same as he always has. I’ve had him for 6 weeks now. His comb was very tiny when I first got him, was hoping for a pullet. Oh, should I add a photo to show how much his comb has developed in the 6 weeks I’ve had him?

Why I am here:
I came here to ask what you think could be causing this and what we should go forward with doing to help him. The vet and I have different ideas on what’s wrong with him as they are also asking others opinions but did so prior to getting photos to show their outsourced chicken experts (as they’ve called them). They’ve been suggested something that’s more serious thank I think it is but I’m open to what the vet thinks and if it’s surgery or whatever I need to do to help this little fella, I will. He’s just stolen my heart (and everyone’s at the animal hospital too) :love :love

Thank you to all for reading and any advice you may have! This forum has helped me a lot and I’ve gotten some amazing ideas and have read some great advice on here as you are all very knowledgeable :bow
Sounds like he might have a respiratory infection.
 
I just recently read another thread which had similar issues with their cockerel. The pictures looked very similar to . They came to the conclusion his comb was too large and heavy and was pushing down on his nostrils.
 
Sounds like he might have a respiratory infection.
my thoughts were have vet run a fecal see if he's got worms or parasites, it could be a respiratory virus but where it is induced after activity could be heat exhaustion.
These people are lots more knowledgeable though
@Eggcessive
@casportpony
@aart
@azygous
Vet said it wasn’t a respiratory infection, that’s why they have been discussing it with other more experience vets.

I just recently read another thread which had similar issues with their cockerel. The pictures looked very similar to . They came to the conclusion his comb was too large and heavy and was pushing down on his nostrils.
This is what I think is wrong but the vet doesn’t seem to be convinced with the knowledge they have on chickens. Do the photos help show this to be the issue?
 
Vet said it wasn’t a respiratory infection, that’s why they have been discussing it with other more experience vets.


This is what I think is wrong but the vet doesn’t seem to be convinced with the knowledge they have on chickens. Do the photos help show this to be the issue?
The thread I read showed progression of the closing of the nostrils just like yours. No other signs of respiratory issues. Similar issues with breathing also, especially when he got active.

I will try to find the thread.
 
I just recently read another thread which had similar issues with their cockerel. The pictures looked very similar to . They came to the conclusion his comb was too large and heavy and was pushing down on his nostrils.
I didnt get to see how it ended though. I lost the thread somehow.
I had another thread about his breathing issue and I still think it’s just his comb causing it but the vet isn’t as convinced.
This is my other post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...g-to-breath-large-comb.1329557/#post-21700265
I’m sorry if a new thread wasn’t proper, I thought it would be easier to have all the information together with the images..
 

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