If he is eating/drinking normal and poop is normal,then possibly it is nothing serious. There are so many things that can cause wattles/combs to change,disease,injury,vitamin deficiencies,and even hormones are just a few. Tips of combs/wattles can even have a bluish tint when they are excited,but goes back to normal red. More serious is if comb stays a bluish color,this usually indicates circulation issues,possibly heart related. Watch him,monitor his condition,if it is serious you will know very soon. Has it been very hot? Have you given him any vitamins? I would think if he was going into kidney failure there would be symptoms.
yes, he eats drinks and runs around just fine...he is terribly hard to catch lol. There is no blue in his wattles or comb, they're just all shrunken and pale. It has been very hot recently but I haven't thought about it being an issue since they have a lot of cool water and shaded areas. I feed them a mixture of starter/layer/oystershell/grit/black oil sunflower seeds/poultry conditioner. I just put dewormer in all their water sources and also some rooster booster in one bowl of water and a little in the feed. I hope he starts looking better soon and keeps acting fine. I agree with you on the kidney thing, I feel like he would be acting pitiful if his kidneys were failing but he hasn't even ruffled his feathers.
A rooster should not be eating layer feed. Most people, that have a roo in with their layers, feed an "all flock" and provide oyster shells seperately for their laying hens, in a container other than adding it to the feed. ...I would check the forum, at the top search box, for layer feed and roosters, as I can't remember the issues it causes, but I do remember thinking wow, that can be really serious...
I agree that feed should be an 'all flock raiser" type food or a grower--18-20% protein. Don't put the oystershell and grit in with the feed. Plastic coffee cans are good to sit around for oystershell and grit for free choice. Layer feed contains too much calcium for roosters or any chick or hen that is not laying eggs. Too much calcium can cause kidney failure and gout later on. I don't think that is what is problem is either though. How old is he? They molt the first time around 16-18 months and yearly thereafter. I know that hens can have a withered and pale comb during molt, but I don't know about the roosters. I haven't seen it in mine.
he's been eating layer feed mixed with starter grow for about 3-4 weeks now...I'll just go back to feeding them starter until I can afford a bag of all flock or would game bird feed be ok?
I've never fed game bird, so don't know what is in it. I do know that all flock, which is cheaper than the starter grower, is about the same protein level as the starter/grower, and since you already have the oyster shells, it should save you some $$$...my feed store is about 5 bucks cheaper, for the all flock, than the starter/grower..a washed out tuna can nailed near the feed, will work fine for the oyster shells for your layers. You might want to give your vet a call and ask if 3 weeks of layer, could cause kidney damage? and if so, how much and what you should do. They should be able to tell you over the phone, if not the vet, your local extension usually have some great people that will talk your ear off, about poultry and could give you the info.
Game bird is just a high protein feed but I will look into the all flock I have just never seen it around. I still have a lot of start and grow left so I will finish feeding them that and I have put the oyster shells in their own container. Would it matter that my start and grow is medicated against cocci?
