Pale Rooster

[5th lake chick]

My rooster has beeen kind of quiet lately, feathers looking a little ruffled, but eating and drinking. Yesterday I noticed his usual bright red comb and face are pale. (thus his name "REDHOT"). My hens are all doing fine. Any ideas?
P>S> Could it have to do with the long winter? We still have lots of snow and 18" of ice on our lake!!!!!! The chickens do have acess to the out side everyday though.

 

[DelawareChickin]

He's def sick. Have you wormed him?

 

[DelawareChickin]

Mites too will do it

 

[5th lake chick]

no, what do you use? I have not noticed worms?

 

[5th lake chick]

How do I know if it's mites? What do I do?

 

[JesBarthel]

If it's mites, he'll be fluffed up and constantly preening/picking at himself. A natural way to get rid of mites or other bugs is a dust bath with clean wood ash, diatomaceous earth ( or DE ) can be effective. A lot of people use Sevin dust, which is an insecticide you can find at a feed store or even at lowe's or home depot in the garden section. Lice is another possibility. If you check under his wings and around his vent area and see tiny, pale brown, elongated looking bugs, it's lice. Sevin will take care of that, too

 

[5th lake chick]

Don't see any lice, he has lost weight, but is still eating. Head feathers seem puffed , but overall looks like he is not preening. his beutiful gray and white feathers have become dirty. And again pale comb and head area. My 4 hens seem very good.

 

[cafarmgirl]

no, what do you use? I have not noticed worms?

You won't necessarily notice worms at all. Unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time and see them in the birds poop. They can carry a heavy parasite load before you actually start seeing worms or worm eggs in their poop. By that time they are heavily infested and the bird is very run down. It's best to avoid that kind of health crisis for the bird by implementing a regular deworming schedule.

I don't know if that's what's going on with your rooster or not, there are certainly other things it could be, but it's a good place to start.

 

[5th lake chick]

ok, so what do you do for worming? how often? I have had chickens for 10 months only and have never treated for worms. I really appreciate all the advice,couldn't do it with out everyone's tips.

 

[DelawareChickin]

Go to your local feed shop it's in a white bottle with blue letters that I use. Can't think of the name right now