Please please help...something is wrong with my much-loved Rooster!

[Cetawin]

Cocci normally affects chicks but he would have a dark bloody stool for sure...that is the main sign of that, along with weakness, listless, not eating or drinking. He would go down fast probably.


As for having chickens for 6 years with no problems...congrats but that does not mean you could not have a problem now.

If your chickens free range at all, are on any type of dirt, they can ingest parasites. They can also pick up parasites such as mites or lice. These are very very tiny and hard to see. Use a flashlight and pull the feathers back...the little tiny specks will be moving on the skin. They can get parasites from wild birds pooping around them too.

Also, remember, he is an older rooster so, he will handle illness differently than a younger one.

Whatever you do, you need to keep liquids and food in him...if you do not, he will go downhill quickly.

 

[chicken_grrl]

Thanks for all the help regarding my rooster.

This afternoon I went to someone who has raised chickens for decades; he's into farming and all. He suggested I give Rooster some cod liver oil which would help maybe if his body was lacking something.

I gave Rooster some cod liver oil in a cooking syringe thingy and fed him for about an hour by carefully opening his beak and putting wet chicken mush (ground up feed with water) into his mouth. He swallowed it well and seemed to like it. I also carefully gave him water with the syringe.

I don't know if I mentioned before, but his beak was very hooked over/overgrown. I thought that could be the reason, maybe he just physically coulnd't eat. So we used a soldering iron at a pretty low temp to gradually melt down the beak to a normal length. Thankfully he was very cooperative. I offered him food to eat on his own but he was tired.

At any rate, he seems to be more comfortable.

He hasn't pooped much since he hasn't really eaten until now, but his droppings look normal. I looked carefully around his tail and through his feathers to the skin but didn't see any lice or mites.

Rooster is almost 7 (his bday is in May) and therefore maybe it is only age.
He's back in our coop now (the hens luckily don't bother him, and the coop is insulated for the cooler weather and he has lots of shavings) and seems at least more comfortable.

I'm going to feed him again tomorrow by opening his beak and putting the food in. Any suggestions on high protein/good foods for a sick chicken? Someone said scrambled eggs, I guess I'll try that.

Again, thank you everyone for all the help.
~mo

 

[Biddieacres]

as I said you have to get that water in with an eye dropper. He needs vitamins and water. Sounds like cocci. You say he has been this way for almost two weeks so I would treat as soon as possible.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Coccidiosis is a parasitic protazoa. It's found in the environment.

http://sites.google.com/site/moodysbantams/poultry-health-1/coccidiosis

 

[crazy huhn]

Have you separated him from your flock, maybe in a dog kennel or so?
How does his crop look like? Is it impacted, so he cannot eat and pass any food?

 

[chicken_grrl]

Hi,

A few of you suggested it could be cocci..I looked that up a bit on the internet but I'm not sure if that's it. It said the disease occurred mainly in young chicks but my Rooster is almost 7. Also it said the droppings would be bloody and his aren't.
I'm going to try feeding him again this afternoon and see how he is.

Then hens have not been bothering him so he isn't seperated from them, I think he is happier around his flock. He doesn't have much of a crop since he hasn't been eating much.

Should I take him to a vet to find out for sure what his sickness is?

Thanks.

 

[Biddieacres]

If you have access to a vet who deals with poultry maybe. But people are suggesting you separate just until you figure it out because he could infect the entire flock. Something is surely wrong. Since chickens can hide sickness very well, usually by the time they are showing symptoms they are very sick. I sure hope he gets better.

Can you explain what his poo looks like? You can tell a lot from that.

 

[Cetawin]

chicken_grrl have you done anything we have suggested?

He is still with the flock which means he could infect the girls with whatever he has.

Are you giving him electrolytes to make sure he does not dehydrate are you giving him water and food? How often?

Cod Liver oil is an old wives tale fix all...it is not going to fix your problem and clearly there is a problem.

If you know of a avian vet or one that deals with poultry take him in.

 

[chicken_grrl]

Hi,

yes, he is not with the flock... I wouldn't want them to get infected.
I do give him food and water every day. I give him worms too for the protein as well as mashed pellets and water. And I have poultry electrolytes that I put in the water I give him...with an eye dropper I am making sure he is getting his fluids. I try to feed him twice a day and I make sure he eats a good amount...the food seems to be keeping him a little perkier at least.

He pooped today and I looked at it...there wasn't much and it was pretty watery, probably because he hasn't been eating normally. It didn't smell bad, there wasn't any blood, and it was the normal whitish brown although almost all of it was whiteish.
I didn't see any mites or lice either (checked with a flashlight in the dark)

I don't know an avian vet although I have taken one of my hens to our regular vet before and they knew exactly what was wrong with her.
I'm going to try to bring him to the vet as soon as possible to find out definitely what is wrong with him

Luckily he doesn't seem to be any worse. THANK YOU so much everyone for all your suggestions.