Put down our roo today: Graphic pic

[Jeffross1968]

If you saw my earlier post about our rooster, you know he has had some kind of cyst or tumor. Today, he didn't leave the coop as normal, and he slept on the coop floor last night, probably unable to get up on the roost. We decided that it has gone long enough. So we put him down. Afterward, we had another look at his lump. It was MUCH worse than the first time we looked. Was larger than a golfball to be sure. It was obviously the reason for the problems he had walking.

Below is the picture we took. When we first looked at it, it was grayish and kind of smushy. As you can see, it turned black, and was crusty and hard. I would like some opinions. I'm guessing it was a tumor.

RIP Big Daddy

 

[Happy Chooks]

Wow, I've never seen anything like that. All I can say is you did the right thing for him.

 

[chicmom]

My goodness! That looks just awful! So big! You surely did the right thing....From the pic, he must have been a HUGE rooster!

So sorry and RIP, Big Daddy!

Sharon

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
Yikes....I thought for sure you'd have seen something like this. I just wish we had known it had progressed that much. I just kept holding off as long as he was mating hens, eating and moving around. Once it was down to just eating, we knew it was time.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I know Marek's can cause tumors, but I've never had Mareks in my flock. Just what I've seen here. Did he have any other symptoms? Any others in the flock die?

Did you cut into the tumor to see what was inside? Whether fluid buildup or a hard lump? It looks like it had been oozing, which would explain the hard crust on it.

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
We had one hen die yesterday after being sick for about 3 or 4 days. No outward signs of why. Not egg bound, and crop was empty. No signs of CRD. Just healthy one day, died a few days later after barely eating and hardly moving for a few days.

Big Daddy had no other signs, and other than the movement issues, which caused him to stay largely immobile over the last few days (meaning no foraging or mating), he appeared normal. Eating and drinking and crowing. We did not cut into the tumor. Frankly, we were pretty grossed out by just looking at it. The tumor began back in October. Would have Marek's allowed him to last that long? I was under the impression that Marek's kills fast.

 

[dkosh]

Could it have been an impacted crop that after a while with poor circulation could have become necrotic?

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
The crop was checked the first day she was acting lethargic, and then again after death, and it did not seem full at all. I did not, however, cut into her to find out.

 

[Melissa Rose]

I am sorry for your loss

 

[nickie]

It's hard to see in your pic, but it that thing on his keel bone. Could it have been a keel cyst or breast blister gone way bad? Just a thought.