Red junglefowl cockerel of unknown age lethargic, somethimes unable to walk, rests often

[Enderchicken222]

Poop looks fairly normal? He is a bit droopy looking. Can you get a stool sample tested for Coccidiosis?

Time and patience will help tame him - food is good way to them to become familiar with you. I have never tried them, but read some have very good results with live mealworms. He may always be a bit flighty, but the longer you have him, he will call your place home (unless he finds some unattached ladies)

He’s still rather droopy. He’s docile but I fear he’s not getting enough protein. His crop feels squishy, but all he’s eaten is papaya, a little lychee, and a few pellets, so that’d explain it. His stools are somewhat watery, but have firmed up since this morning. Who will test for Coccidiosis? There’s no poultry vets on my island, and the airfare is almost 300 just to get to Oahu.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He’s still rather droopy. He’s docile but I fear he’s not getting enough protein. His crop feels squishy, but all he’s eaten is papaya, a little lychee, and a few pellets, so that’d explain it. His stools are somewhat watery, but have firmed up since this morning. Who will test for Coccidiosis? There’s no poultry vets on my island, and the airfare is almost 300 just to get to Oahu.

Check his crop first thing in the morning before he eats/drinks - it should be empty. If it's not, then he has a problem.
Since he is wild, I would assume he would have followed the others and found suitable grit, but you may also want to put a small tub of dirt (sand?) in the cage with him so if he does need grit he can find it.
What type of feed are you offering him? You can try giving a small amount of feed wet, maybe mush up some of the papaya and stir that in with the feed to entice him. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Vets are usually the people who test for Coccidiosis. That is a LOT of money to get to a vet, so.....do you have a feed store that carries Corid (Amprolium)? That would treat Coccidiosis.

 

[Enderchicken222]

Ok, I grab some sand tonight and check his crop. Thanks for the mixing tip! I’ll be sure to try that! Thanks so much for the help.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Have you noticed if his crop is full, hard, soft, squishy?
The eye in the photo is a bit sunken in - could be from dehydration, but monitor your chick for any respiratory symptoms.
From what I understand these birds are wild/feral(?) so he may have eaten something he shouldn't have, he had trouble finding food/water or it's very possible from the symptoms you describe he has an illness.
Can you take a photo of his poop?


@ChickNanny13 ? Do you have the wild junglefowl where you are located? Anybody reported any illnesses?

@Wyorp Rock
We have alot of "feral" chickens but nothing compared to Kauai's feral population. We do have some Game Fowl as well as domesticated chickens/ducks that are "released" when their owner grow tired of them. I've been feeding a bunch at the boat ramp and along a stretch of road I travel everyday but have not noticed/seen any "sick" chickens.

Within the past couple months, noticed a my flock at the boat ramp disappeared. The few I've seen at another location no longer seen. Not sure if it's due to disease but most likely the Micronesians (that have gotten abundant) are catching the chickens, I've seen them.

No illness reported....

 

[Saaniya]

Thank you very much. Luckily I don’t have any chickens of my own, so infecting my flock won’t be an issue. I’m going to check his keel bone now. Also, he’s not eating very much, so checking his crop to make sure it’s emptying may be an issue. I don’t think he recognizes the feed as “food” but I put a cockroach in it and he ate a little of the food on accident, so I think he’ll figure it out.

That is really good if u don't have flock cause if this chicken have Marek's it will not spread also ..Marek's not always kill some forms are mild so bird become a carrier for lifetime . but I see ur chook tail Is down might be not feeling well u should hold him and see his crop if his impacted or squishy ..also look for some poop if its normal or not maybe he have some bacterial infection .

U should keep him inside

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok, just read through the posts....
He/she doesn't know chicken feed, out in the "wild" they scrounge for what they can get .... Papaya & bugs. Try wetting or mixing the feed with the papaya but remember the more fruit it eats will be softer poop. Then decrease the papaya each day.

You have a Dept of Ag, call them to see if they'll do testing got the poop for you. You also need to provide some grit, try putting some ACV (with the Mother, unfiltered, Bragg) in it's water (1T/gal).

It's in a strange new surrounding & scared. It could be that you were able to "catch it" due to it may have been enjoying the sun or just weak from not enough protein, although think Kauai's been getting alot of rain lately? It's going to be awhile for it to "trust" you but with the cats around, that maybe a problem.

Keep an eye on his poop & crop. Watch the color of it's eyes, from what @Ravynscroft (correct me if I'm wrong) has mentioned it turns "grayish"? Haven't heard of Marek's in the Islands, more issues with Dry Pox due to the mosquitos.

Edited - Can you take a pix of it's poop? You are familiar with cecal poo? Thinking your chicken is about 8 - 12wks, maybe be a pullet?

 

[Enderchicken222]

Ok, just read through the posts....
He/she doesn't know chicken feed, out in the "wild" they scrounge for what they can get .... Papaya & bugs. Try wetting or mixing the feed with the papaya but remember the more fruit it eats will be softer poop. Then decrease the papaya each day.

You have a Dept of Ag, call them to see if they'll do testing got the poop for you. You also need to provide some grit, try putting some ACV (with the Mother, unfiltered, Bragg) in it's water (1T/gal).

It's in a strange new surrounding & scared. It could be that you were able to "catch it" due to it may have been enjoying the sun or just weak from not enough protein, although think Kauai's been getting alot of rain lately? It's going to be awhile for it to "trust" you but with the cats around, that maybe a problem.

Keep an eye on his poop & crop. Watch the color of it's eyes, from what @Ravynscroft (correct me if I'm wrong) has mentioned it turns "grayish"? Haven't heard of Marek's in the Islands, more issues with Dry Pox due to the mosquitos.

Edited - Can you take a pix of it's poop? You are familiar with cecal poo? Thinking your chicken is about 8 - 12wks, maybe be a pullet?

It wasn’t very sunny that day, and I approached the chicken multiple times, then walked away and waited after it scampered a little. I even approached him while he dozed within grabbing distance and woke him up in the hopes he wouldn’t freak out. He did, but the fact that A, I got within a foot of him, B, he didn’t wake up immediately when I called out to him after I got within a foot of him, and C, he only ran about 4 to 5 feet away, didn’t fly, and basically fell over around there. I’ll try to get a picture of hides poop, and I’ve given him feed mixed with papaya.

 

[Enderchicken222]

He’s eaten the mixed feed. He’s still pretty lethargic, but he’s a bit more active.

 

[ChickNanny13]

There's a several feral chickens that live along a stretch of road we travel daily, this one pullet/hen will come a running when I pull the car off to the side. I toss feed out to her, she's not afraid, thinking she was someones. In the same area there are 2 other pullets/hens they on the other hand will not approach the car/me, in fact I pull over & the run into the brush.

At the boat ramp, all the chickens that WERE there, come running when I pull over to toss feed. They may have gotten to "tame" whereas the Micronesians that hang out caught them. Once I saw their vehicles pulled up & they were walking around the area looking like they were up to no good, had something in the trunk of their car. It's been several months now, all the chickens there are gone

 

[Enderchicken222]

There's a several feral chickens that live along a stretch of road we travel daily, this one pullet/hen will come a running when I pull the car off to the side. I toss feed out to her, she's not afraid, thinking she was someones. In the same area there are 2 other pullets/hens they on the other hand will not approach the car/me, in fact I pull over & the run into the brush.

At the boat ramp, all the chickens that WERE there, come running when I pull over to toss feed. They may have gotten to "tame" whereas the Micronesians that hang out caught them. Once I saw their vehicles pulled up & they were walking around the area looking like they were up to no good, had something in the trunk of their car. It's been several months now, all the chickens there are gone

Oh noooooooo.... poor little chickens.