Rooster acting different

[jo22216]

My rooster has been with his flock of 4 hens for about 8 months now. Two nights ago he didn’t go into the coop. I led him in and he went inside and flew up next to the girls. The next night he went in but would only sleep on the ground & same thing tonight he is sleeping on the ground again (floor of their coop) He’s himself during the day & is eating and drinking water and everyone’s poop looks normal. He just isn’t sleeping next to them like he always has. What could be wrong with him?

 

[DobieLover]

My rooster has been with his flock of 4 hens for about 8 months now. Two nights ago he didn’t go into the coop. I led him in and he went inside and flew up next to the girls. The next night he went in but would only sleep on the ground & same thing tonight he is sleeping on the ground again (floor of their coop) He’s himself during the day & is eating and drinking water and everyone’s poop looks normal. He just isn’t sleeping next to them like he always has. What could be wrong with him?

How old is he?
How long have you had him?
What do you feed your flock?
Have you checked him over for external parasites?
Any signs of breathing difficulty, gurgling, bubbles in the eyes?
Have you check to ensure his crop is empty in the morning?
What color is his comb?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How old is he?
How long have you had him?
What do you feed your flock?
Have you checked him over for external parasites?
Any signs of breathing difficulty, gurgling, bubbles in the eyes?
Have you check to ensure his crop is empty in the morning?
What color is his comb?

Good questions.

Also another - he's not crowing anymore, is he the only rooster?

Sounds like he's not well. I would find the answers to the questions above, one of those may lead to what's going on with him.

 

[DobieLover]

@Wyorp Rock he’s a genius, he’ll help

She.

 

[aart]

This is what I do when I have a bird that is acting off.
I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor:
-their intake of food and water,
-crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed),
-and their poops.

Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.
Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[DobieLover]

Strange to say but he was a stray we found in our woods. We believed someone dropped him off as the neighbors down the road didn’t claim him as theirs. I know he was somewhat young when we first got him. He’s the reason we got hens in the first place. We’ve had him for about a year and half now. He does attack us usually so I have not checked him for parasites yet. He’s breathing fine and looks perfectly fine. I will have to check him in the morning and his comb is the normal red. Acts completely normal just doesn’t sleep with the hens. He is however with them all day and eats with them as well. thank you

Put on a headlamp or have someone hold a flashlight for you and go out after dark and pluck him out of the coop. He will not fight you in the dark.
Give him a thorough exam parting all his feathers, check his legs, feet (soles too) and crop. Put him on a roost when you put him back or crate him if you can get him set up in a secure area.
Check his crop again in the morning before he's eaten or drunk anything to make sure it's flat and empty and examine whatever droppings he leaves overnight.

 

[jo22216]

How old is he?
How long have you had him?
What do you feed your flock?
Have you checked him over for external parasites?
Any signs of breathing difficulty, gurgling, bubbles in the eyes?
Have you check to ensure his crop is empty in the morning?
What color is his comb?

Strange to say but he was a stray we found in our woods. We believed someone dropped him off as the neighbors down the road didn’t claim him as theirs. I know he was somewhat young when we first got him. He’s the reason we got hens in the first place. We’ve had him for about a year and half now. He does attack us usually so I have not checked him for parasites yet. He’s breathing fine and looks perfectly fine. I will have to check him in the morning and his comb is the normal red. Acts completely normal just doesn’t sleep with the hens. He is however with them all day and eats with them as well. thank you

 

[jo22216]

Put on a headlamp or have someone hold a flashlight for you and go out after dark and pluck him out of the coop. He will not fight you in the dark.
Give him a thorough exam parting all his feathers, check his legs, feet (soles too) and crop. Put him on a roost when you put him back or crate him if you can get him set up in a secure area.
Check his crop again in the morning before he's eaten or drunk anything to make sure it's flat and empty and examine whatever droppings he leaves overnight.

Thank you! I w will give this a try!

 

[jo22216]

Alright I keep checking on him frequently & check on him multiple times before I go to bed as well. We plan on adding more hens but not till the spring. He doesn’t seem to crow anymore either I have noticed as well

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Alright I keep checking on him frequently & check on him multiple times before I go to bed as well. We plan on adding more hens but not till the spring. He doesn’t seem to crow anymore either I have noticed as well

Alright, that’s good. @Wyorp Rock he’s a genius, he’ll help