Rooster acting weird.

[EggWalrus]

I’m not sure if the Dumor layer feed or not. My hens wasn’t laying at the time when I bought it. I do know it’s the 2nd stage feed for their age group and it crumbled. I don’t have to bag anymore to know for sure. I do remember the girl told me when they started laying I should get them some oyster shells to mix in the feed to give them calcium. That’s why I’m thinking it’s not the Dumor layer feed. That’s why I mix it with the other.

Any brand of laying feed contains extra calcium and oyster shell shouldn't really be needed. Laying feed shouldn't be started until the pullets have started laying, the laying feed doesn't make them lay, it just provides the extra calcium needed for strong egg shells. If your worried about your rooster getting too much, switch to a high protein "all-flock" feed. Then you can supply the hens extra calcium by oyster shell in a seperate feeder or even scatter it around their pen or where they forage. I bought a 50lb bag of OS a few years ago and still have most of it. All my birds free range from the time the sun comes up till it sets, and other than in January, their shells are nearly "bullet proof". In Jan, I may throw a few cups of it on the pen floor if the shells begin to get a little easy to crack.

 

[EggWalrus]

Any brand of laying feed contains extra calcium and oyster shell shouldn't really be needed. Laying feed shouldn't be started until the pullets have started laying, the laying feed doesn't make them lay, it just provides the extra calcium needed for strong egg shells. If your worried about your rooster getting too much, switch to a high protein "all-flock" feed. Then you can supply the hens extra calcium by oyster shell in a seperate feeder or even scatter it around their pen or where they forage. I bought a 50lb bag of OS a few years ago and still have most of it. All my birds free range from the time the sun comes up till it sets, and other than in January, their shells are nearly "bullet proof". In Jan, I may throw a few cups of it on the pen floor if the shells begin to get a little easy to crack.

I give them the OS in Jan because it finally cools off enough for the bugs to all disappear. But by mid Feb the bugs are hatching and the birds feast on them again. Down here we don't really get a winter like the rest of America. Maybe 3 weeks of cold. Basically we have only 2 seasons. An 8 month season called "Hotter than Hell" and a 4 month season called "Almost Hot As Hell"!

 

[countrybeachgirl]

Any brand of laying feed contains extra calcium and oyster shell shouldn't really be needed. Laying feed shouldn't be started until the pullets have started laying, the laying feed doesn't make them lay, it just provides the extra calcium needed for strong egg shells. If your worried about your rooster getting too much, switch to a high protein "all-flock" feed. Then you can supply the hens extra calcium by oyster shell in a seperate feeder or even scatter it around their pen or where they forage. I bought a 50lb bag of OS a few years ago and still have most of it. All my birds free range from the time the sun comes up till it sets, and other than in January, their shells are nearly "bullet proof". In Jan, I may throw a few cups of it on the pen floor if the shells begin to get a little easy to crack.

Yea that’s why I think I just got the regular crumbled feed. Cause mine wasn’t laying yet when I bought the big bag of Dumor. And Especially since the lady at the register told me when they do start laying come get some oysters shells and mix with it. Instead of doing that I bought the Purina pellets. I have just been mixing a little with the Dumor. I offer them crushed up egg shells that I dried out on the side. But I’m definitely gonna get some of the Flock feed. So far the shells have been really pretty and strong.
Mine free range from around 9 a.m. to 7-8 p.m.

 

[EggWalrus]

If they get quality food when they are foraging (bugs, greens, wild flowers, berries, good dirt) you might not even have to feed them oyster shell. If your rooster is foraging all day too, he could be ok eating laying pellets, the foraging would dilute the extra calcium. I have also found its cheaper to get pellets. Crumbles get ground into the dirt and not eaten. By scattering their pellets around the yard, no one can hog all the food, everyone gets to eat. It also teaches them to forage. It teaches them they have to go hunting everyday for their food. They always find the good stuff (bugs, berries, etc) while looking for the scattered pellets.
Since I've been pulling out the baby feeders after a week or two and just putting the baby food on the ground, the chicks all grow up to be great foragers. They grow up knowing where food is to be found, and is not a pile or a feeder.

 

[countrybeachgirl]

He wasn’t doing so great this morning. He was just laying in there with his eyes closed and his neck seeming heavy. But he seems to be perking up now. I gave him some rooster booster in his water and I scrabbled him a egg. I checked him for mites and lice, I Didn’t see anything. I have him isolated so when he poops I’ll be able to see if he may have worms. I found my feed bag of the Dumor, it’s not just for egg layers. Its the 15% grower/finisher feed for their age group.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He wasn’t doing so great this morning. He was just laying in there with his eyes closed and his neck seeming heavy. But he seems to be perking up now. I gave him some rooster booster in his water and I scrabbled him a egg. I checked him for mites and lice, I Didn’t see anything. I have him isolated so when he poops I’ll be able to see if he may have worms. I found my feed bag of the Dumor, it’s not just for egg layers. Its the 15% grower/finisher feed for their age group.

That doesn't sound too good.
Was his crop empty this morning before he ate/drank?
You've had him the whole 5months, he's been on the same "ground" pretty much during this time?
Photos of the poop would be helpful.
If you were seeing tapeworms in the poop, I would go ahead and treat him. You can get
Equimax Equine paste at TSC dosage is 0.033ml per pound of weight, given orally then repeat in 10-14 days. Praziquantel is for treating tapeworms.
I would probably also pick up some Corid.

 

[countrybeachgirl]

That doesn't sound too good.
Was his crop empty this morning before he ate/drank?
You've had him the whole 5months, he's been on the same "ground" pretty much during this time?
Photos of the poop would be helpful.
If you were seeing tapeworms in the poop, I would go ahead and treat him. You can get
Equimax Equine paste at TSC dosage is 0.033ml per pound of weight, given orally then repeat in 10-14 days. Praziquantel is for treating tapeworms.
I would probably also pick up some Corid.

It felt like his crop was empty.
I got him a few months after I got my girls in April. So I’ve only had him maybe 3 months at the most.

 

[countrybeachgirl]

Is it normal for a rooster to turn his head, with one eye, towards the sky like he looking or listening at something really good?. The past days before this he would favor turning his head side ways like he was looking at something up in the sky or he was listening to see where that sound was coming from.
I just don’t know. We have no vets here that no anything about chickens. And I’m definitely clueless. But I’m trying my best to make them happy.

 

[EggWalrus]

Saying a prayer for your little boy!

 

[countrybeachgirl]

Saying a prayer for your little boy!

Thank you! I’m praying and hoping he pulls through.