I have a Black Copper Maran rooster, probably around 3 years old now, weighing in a bit on the light side maybe but nothing concerning.
I had a weasel attack (suspect a pine martin) a little over a month ago and he was near death’s door in the snow when I found him. Immediately isolated him to his own coop, heat lamp, left him over night to see if he’d survive. Next morning began dropper feeding/watering 3-4x a day, cleaned puncture wounds to back of head/top of neck area. Looked like one good chomp with probable shaking. Almost no strength to hold his head up. Wrapped in towel feedings for the first two weeks, but he started getting some pep around week three and was feeding/watering himself with prodding. He received electrolytes and yolk along with mashed fermented feed in the beginning, and when wry neck symptoms started he got five days of 1ml nutridrench with seemed to alleviate symptoms. Poop started out far and few between and watery but are now pretty normal looking and large, they look healthy.
He’s still isolated 5 weeks out but the coop is now fenced off within my main coop area so he’s finally able to have social interaction. Also, it’s raised up a few feet from the ground so now that it’s warmer I put him outside during the day. He moves around, gets really excited for grapes, but his coordination is way off. Often tips to the left and gets stuck paddling his feet for purchase. He’s on shavings inside but a good bed of hay outside to insulate him from the ground. Sometimes he goes ass over tea kettle and barrel rolls. When I keep a hand lightly on his rump he can keep his balance, or if I keep hands to either side of him I’ve had him run ten feet at a time a few times, but then he seems to get tuckered out.
Have y’all seen this? Any thoughts on if this is just weak leg muscles after such a long wintertime recovery versus permanent neurological damage? If I need to dispatch him I will do so, but if he can continue recovering I want to give him the chance. I keep food and water near him outside and in coop, but at night I notice he’s pretty thirsty like he hasn’t been able to easily get to his water. I will seen him in different spots outside though showing me he’s moved around. (Outdoor space is prob is probably at least 8’x10’)
Thanks for any advice!
I had a weasel attack (suspect a pine martin) a little over a month ago and he was near death’s door in the snow when I found him. Immediately isolated him to his own coop, heat lamp, left him over night to see if he’d survive. Next morning began dropper feeding/watering 3-4x a day, cleaned puncture wounds to back of head/top of neck area. Looked like one good chomp with probable shaking. Almost no strength to hold his head up. Wrapped in towel feedings for the first two weeks, but he started getting some pep around week three and was feeding/watering himself with prodding. He received electrolytes and yolk along with mashed fermented feed in the beginning, and when wry neck symptoms started he got five days of 1ml nutridrench with seemed to alleviate symptoms. Poop started out far and few between and watery but are now pretty normal looking and large, they look healthy.
He’s still isolated 5 weeks out but the coop is now fenced off within my main coop area so he’s finally able to have social interaction. Also, it’s raised up a few feet from the ground so now that it’s warmer I put him outside during the day. He moves around, gets really excited for grapes, but his coordination is way off. Often tips to the left and gets stuck paddling his feet for purchase. He’s on shavings inside but a good bed of hay outside to insulate him from the ground. Sometimes he goes ass over tea kettle and barrel rolls. When I keep a hand lightly on his rump he can keep his balance, or if I keep hands to either side of him I’ve had him run ten feet at a time a few times, but then he seems to get tuckered out.
Have y’all seen this? Any thoughts on if this is just weak leg muscles after such a long wintertime recovery versus permanent neurological damage? If I need to dispatch him I will do so, but if he can continue recovering I want to give him the chance. I keep food and water near him outside and in coop, but at night I notice he’s pretty thirsty like he hasn’t been able to easily get to his water. I will seen him in different spots outside though showing me he’s moved around. (Outdoor space is prob is probably at least 8’x10’)
Thanks for any advice!
