Rooster not feeling well

[tdgill]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
black copper marans rooster 2 years old. good weight. Have noticed some feathers on his back look fuzzy

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Started with croaky crow, and slight opening of mouth breathing, but not drastic and no congestion sounds or wheezing noticable. occasional discoloration of comb - darkened then good red again. No signs of discharge. Feels fat bottomed, a bit droopy at times and a tad less active. Will eat some here and there but not alot. Likes some canned cat food. Seems to be attempting to poo at times without much excrement.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Alittle over a week

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
unknown

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Drinking good, eating a bit of cooked egg not much, canned cat food he likes, offering anything he might like....

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Isolated today will monitor poop, but no signs of abnormal poos so far, just that his are smaller

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Started Duramycin and warmth. Have never wormed yet and probably need to dust for pests also. Will be getting poly vi sol no iron today.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Attempting treatment myself

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
well ventilated shed, pine shavings and straw

 

[tdgill]

his backend seems awfully tight like a constipated swollen...

bought wazine 17 today, poly vi sol, and a mineral oil enema... I have no idea what I am doing. He is drinking duramycin 1 teaspoon per quart and flavored with jello powder. still eating a bit of canned catfood but thats it. He just looks uncomfortable, nothing like what I first thought was upper respiratory with slight open mouth breathing but no wheezing discharge etc. Eyes clear and bright. Does anyone have an opinion on other possible problems? I have researched for hours online and here at byc. We just spent $1,000 on our favorite kitty only to loose him and I am afraid to even ask to take the rooster to a vet. Are there issues that could cause him to swell up or bloat? Its hard to imagine a chicken being constipated but maybe he ate something he shouldn't have or could it be something inside that has enlarged or effects of parasites or worms?

 

[tdgill]

poo is small amounts like a 1/4 teaspoon size and ceacal like. Not runny but gooey. Should I be doing anything like worming (have wazine 17) yet or dusting? Or let him rest with duramycin? He's with his favorite girl in their section of the coop with a warming lamp. Did a warm cloth to his bottom last nite trying to coax a movement. He's such a tolerant patient.....

 

[jjthink]

Hmmmm...not sure what's going on here but it wouldn't hurt to offer him some little pieces of healthy bread soaked in olive oil to help get things moving.

Open mouth breathing can be a heart issue but it can also mean he is in pain. The purple in the comb is concerning and possibly points to difficulty in getting enough oxygen.

It does sound to me like he may need professional evaluation before this gets worse.

I understand about the kitty and am so sorry you lost him .

Seems right before I lose each one there is $3,000+ in vet bills to try to figure out what's wrong and save them. If only it worked each time ...

JJ

 

[tdgill]

thanks jj. I have offered bread in oil but he won't take it. Maybe I'll see if I can get a little in his mouth. He is passing a small amount of poo, which is understandable since he isnt eating as much but still...he is also passing urates but ending up on his butt feathers. His comb is red more often than it is bluish...going to research avian vets in our area. Could worms be causing this kind of issue?

 

[tdgill]

I believe I have been put on the no reply list...

 

[jjthink]

Poor little guy. I hope he'll be okay.
Treating for worms when they have worms is essential but if they are ill and don't have worms, worming them is an added stress on their bodies that they don't need.
How long has he been not quite right?
What is his normal diet?
Is he active?
Any and all info you can think of may help folks help him.
Keep posting as you think of things.
JJ

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Please don't be dismayed if you feel you aren't getting enough responses. Sometimes people just don't have an answer. Best bet would be to get him to a vet. That would give you the most information. There are so many things that can go wrong with a chicken, that sometimes even a vet can't diagnose it until it gets to the point of a necropsy, unfortunately. The only thing i have to add is to isolate him in a nice warm area, put a heat lamp on one side of whatever enclosure you have him in. When their bodies are stressed they sometimes can't generate the energy to keep themselves warm enough.

If he won't eat bread soaked in oil, try using a syringe and putting a few drops of olive oil at the side of his beak. You don't want to force it down his throat and have him aspirate (i only mention that as i have made that mistake before). On worming, i thought i had read that worming can put extra stress on their bodies so you don't want to do it if they are compromised. But, many vets will let you bring in a sample and they will run a fecal for like $35. That might be worth it to get some answers.

i would be worried about the comb getting dark, but you said it improved, so that's a relief. Darkened or purple combs are a sign of them not getting enough oxygen. Is there any nasal discharge? If you suspected any type of respiratory issue, Tylan is the best medicine for that. Could it be he had and is now getting over something, or does he seem to be getting worse?