Rooster not quite Right

[canalcolt]

I noticed one night while putting up the chickens, my rooster would kind of jolt his head. Almost like he was burping or something like that. I didn't think much of it and he did it a couple of nights later and then I never saw him do it again. He's been really quiet. One day he only crowed once. He stopped stalking us around the yard. Now he just stays hunched in one area, but will walk around sometimes.
I noticed one time while he was walking that he kind of had a limp and I saw him peck at his toes. I wasn't sure if he was injured or mites. Then I was thinking maybe he has sour crop. Then I'm thinking maybe he has all 3!?
I felt his crop last night and to me it felt empty. I isolated him. I washed his feet and found them to be red and missing scales. We have had a lot of rain and it's been cold and windy.
He ate corn and went to bed. This morning. He ate a little greek yogurt, a couple pieces of corn, and drank water with electrolytes. Then laid down and has been sleeping and sometimes will drink and then look around.
I have asked my husband to watch some videos on where the crop was and check for himself... incase I'm feeling in the wrong spot. but it seems pretty obvious where it is.

We are going off today and I'm tempted to leave him with garlic water, scrambled eggs, and greek yogurt. I heard garlic is good for sour crop but chickens don't like garlic water so I may put garlic in some of the eggs.

What do yall think? I will be soaking his feet again. I think I would like to cover them with olive oil to soothe feet (help moisten) and kill mites?

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures of his feet/legs and one of him standing showing his chest could be helpful. Does the leg and foot with the limp seem numb? Legs mites can be treated with a thick oil applied to his legs rubbing it up and into the scales. Good ones to use are mineral oil, castor oil (possibly the least messy,) vaseline, coconut oil, and vegetable shortening. Applying those a few times a week would smother leg mites.

Do you provide granite grit in a pan for your chickens to take when it is needed? Corn is a treat, not a complete feed. Is it chopped corn or whole grain? Do you feed him a balanced chicken feed, such as flock raiser or layer feed?

If you have other chickens you can practice feeling their crops, then check the rooster’s. It should feel mostly empty in early morning and full in the late afternoon. Here are a couple of articles about crop disorders to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[canalcolt]

Pictures of his feet/legs and one of him standing showing his chest could be helpful. Does the leg and foot with the limp seem numb? Legs mites can be treated with a thick oil applied to his legs rubbing it up and into the scales. Good ones to use are mineral oil, castor oil (possibly the least messy,) vaseline, coconut oil, and vegetable shortening. Applying those a few times a week would smother leg mites.

Do you provide granite grit in a pan for your chickens to take when it is needed? Corn is a treat, not a complete feed. Is it chopped corn or whole grain? Do you feed him a balanced chicken feed, such as flock raiser or layer feed?

If you have other chickens you can practice feeling their crops, then check the rooster’s. It should feel mostly empty in early morning and full in the late afternoon. Here are a couple of articles about crop disorders to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

I'll get pictures of his feet. We feed chickens a bag of pellets that has 16% layer feed. We don't give much corn as we know it's just a snack type thing. but the corn is whole. Chickens also free range every day.
I'll check one of my chickens in a few hours then to see what the crop feels like.

Thanks for this info. I do have vaseline and coconut oil. Do you think I should soak his feet in epsom salt again or just apply the oil?

I forgot to add that we don't give grit since they free range every day. Should I still add it or go ahead and off it to him?

 

[Eggcessive]

If it is warm enough to soak feet, or if you can bring him inside, I would soak them. He might get some grit from rocks in the soil, but I still put it out for them to take as needed. A bag will last a long time. The whole corn might not be as safe as cracked corn, as far as causing a crop or gizzard blockage.

 

[canalcolt]

I'll get pictures of his feet. We feed chickens a bag of pellets that has 16% layer feed. We don't give much corn as we know it's just a snack type thing. but the corn is whole. Chickens also free range every day.
I'll check one of my chickens in a few hours then to see what the crop feels like.

Thanks for this info. I do have vaseline and coconut oil. Do you think I should soak his feet in epsom salt again or just apply the oil?

He just died. This morning he also sneezed and shook his head. This happened once and then about an hour and half later he did the same thing.

 

[canalcolt]

If it is warm enough to soak feet, or if you can bring him inside, I would soak them. He might get some grit from rocks in the soil, but I still put it out for them to take as needed. A bag will last a long time. The whole corn might not be as safe as cracked corn, as far as causing a crop or gizzard blockage.

Since my rooster died, I will still look into the cracked corn and add grit for the other chickens. Thanks for your help though.