Rooster suddenly lethargic and swollen left cheek

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Lilbitchickenkeeper

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Mar 22, 2018
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so I have a automatic door opener. Since I work 24 hour shifts I left before the door was open and when I got back I was so tired I fell asleep. When I woke up this afternoon I found the battery had died and they were in the coop for over 24 hours. All the ladies were active and happy. But my rooster was sitting up on the roost. Further inspection showed he was lethargic has thick clear mucus in his beak and he was mouth breathing. His left eye is swollen shut. I attempted to give him water but would not drink it or eat. If I don’t disturb him he goes to sleep right away. There is air circulation but North Carolina weather has been weird so the windows have been closed and yesterday it was a warm day and the day before it was freezing. I did not see any signs of injury. He is apip Ai inspected and clean last May.
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I have dealt with MG in the past (culled whole flock built new coop) but this dosnt look like what I had before.

What do I do? He’s a great rooster but I don’t need him infecting everyone else.
 
Do you have windows or vents open in the coop where air can circulate from one side to the other? Can you see any bubbles or watery drainage or pus in his eye? I would leave him in the coop with the rest because if it is MG, they have already been exposed. Wild birds can spread it, and it is fairly common in backyard flocks, so I would not cull him. I would get some Tylan 50 injectable at a feed store, and give it orally 1/4 ml per pound 3 times a day for up to 5 days. But the next few days I would try to get him drinking plenty of water, and try putting lots of water in a bowl of chicken feed which may get more into him.
 
I just saw your video. Can he move his legs and wings? He looks like he may have wry neck (torticolis) and that can be a symptom of Mareks disease and is also seen in some end stage respiratory diseases. Mareks can still be possible in vaccinated chickens. But there could be something else causing neurological symptoms. Toxins from mold, lead in the soil, poisons used around farms, waste from an automotive or heavy equipment spill, or poisonous plants have been known to kill. So sorry for your rooster. I would get a necropsy if he dies.
 
Sorry about your rooster. Do you think he might be severely dehydrated and if you offer him sips of water with electrolytes, that might help? Do you know if he was vaccinated for Mareks disease? Have there been any reports of Newcastles in your area? There have been some outbreaks in S. California this past year. Many people use the broomstick cervical dislocation method for euthanasia. I usually hang them in a cone or by the legs from a tree, and cut the jugular vein with a sharp knife. Some use engine starter fluid from an automotive store, which is ether, an old fashioned anesthetic drug to put them to sleep. Whichever you use, I would consider getting a necropsy by your state vet to look for a cause of death. Here are some other methods:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/how-to-humanely-euthanize-chicken-by-dr/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-to-euthanize-a-chicken.952469/#post-14770809
 

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