Rooster suddenly lethargic and swollen left cheek

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

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.

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.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

Id separate him from the others and get him to the vet. If he dosent improve, im afraid you might have to cull him if you want to risk it spreading.

 

[Eggcessive]

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.

 

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

I woke up this morning to find he had fell off the roost last night and laying under it. I picked him up and his head flopped back and he kept moving it from side to side. he has not coordination. I moved him to a quarantine area and I think he is going to die today. This ia really quick onset but none of the other birds are displaying symptoms. I am worried.
No drainage in his eye it is just swollen no redness. it is warm the last few days so the windows are open. but circulation when windows are closed is cracks betwwen the rollaway nest box and the walls that vents in the ceilings. When I went in there the other day they were cooped up the smell was not strong. So I think airflow is ok.
If there a way to humandly eithanize him in a way that dosn't involve chopping off his head or bleeding his neck. I have heard conflicting information on valerian root and tylenol. I do that lidocaine 1% but can I give that IM and not IV. I am not sure where veins are in chickens and don't want to increase suffering. I also don't think he would hold still as he start flopping around when I was handeling him earlier.

 

[Eggcessive]

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

 

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

Thanks Theyre all vaccinated vaccinations, I had a necropsy done on another chick last summer d/t sudden leg paralysis and it read meg for marks. Or any other dx. I’m gonna give them a call and see if I can bring him in.

 

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

Just did some more research and now I'm freaking out that it might be new castle's dx.

 

[Eggcessive]

Where is your location? You can add it to your information in your profile, and that can help us give better answers. Do you live in California? If not, there are no cases reported in other states. I would refrigerate his body if he dies, just in case you need to get a necropsy. California has very inexpensive necropsies. Here is a link for your state vets for necropsies:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

I’m in North Carolina. But I had something similar happen to one of my other chickens a few months back and no one else got sick.

I thought she got drug by one of my honey bees. Can this be a cause?

 

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]