Rooster survived fox attack but not well

[azygous]

He appears to be doing better. Try to get more fluids down him by syringing it directly into his crop. If you prop his beak open with one hand and stick the syringe into the right side of his throat (his right, not yours), you'll feel it slip into his esophagus. The signal that you've hit the right hole will be he won't cough or gag.

Depress the plunger very slowly until the syringe is empty. It's really easy after you get the hang of it.

 

[Suedan]

Yay! I am so happy to hear he is feeling a little better!

 

[Ale11]

Glad to see he's feeling a little better!

He is a fine looking fella! He does have an overgrown beak though, so you may want to slowly work on trimming that up over the next few weeks so he can eat/drink better.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/

I actually just took the opportunity this morning to give it a trim

 

[Ale11]

He appears to be doing better. Try to get more fluids down him by syringing it directly into his crop. If you prop his beak open with one hand and stick the syringe into the right side of his throat (his right, not yours), you'll feel it slip into his esophagus. The signal that you've hit the right hole will be he won't cough or gag.

Depress the plunger very slowly until the syringe is empty. It's really easy after you get the hang of it.

I feel like I need to add this skill to my CV now! I went and bought a bunch of syringes but couldn't find a crop feeding tube, so I had a go anyhow and just carefully syringed in water half a ml at a time at what I think was the right spot. He didn't seem to mind, especially because he got pats after each one <3 I'll let him sleep tonight and then tomorrow try to give him a more decent drink and some food.

 

[azygous]

Very good! You may not know it, but many people cringe from even trying to learn crop feeding. I'm sure you'll find it's an easy and safe method of getting food, medicine and fluids into a chicken that can't or won't do it on their own.

If you go to any pet store, you can buy aquarium tubing and cut a small length to fit into the chicken's crop. I measure from beak to bottom of the crop, cut the tube a few inches longer, but make an indelible mark where the bottom of the crop is so I don't shove the tube in too far.

I happened to come by my tubing from a friend who has to be on oxygen and they replace the tubing regularly. I also got a syringe and feeding tube from my vet for $3.

This really has saved chicken lives.

 

[slordaz]

You did great, I had a rooster attacked by a racoon one time, he lost 9 outta 18 of his hens and almost lost his head, he had no feathers at on on neck as was down the the bone. wouldn't cooperate for eating and drinking even forced, Got him cleaned up and antibiotic on it, and kept him in over night he was so frantic about getting back to his hens ended up applying blue kote him and watching him in the pen with his remaining 9 hens and he kept his neck protected but started eating and drinking as was back with his hens. He allowed us to treat him outside as long as he was in sight of his hens. a hen is more likely to tolerate hospital ward and treatment than the only rooster in the flock.

 

[Ale11]

Very good! You may not know it, but many people cringe from even trying to learn crop feeding. I'm sure you'll find it's an easy and safe method of getting food, medicine and fluids into a chicken that can't or won't do it on their own.

If you go to any pet store, you can buy aquarium tubing and cut a small length to fit into the chicken's crop. I measure from beak to bottom of the crop, cut the tube a few inches longer, but make an indelible mark where the bottom of the crop is so I don't shove the tube in too far.

I happened to come by my tubing from a friend who has to be on oxygen and they replace the tubing regularly. I also got a syringe and feeding tube from my vet for $3.

This really has saved chicken lives.

Cheers for that. I also have horses so I'm used to doing all kinds of 'medical things' from shots to dealing with large injuries, so having a go at this is okay; better than letting Chester suffer! I have aquarium tubing here but I think it's probably too large. I'll stop at the vets tomorrow and see if I can get a tube there. I found some videos on how to do it so I'll measure the big fella up. He was no problem to handle.

There really isn't much room in the crate to do other than stand up and move around a bit. When should I start letting him out for a walk? Is it too early for him to see his girls.

 

[slordaz]

Cheers for that. I also have horses so I'm used to doing all kinds of 'medical things' from shots to dealing with large injuries, so having a go at this is okay; better than letting Chester suffer! I have aquarium tubing here but I think it's probably too large. I'll stop at the vets tomorrow and see if I can get a tube there. I found some videos on how to do it so I'll measure the big fella up. He was no problem to handle.

There really isn't much room in the crate to do other than stand up and move around a bit. When should I start letting him out for a walk? Is it too early for him to see his girls.

That might just be what he needs, read my other post, he was happier out with the girls of course had to put blue kote on him more to make sure to keep the flies off the injury, but was the best medicine for the rooster.

 

[Ale11]

That might just be what he needs, read my other post, he was happier out with the girls of course had to put blue kote on him more to make sure to keep the flies off the injury, but was the best medicine for the rooster.

Yeah I saw that. Chester seems to be quite okay chilling in his crate for now so if it's better for him to have quiet rest I am happy to keep him inside with us. He's a pretty mellow dude. I'm glad to hear yours recovered! Sounds like a much worse injury than Chester had.

 

[slordaz]

Yeah I saw that. Chester seems to be quite okay chilling in his crate for now so if it's better for him to have quiet rest I am happy to keep him inside with us. He's a pretty mellow dude. I'm glad to hear yours recovered! Sounds like a much worse injury than Chester had.

you could try taking him out so so he can see his remaining hens for a bit even in his crate also. Have you made any changes to set up so another fox won't get in?
Electric fence or hot wire the run would be a good thing just depends on set up and stuff and I'm not the builder type, Dad said no touching the tools, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him as I'm at least trying on building stuff, don't mess to much with household appliances any more as can fix em but not get em back together lol.

Those hens are their main focus and they always worry about them, my poor rooster was a cockerel when this happened just starting to get spurs at 8 months old but since then most of the predators steer clear of him. My 6 year old has no problem chasing and defending, he's a sweet guy until the neighbors dog gets loose and comes looking at the fence, he jumped that fence and chased the dog all the way back to his house, only took dog one time of that to learn to stay away from the fence line,