Rooster's crop is always empty?

[Chicken poppy]

At least for me, if I can put down one dish and have ALL the chickens eat, it is easier.

Catching any chicken usually takes me a few extra minutes-- they do not just jump into my hands. And then I'd have to carry the rooster somewhere away from the hens, give him his food, and bring him back afterward-- that is several extra steps.

I don't know what will work for the OP, and I certainly agree that feeding the rooster separately might be needed. But I think it could be worth putting down a bowl of wet feed and watching, once or twice, and then making a decision based on the behavior of the specific rooster in question.

Ah i see. That makes sense, our roo lets us pick him up, (hes been a bit of a runt sense birth, so thats probably why, we ended up giving him a lot of attention)

 

[MaeM]

Guys, he seems to be losing balance, walks weirdly and twists his toes. What should I do?? Its Sunday and i can't take it to the vet rn

 

[Chicken poppy]

Guys, he seems to be losing balance, walks weirdly and twists his toes. What should I do?? Its Sunday and i can't take it to the vet rn

is he fatigued? Try holding him gently and try giving some water.

 

[MaeM]

is he fatigued? Try holding him gently and try giving some water.

He doesn't have the same energy. He is standing but doesn't walk around that much (he free ranges). And he closes his eyes

But he eats and drinks. However when I held him he fell over me. I had to help him stand.

I'm super afraid this is mareks but given that he has eating problems I'd rather think it's a vitamin deficiency, what do you think?

 

[Chicken poppy]

He doesn't have the same energy. He is standing but doesn't walk around that much (he free ranges). And he closes his eyes

But he eats and drinks. However when I held him he fell over me. I had to help him stand.

I'm super afraid this is mareks but given that he has eating problems I'd rather think it's a vitamin deficiency, what do you think?

Its probably a vitamin deficiency. The symptoms for mereks are often lose of appetite (he doesnt have) depression and pale combs. It doesnt sound like what your describing. However vitamin defiency is weak or uncorddinated birds (he has) and some other, best of luck, sorry to hear how Its going.

 

[Eggcessive]

Get him drinking and eating. Is his crop getting full during the day, and then emptying by early morning before he eats? Are his toes curling under on one or both feet? A short video of him walking uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here may help. Make sure that he isn’t just dehydrated or weak from not eating.

 

[MaeM]

Get him drinking and eating. Is his crop getting full during the day, and then emptying by early morning before he eats? Are his toes curling under on one or both feet? A short video of him walking uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here may help. Make sure that he isn’t just dehydrated or weak from not eating.

He couldn't drink because he struggles to reach the waterer with his beak. I lifted it to his height and he drank. I also gave him a huge meal, but he didn't want to eat eggs and corn. He opted for bread, tomato, and meat. I added an oral solution of vitamins B1, B2, B6.

He was a little more active after that. Only for a while he stood up and closed his eyes while trembling (why the trembling tho?).

After that he even tried to mate, but he fell on his side as he couldn't find balance.

His crop is always empty. He's the kind of rooster who gives all food to hens so maybe it is a vitamin deficiency.

I think the toe that he curls is always the same (one feet). But I'll double-check this in the morning (I'll also record a video). His feet are not visibly injured.

Currently he is sleeping on a nest as he can't roost or even get into the coop by himself

 

[MaeM]

Guys he doesn't walk anymore. He can stand if I lift him up but doesn't want to move. He stayed where I put him (his favorite spot) and is opening his beak.

I went to the vet this morning and he is receiving tetracycline orally. He was diagnosed with encephalitis, the vet didn't bother to know if it's caused by a virus or bacteria because there is no treatment for virus, so he simply medicated him for bacteria. One injection and orally in the water. But he doesn't walk toward his water, I had to almost force him to drink.

Should I expect the worst? Or can chickens recover from this? He reacts if he hears noise but he seems to want to sleep all the time.

He didn't want to eat, I convinced him with some meat, bread, and eggs.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did the vet check for canker in his beak and throat? It can invade the crop and prevent them getting enough nutrition. Mareks disease can also affect the brain causing inflammation. I would check out tube feeding. Your vet could sell a feeding tube and syringe, or you could get one online. Baby bird feed by KayTee is available, and you can grind chicken feed finely and use a lot of water. He will starve if he is not getting food and water. If you lose him, it would be good to have your state vet do a necropsy to look for what was wrong. Here is some tube feeding info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

 

[MaeM]

Did the vet check for canker in his beak and throat? It can invade the crop and prevent them getting enough nutrition. Mareks disease can also affect the brain causing inflammation. I would check out tube feeding. Your vet could sell a feeding tube and syringe, or you could get one online. Baby bird feed by KayTee is available, and you can grind chicken feed finely and use a lot of water. He will starve if he is not getting food and water. If you lose him, it would be good to have your state vet do a necropsy to look for what was wrong. Here is some tube feeding info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

Thanks a lot!

No, tbh, I don't like this vet a lot but he is the only one I have nearby. But I did check his beak and throat and it looks ok.

I agree with the vet in that it is a bacterial infection tho, because I can finally say that the rooster is reacting favorably to the antibiotics.

He didn't drink water normally but I put tetracycline + water into a syringe.

I also forced him to eat with the syringe yesterday and today he stood up by himself. He still walks like a drunk granny but he got out of the coop and run by himself. He is currently free ranging, he doesn't move a lot but at least he is not sat and trying to sleep all the time.

My only concern now is that he starts eating and drinking by himself...