Sad sick rooster, cull or cure?

[heahaa]

I have a 1 1/2 yr old Lakenvelder rooster(Bruce Lee), believe me he earned the name. He's been off his game since Christmas eve. He seemed depressed. Off by himself and not even remotely interested in kicking my a**. I brought him inside and gave him a thorough look over. Didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I wormed him, gave him some vitamins,tube fed him, and had him spend the night inside for observation.

He perked right up. Was eating and drinking on his own and crowing. I put him back with his ladies.

A few days go by and Bruce is worse. He won't eat or drink on his own. Won't crow. Nothing. He just stands in the back off his kennel facing the corner. Saddest sight you ever saw.

I took him to a vet on Monday. She looked him over real well. Said his symptoms aren't of any specific disease. Recommend fecal tests, xrays, and blood work. While curiosity and the fact i want to provide the best care, would compel me to spend such an exuberant $. I must decline.

I agreed to fecal tests and fluids. Fecals came back clean.

Any ideas? I'm leaning towards culling him. Not sure how to go about doing it. I know if I quit feeding him he'd pass. That just seems cruel. Keeping him hanging on seems cruel too. I don't know maybe there is some crazy cure for whatever ails him.

 

[Sutremaine]

How much food and water is he getting a day, and what do his faeces look like?

 

[Eggcessive]

Are the other hens keeping him away from food and water? Do you have more than one feeder and waterer in case of bullying? I would be inclined to bring him inside again, and get him eating a drinking well, add some vitamins and probiotics to his water, and see if he looks healthy after that. Then you may have to watch your hens behavior with him. Roosters are usually capable of getting food if there is food outside and inside of the coop, even with bossy hens. I once had a young cockerel go from being the top dude, and then something happened to him, and the whole flock started running him off, even the banty hens. After watching him cower in the corners and nest boxes in fear, and never get anything to eat, we ended his suffering.

 

[heahaa]

I've had him inside since new years. Been feeding him by syringe about 60 ml of baby rice cereal and ground up layer twice a day. With nutri drench and probiotic. Leave a bowl of dry food n water by him in hopes he will eat on his own.
Today he passed away during his breakfast. It was awful.

I am gonna need to research humane ways to cull. I probably should have culled him a week ago. I will miss our morning standoffs. RIP

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry for your loss. Here is a link to many threads on culling: https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=how+to+cull+humanely