Sick Black Giant Rooster

[peach49999]

He is a 6 month old rooster. A couple of days ago I noticed that he appeared to be limping a bit. I thought maybe he either jumped off the roost wrong or hurt himself while trying to do one of the hens. (He really isn't very coordinated at the act at all...LOL) Since then he seems to be going downhill. He doesn't really appear interested in his girls anymore. His tail is droopy and he sits most of the day. He is eating and drinking a little but does appear to be losing some weight. The biggest thing we noticed is that he hasn't crowed in about 5 days (didn't notice this until the family started talking about what was wrong with him) He usually crows constantly throughout the day.
About a two weeks ago we noticed his comb turning a blackish purplish color. When you felt the comb it was cold to the touch. The other roosters comb seemed a little off color too and we had just gotten over a really hot spell here in Washington. The next day his comb appeared the normal red color. My son noticed the comb discoloration one or two more times since then but other then that he seemed healthy. (I only mention the comb discoloration in case this helps with the real problem we are now encountering)
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and I will be happy to answer any questions. I will try to post a picture tomorrow but it will probably just be him sitting there.

 

[Yankee Chicken Ranch]

Have you wormed him? and you might try an injection of b complex. Oh and if you can see him while he is roosting at night see if he is holding his mouth open. it will look like he is real hot or something. That would mean he has a resporitory infection.Then he woul need some antibotics. you might give him some just in case your feed store should have it in powder form or injectable,

 

[Judy]

Are the birds panting? Meaning, breathing with mouths open, as, from the heat. They will often hold their wings out from their body a bit, too. Any time they pant, some electrolytes in the water are a good idea. You can get electrolyte solution at the feed store, or just put some Gatorade or pedialyte in the water. This will help them get through the heat.

The dark comb usually indicates reduced oxygen supply to the area. I'm afraid my suspicion of the cause of this is a heart problem. But I hope they just need some help dealing with heat. I have a pan of water (an old kitty litter pan) in the coop. Most of them won't stand in it. When they really start panting, I just put them in the water and kind of squish them down, wetting the underside. Silly birds, they really don't mind, but won't do it on their own. Chickens lose excess heat mostly through comb, wattles and legs and feet.

On the limping, first thing I would do is check for bumblefoot. You would see a dark scab or dark area on the bottom of the foot, and perhaps some swelling on the top. A quick search here will reveal how to treat it. But a rooster of that size could very well have an injury just from jumping down from a roost, esp. since he is clumsy about it, hopefully just a sprain or pulled muscle sort of thing. He needs a wide flat roost, at least the wide side of a 2x4, probably wider, at his size. And he really does not need to have a high roost at all. Some people give these really large roos a shelf or platform to sleep on, and a ladder of some sort to get up and down.

What is his feed? Do they have access to a large yard, or free range, or are they in a run? What is the bedding? Do you give treats, how much, what kind? Any chance he has eaten something poisonous or moldy? Do they have access to a compost pile, rotting vegetation, etc? Do any of them show any sign of respiratory problems, such as sneezing, runny nose, etc? Have they ever been wormed? Does the poo look different from usual?

Let us know; we'll see if we can figure out a way to help him. Meanwhile, I'd give a bit of a nutritional boost with a spoonful of plain live culture yogurt for the gut flora, perhaps mixed into some cooked egg yolk, and a bit of cooked oatmeal, or just a bit of the feed.

 

[peach49999]

The heat wave is over here. I checked last night and he wasn't panting or acting like he was having trouble breathing. He eats the same thing as the hens....laying pellets along with some scratch and a bit of fruit (apples, grapes, etc). They all free range for a couple of hours in the evening and yes there is a compost pile out back but it is fenced off from the rest of the yard.

His poo appears normal. The bedding is straw in the bottom of the hen house and there is hay used in the nesting boxes. I don't know what he could have eaten that would have been poisonous. Everyone else appears healthy and the other rooster is acting just fine. Finally, no they have never been wormed.

I gave him some yogurt and eggs this morning. He ate it but didn't seem all that excited about it and he used to be an enthusiastic eater. He is walking much better this morning. The limp is barely noticeable once he gets moving. I am still concerned about his loss of appetite and comb coloring though.

Here is a picture of his comb. It is kinda hard to tell but it used to be so much redder then it is now.

Here is a picture of him and the cochin rooster. You can tell that the cochin's comb and wattle are so much redder. They used to be the same color.

When I was taking the pictures I noticed these berries along the fence. We just bought this house in January so I don't know what they are. Could he have eaten some and could they have made him sick?

Thanks guys!

 

[Judy]

Yeah, the berries are certainly a possible cause; lots of times they are poisonous. I have no idea what that plant is, either; I know essentially nothing about plants. I wonder if the local county extension agent could help you with that.

People feed roosters layer feed all the time, because they live together, but it is really not the ideal feed for them. For one thing they could use a little more protein. Something to consider when making up a nutritional boost for him.

It's hard to tell from the pic, but another thought on the blackening on the comb is fowl pox, or avian pox. Comes from mosquito bites. Usually not serious, and it is self-limiting, and confers immunity after a round of it. It shouldn't cause a temperature change in the comb, though. Here is a link about it, though on my birds the lesions were flat, not warty looking, and spread around sections of comb much like the pics of yours.