Sick Pet Rooster

[RB 10]

I have a pet rooster (Homer) who's like a family member. About two months back, he acquired a bad case of mites. By the time I found out, he was covered. I gave him a recommended Permethrin bath and that helped but didn't completely wipe them out. He still has a few but I'm reluctant to use any Permethrin because of a developing illness.

About that same time (first Permethrin bath) his comb flopped over, he lost his crow, and his appetite started to decline. His bowels seem to be fine and his feathers are in great shape. He started sleeping a lot (beyond his normal snoozing) and at present, he will barely eat (he needs hand feeding for his favorite foods - no grain or other foods at all). I put him on oral Tetracycline and then Tylan but neither seemed to help (though I thought I could see him pick up a bit on the Tet).

Two days back when nothing seemed to be working I started Tetracycline injections. He walks fine though he's very sluggish and his personality only shows up once in a while. He approaches food but when he tries to eat, there's a thick clear saliva that sometimes bubbles in his beak. If the food gets in his beak, he will swallow it, but food he relished before has to be hand fed. Last night he did lap down some orange jello and he will still lap up yogurt (which I give his oral meds in). I might be seeing a slight improvement with the Tetracycline injections but am not sure.

Any ideas to help Homer?

 

[Thing2]

@Wyorp Rock, @KikisGirls, @aart, can you help? Hope I didn't forget anyone. I hope Homer gets better! Also, ! Sorry it's under these circumstances.

 

[Kiki]

Sorry he isn't feeling well.
Did you treat the coop for mites too?
Mites will suck the life right out of him and antibiotics won't "fix" that.

He really needs the nutrition from a complete chicken feed and not just treats.
Have you tried soaking his feed in water and mixing an egg or sardines or tuna in with it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

he needs hand feeding for his favorite foods - no grain or other foods at all...there's a thick clear saliva that sometimes bubbles in his beak.

Hi @RB 10

Can you post some photos and give us a little more information?

How long have you had him?
How old is he?
Do you notice any respiratory symptoms - discharge from the nostrils, watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, etc.?

Does his crop empty overnight?
Have you looked inside his beak for any lesions, plaques or cankers?

If he still has an active mite infestation, it is best to try to get rid of those. I'm not sure how you gave him a bath, but most Permethrin based poultry sprays or dusts are to be administered topically. Spray/dust under the wings and around the vent. Since he is in a weakened state, dust may be better. You will also want to clean out where he is housed and treat that as well. Re-treatment of the bird and housing is usually in 7-10days, but follow your package instructions.

What exactly are you feeding him? I realize when a chicken is not feeling well, it's difficult to get them to eat sometimes. Try wetting his normal feed to make a mash, you can also offer chick starter, chopped egg, tuna or meat. Hydration is important, so keep him drinking the best you can. Add some vitamins to his daily routine for a week or so as well.

Check the crop to make sure it's emptying overnight and make poultry grit available free choice.

Keep us posted.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Does his breath smell sour? Is his crop large or mushy? One of my bantam cockerels started acting lethargic and I noticed his crop was larger than normal. It turns out he had an impacted crop, so I massaged it and he spit a bunch of food out, and now he's doing much better.

 

[RB 10]

First to answer some inquiries then another post with better news.
I've had homer for five years (about 6 years old) and he's thrived on the diet I've provided. He gets a little of everything - meat, fruit, grass (in the backyard), scratch grain (won't touch any fancy mixes which I've tried multiple times), cheese, yogurt, canned no-salt corn (another treat), mealworms, and soldier flys. He has access to grit. This is the first illness on record though the second time he lost his crow (he recovered in a short time the previous time he lost it).
No mucous or discharges from his nose and his eyes have been clear. Only outward symptoms are his folded comb, downward spiral of energy and eating, and the "bubbly" saliva when he tries to eat (it does smell). He always parked in a nesting position when sleeping but now stands and puts his head in his feathers. That's about it for symptoms. Bowels ok (pretty much same consistency as ever though decreasing with decreased eating) and I've never seen worms in his stool. As far as I can tell his crop is normal. I tried feeling it and no swelling or mushiness that I can feel. It might be a coincidence but the onset of this started about the same time as the mite infestation so I've been adding a bit of iron, B vitamins, and poultry enzymes to his food (that I can get down him).

 

[RB 10]

Possible good news on Homer - Last night I tried to feed him some no-salt canned kernel corn which is one of his favorite snacks. He would barely peck at it but picked up some kernels only to chew the juice out of them and spit them on the floor - not much progress. He got his tetracycline shot (100 mg) and went to bed (took a bit of water).

Over night I had two ideas to get him to eat, so this morning after his shot he seemed a little perkier and I tried him on creamed corn. He lapped the soft part down, but again, the solids ended up on the floor. It’s like he’s afraid to try or swallow solid food. My other idea came from raising a baby bird that had been blown out of its nest when I was much younger. I mixed some graham crackers with milk and a bit of yogurt (and a pinch of shaved off iron supplement tablet) and tried Homer on it. This time I though he wasn’t going to quit eating. He put down two of the large graham cracker pieces and wanted more which is the first time I’ve seen him that anxious for food since he took ill.

After that, I got a grape, some mandarin orange slices, and more graham cracker mix down him so it appears either the antibiotic (injected tetracycline - not giving him oral Tylan anymore) is working, he’s shaking whatever was wrong, or this is just a temporary turnaround (hope not the latter). He was more alert this morning and didn’t immediately go to sleep after his shot (in fact he didn’t until his regular nap time, after noon - followed me around which is his normal). He still refuses solid food so I have to forcibly get it in his beak, but then he swallows it which was hit and miss yesterday, but the graham cracker mix gets lapped up with zeal. Looks like progress.

I thank everyone who gave their advice - if there are still ideas out there, let me know, and I‘ll keep the thread appraised of his condition better or worse. I would like to know if it’s prudent to give him a Permethrin dip anytime soon or should I hold off a bit? His mites are there but not too many come off with a sticky lint roller and I don’t see egg deposits in his tail so I think they may be on the way out too, but I would be pleased to lend a good death blow to them if I could (if you know what I mean).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

"bubbly" saliva when he tries to eat (it does smell). He always parked in a nesting position when sleeping but now stands and puts his head in his feathers.

Smelly bubbly saliva sounds like sour crop. You may find this article helpful http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Since he is 6yrs old he may be slowing down and not able to process his foods/absorb nutrients like he should. While I disagree with not feeding him a balanced, complete poultry feed, what he has eaten all these years may have worked o.k. He may benefit from extra protein like chopped egg and some poultry vitamins like Poultry Nutri-Drench or Rooster Booster.
If you are still seeing parasites, it is best to get rid of them, so treating him with Permethrin poultry dust or spray is a good idea.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I use this to kill mites in my hens.
I thought that you’re not supposed to feed chickens citrus.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Personally, I haven't heard they shouldn't eat citrus. I have had a few people say their chickens don't like it. Of course, everything in moderation. As long as the citrus is in an appropriate amount as a treat in addition to a normal, balanced diet, I don't see any harm in it.