Sick Rooster!

[enoryz]

I have a Golden Sebright Cockerel. He is 7 months old. We feed our chickens Dumor grower/finisher with chicken scratch on the side. They have a 50' X 50' pen they stay in. Sometimes he gets out and stays in the yard. Lately he looks very tired. He falls asleep standing up. He is eating and drinking. When he walks around the yard his tail is up and fanned out. He hasn't crowed in probably a week. His poo is bright green and watery. We brought him inside last night and we are at work today. Not sure if he is still eating and drinking. He also has some crusty stuff on the side of his mouth this morning. We also have a golden sebright pukllet the same age and her poo is the same color but not watery. She is doing fine. Here are a few pics.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry he is not doing well.

Can you take him to a vet?
Does the crusty stuff stink?

The crusty "stuff" on the beak - look inside his beak as well - do you see any more inside or what might look like yellow plaques or lesions?

I'm not a vet, nor an expert, but my first thoughts is Canker. Which can be difficult to treat. The green poop, I would be inclined indicates infection and maybe not eating well.
You can try treating with Metronidazole (Fish zole/Flagyl) at 25 mg per pound given twice a day for 5 days.

A vet could verify Canker or some other condition. Canker (Trichomoniasis) is a protozoan infection which is highly contagious, so keep him separated. If the other one is showing symptoms, separate her out too - but you will want to keep them apart to help prevent spread. Shared water and feed bowls need to be cleaned and disinfected. (all containers that your flock has used)
Some people do recommend using Acidified Copper Sulfate (order online at places like jeffers pet) to help prevent spread of infection to other birds. You do need to read and follow packaging instructions for Acidified Copper Sulfate - it needs to be pretty precise in dosage and time given. Usually it's 1/4tsp per gallon of water given 3days a month.(only use plastic/non metal water containers with Acidified Copper Sulfate)

Do your best to keep him hydrated - birds with Canker can have a difficult time eating/drinking. He may do better with feed made into a wet mash.

fwiw- he benefit would from eating a higher protein feed like chick starter or flock raiser. The Dumor Grower/Finisher is only 15%protein, which, imho is low for chickens. Scratch is very low, usually around 8%, so this further dilutes nutritional and protein intake.

 

[enoryz]

He's always had stinky breathe. My wife smelled last night and it does still stink. We have a vet but no sure if they treat chickens. We did separate them this morning and put her back outside. I know for sure he was drinking and eating outside. Don't know about today. We put VetRx in the water. Would that burn his throat?

 

[rebrascora]

Chickens will pretend to eat when they are sick. I have watched sick members of my own flock pick up and drop the same morsel multiple times but if you weren't watching them specifically and up close they would just look like they were eating normally with the flock. It is a self preservation mechanism so that the flock do not realise they are sick.
I would monitor both of them closely and making a wet mash is a good idea or maybe a bit of scrambled egg for them. They may also benefit from a heat source if they have not been eating as well as you think.

 

[rebrascora]

A stinky breath is usually sour crop or canker so with that crusting, it may well be canker.

 

[enoryz]

I just went put a bowl of regular water and he got down to what looked like eating. I can watch closer next time. I don't have any heat on him now but I can put that also. The crust was gone form his mouth. Do you know if that Metronidazole comes in a liquid form that @Wyorp Rock recommended? And can I get that at a feed store or TSC?

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately I'm in the UK so not able to advise about what medication you can get in the USA and where. Hopefully someone else will be along with that info. Did you check inside his mouth for any plaques or lesions? I would want to be sure it is canker before giving him medication that might not be appropriate. What does his crop feel like? Giving his crop a massage might be beneficial.

 

[enoryz]

I tried but I had a hard time holding him and opening his mouth. After work I can have my wife help and we will check. If no sores should we treat for sour crop and can we use copper sulfate?

 

[enoryz]

Forgot to feel the crop also.

 

[rebrascora]

You will find it much easier to restrain him if you wrap him snugly in a towel, but two pairs of hands and eyes are better than one. I would see how his crop feels and whether it goes down overnight if there is in fact anything in it. Sour crop can be treated with vaginal thrush cream (given orally) and massage. Cut out any fruits and sugars and bread etc that will feed the yeast. Scrambled egg is a good nutritious whole food that he will benefit from and oil.... solid coconut oil can be easily administered by swiping small amounts into the birds mouth without risk of them aspirating it.

I forgot another main cause of bad breath is Coryza, so if it is not canker or a crop problem, that is something else to consider. I have not had to deal with that yet so perhaps someone else will jump in with info re diagnosis and treatment of that.