Sick (?) Rooster

[Delaneygraces]

My Modern Game Bantam August has been acting strange for a few days. Today, it seems to have gotten much worse. I had to give them deworm pills today, so they haven’t had food all day. He was acting normal, jumping at his door begging for food, like the rest of them, when I walked in the garage. Then tonight, when I fed them, he wasn’t excited. He stood back and didn’t attack the food when I put it his cup, and it took a minute or two for him to finally walk up to it. He was fluffed up, standing upright, and suddenly seems very thin, and frail. He doesn’t have good balance, he was standing near the pen door, and fell out of the pen when I opened it to feed him, and didn’t even try to fly/flap, instead landed on the ground, and stumbled around when trying to stand back up. While eating, he pauses for long moments, gasping, with liquid/salivia stretched between his beak. He also isn’t swallowing well/forcing it down like all the others, instead just standing waiting for it to go down. I’m not sure if this has anything to do with it, but the pen that him and one that bird is in is relatively clean, but the bedding has seemed dark/moist, especially where they perch.
I was first alarmed when he stood drinking water for 5 minutes on Monday, during chore time, before returning to the perch, not eating a thing.
Any ideas on what’s wrong with him? I have a picture of his very weird stance/positioning. Help would be very appreciated for my little bird!

I’ll add better pictures if needed, or a video. I couldn’t get them when I was doing chores, as were hosting another Christmas today/tonight. His beak/mouth doesn’t smell bad (it normally does when they are sick), and he has no snot/breathing issues, besides larger amounts of saliva in his mouth when eating/drinking.

 

[nchls school]

Possibly a crop problem.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I’m not sure if this has anything to do with it, but the pen that him and one that bird is in is relatively clean, but the bedding has seemed dark/moist, especially where they perch.

Have you inspected why the bedding is dark/moist?
Have you checked for mold/mildew?
Do you have sufficient ventilation?

Check in his mouth if you see any obstructions.
Check it's crop in the mornings (should be empty) & evening at roost (should be full).
You may want to try get him to take some Nutri Drench, couple drops.

 

[Delaneygraces]

I’m not sure if this has anything to do with it, but the pen that him and one that bird is in is relatively clean, but the bedding has seemed dark/moist, especially where they perch.

Have you inspected why the bedding is dark/moist?
Have you checked for mold/mildew?
Do you have sufficient ventilation?

Check in his mouth if you see any obstructions.
Check it's crop in the mornings (should be empty) & evening at roost (should be full).
You may want to try get him to take some Nutri Drench, couple drops.

I just recleaned the pen, and no mold/mildew. Ventilation is good, no simulator problems in other pens. The wetter stuff smells like poop, so I’m assuming it’s just a very liquidy poop?
No obstructions in his mouth/throat anymore, as he was eating, it was getting very full/clogged. His crop didn’t get much fuller after being fed, but I’ll check in the morning if it went down that small bit. I’ll look into Nutri Drench, will it be able to be used at the same time of Probiotics/remainders of a deworm pill? They got the pill this morning, and will get the probiotics in 2-3 days.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You're giving the Probiotics, that's good. You may want to ask the feed store people, if you think they're competent, about giving the Nutri Drench. There's some members here that would be of help ....

@cavemanrich @casportpony @Ravynscroft @Eggcessive

 

[casportpony]

What does his poop look like?

 

[Delaneygraces]

What does his poop look like?

Wel, it’s hard to really make any assumptions on the poop, becuause he has worm pill in him, making his and all the other birds’ poop look a little off. He is also still in with another rooster that’s been in there since he started acting weird, mostly in cause he is also sick, and so they keep each other warm and not freeze, so I can’t 100% distinguish whose poop is whose.

An another hand, August seemed much better today. I’m not sure if it had something To do with the deworm pills or not, but he was looking much better. He was clearly feeling better, because I let him stretch his wings outside of his pen, and led me on a chase around the lawn mower, making his normal sqwuaking sounds. He was puffed up a little when he went to perch, but besides that, he seems better. Again, his crop wasn’t full, had only a little bit of grain.

 

[casportpony]

Can you post a picture of his poop?

 

[aart]

Isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.


Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did he have access to water even though you withheld food while deworming?
I would re-check his crop first thing in the morning before he eats/drinks to see if it's empty.

You mention that his beak didn't smell bad, but it normally does if your birds are sick? What do you normally deal with - sour crop, canker?

Photos of the poop would be helpful and tell us what you used for deworming.