Sick Rooster :(

CherylsChickens

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2019
16
6
19
Alabama
Hello,

I have a 2 year old rooster who is living with 3 hens. 2 months ago he started sneezing and shaking his head probably every minute to 2 minutes. He has no discharge or runny eyes or nose. He does wheeze (sometimes loud but mostly quiet) but has wheezed for as long as I can remember. Also as soon as he started sneezing 2 months ago he can't complete the end of his crow.

He has never been separated from his hens who have absolutely none of his symptoms!

He is huge! Eats ferociously and acts normal.

I have noticed a change in his crown the past 5 days. It went from rich red and stiff to darker red almost purple/red and getting slightly limper. (See in pic)

I was hoping it would clear up by now but hasn't. I just added ACV to water and Vet RX to water but not sure that will actually treat him.

I spoke to a vet who has not seen him and he recommended tetracycline water additive or spectinomycin (but he was just guessing).

Any recommendations would be very helpful.
Additionally I am not sure it he has poo stuck to his vent or if it's something else (see pic)

Thanks a ton!

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Thank you for your reply,

I did not notice the swelling, I just thought that was how he always looked. Here is the other eye which looks the same as well as a different angle on the left eye. Thanks!
 
Does he normally just have a “fleshy face” or does it look swollen to you? You are used to looking at him.

Let’s put some more eyes on him. I’ll tag some people and look to see who’s on this afternoon.

@Texas Kiki
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@casportpony
Does he normally just have a “fleshy face” or does it look swollen to you? You are used to looking at him.

Let’s put some more eyes on him. I’ll tag some people and look to see who’s on this afternoon.

@Texas Kiki
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@casportpony

I guess the puffy area under the eyes could be from whatever he has, but I can't remember if that was the same before he started sneezing or not.....if swollen areas under the eyes are a result of some sort of a cold then that would make sense but I wouldn't think a cold would go on for 2 months and if it's a respiratory infection I wouldn't think that would lead to puffy under eye areas? But I have no experience in this matter. Thanks!
 
2 months ago he started sneezing and shaking his head probably every minute to 2 minutes. He has no discharge or runny eyes or nose. He does wheeze (sometimes loud but mostly quiet) but has wheezed for as long as I can remember.Also as soon as he started sneezing 2 months ago he can't complete the end of his crow.
Does he wheeze with every breath? Do you listen to him breathe on the roost at night?
Sounds like it could be a respiratory issue.

I spoke to a vet who has not seen him and he recommended tetracycline water additive or spectinomycin (but he was just guessing).
Well, we're all guessing too. Antibiotics would be a typical response. Unless you take him in and have swabs tested, what else can he do? Is he a avian vet?

Additionally I am not sure it he has poo stuck to his vent or if it's something else (see pic)
Looks like loose poops to me.

Not sure if 'swelling' is abnormal or not....the sinus' can swell with a respiratory infection....usually eye and nares are involved if it gets bad enough.
 
Usually the swelling in a sinus infection is on one side unless it has been a significant infection, such as coryza. I have no real experience with that, only from reading and BYC threads. Usually with a bad bilateral infection bith eyelids become puffy and pus-filled. So, it just seems like this may be his normal face in my opinion. But I may be wrong though. His sneezing and wheezing, plus the head shaking do sound like a respiratory disease. Is there dried nasal secretions around his nostrils? How is the coop ventilation, and is the bedding clean and dry? Moldy or wet conditions and ammonia odors from wet bedding can make a good environment for developing respiratory diseases.

The vent area looks like he has has some runny poop that gets stuck in feathers. I would also look around under his vent for any lice or white clumps of lice eggs. Trim the poopy feathers. Roosters do not like being handled much, so a butt bath is up to you.
 
Does he wheeze with every breath? Do you listen to him breathe on the roost at night?
Sounds like it could be a respiratory issue.

Well, we're all guessing too. Antibiotics would be a typical response. Unless you take him in and have swabs tested, what else can he do? Is he a avian vet?

Looks like loose poops to me.

Not sure if 'swelling' is abnormal or not....the sinus' can swell with a respiratory infection....usually eye and nares are involved if it gets bad enough.


I will listen to him tonight and rub some vet rx on his nostrils. He is a loved pet but will not be handled or touched. He hates it. So I can't bring him to a vet . The vet I spoke too is mainly a dog and cat vet but looks at birds too, didn't really seem familiar with infections or diseases just breaks and injuries.
 
Usually the swelling in a sinus infection is on one side unless it has been a significant infection, such as coryza. I have no real experience with that, only from reading and BYC threads. Usually with a bad bilateral infection bith eyelids become puffy and pus-filled. So, it just seems like this may be his normal face in my opinion. But I may be wrong though. His sneezing and wheezing, plus the head shaking do sound like a respiratory disease. Is there dried nasal secretions around his nostrils? How is the coop ventilation, and is the bedding clean and dry? Moldy or wet conditions and ammonia odors from wet bedding can make a good environment for developing respiratory diseases.

The vent area looks like he has has some runny poop that gets stuck in feathers. I would also look around under his vent for any lice or white clumps of lice eggs. Trim the poopy feathers. Roosters do not like being handled much, so a butt bath is up to you.

Thank you, the nasal passage is completely normal. I am pretty convinced it's a respiratory infection. I guess what I would like to know is if there is a standard treatment that would help cure this or does each respiratory infection need a specific treatment? I would be sort of blindly guessing at which treatment to try...

As for the vent area I doubt I can get close enough to cut but will try! Would a dust bath with DE mixed in cure lice if he has?

Bedding ventilated and dry. Has been cold and rainy here much of the last couple months.

I ran out of hay one time and used hamster wood shavings instead. The next day the sneezing started but I replaced it back with hay a week later. Surely 2 months on he wouldn't be reacting to that?

And I wonder if there is any clue in that whatever he has, he has not given to the females during all this time.

Thanks!
 

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