Sick Rooster?

[Egger Allan Poe]

Hi, I am 14 and have a sick 8 year old rooster!
He is our only rooster and he started behaving oddly last Sunday. Since then I have been watching him carefully (we do not have him separated from the rest of the flock,) he has not been drinking much, so starting on Tuesday I have been syringing him water in the mornings and evenings. Nor has he been eating much, and I at first thought it might be some sort of crop disorder. I thought that he maybe had an impacted crop because he has such an odd outline,

But he has always had that lump on his front and it has always been very hard. I started looking for his actual crop and just below the bump and to the right, there is a softer smaller bump that I now assume is his crop. I checked it early this morning and it did not feel empty but I am not 100% sure. After about 45 minutes I went out to check on him again and his crop felt slightly fuller and harder, so I assume he ate some of the chicken feed while I was gone. Just in case it was an impacted crop I have been monitoring what he eats (and his poop, which has been very small)

And today is the first day that he ate some chicken feed that I know of. On Monday he was just skin and bone but he has improved slightly since then. (picture I took on Monday)

As far as behavior goes, he spent most of Monday and Tuesday standing in the nest box, Wednesday he spent the morning in the nest box but came out on his own around midday to stand by the fence that separates the older flock from the newer. He spent Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday night in the nest box, but last night he slept on the floor in the corner of the coop. He was still standing there when I went out the first time this morning. I picked him up to feel his crop and set him back down in the coop, he promptly jumped out and went over to the fence again.
I have been treating him for an impacted crop since Tuesday, but it hasn't seemed to make a difference. We are extremely lucky and in 8 years have never had a (known) problem with worms and therefore have never wormed the flock. I ordered a 10% flubendazole paste that should arrive by tomorrow. I plan to stop massaging his crop today, but still give him some coconut oil and applesauce. I am not sure if this has any medical implications, but he used to be a she. He laid eggs for five years, then two years ago he stopped and adopted the characteristics of a rooster
Since he is nearly 8, there is a good chance that he is just old. But if anyone has any advice that might help him, I am all ears!

 

[Weeg]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @Overo Mare @azygous

 

[azygous]

From the photo and from your description of him being "skin and bones", I would guess he has a pendulous crop issue that is causing the crop never to completely empty. This causes slow crop and deprives the chicken of absorbing the nutrients and calories they need since they don't make it down into the intestines.

You've done very well to recognize he has a problem and you've been treating it well. I think if you use a crop bra on him, this can go a long way toward fixing his crop issue. Here's more information and it includes a basic pattern for a crop bra. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Interesting about your chicken's apparent "sex change". It can happen when the ovary is damaged. That damage trippers the production of androgen hormones and the result is a hen gradually adopting secondary male sex characteristics.

 

[azygous]

Flubendazole is a tapeworm worming med. Do you suspect worms? Have you seen any sign in his poop?

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

Flubendazole is a tapeworm worming med. Do you suspect worms? Have you seen any sign in his poop?

Thank you! I will make him a crop bra and hopefully he starts doing better!
No, we have not seen any signs of worms. When I was researching crop issues, it was my understanding that some can be caused by worms? We have never wormed any of our chickens and thought that it might help him, I was not sure what kind of wormer to get since I hadn't seen any signs of worms. I know that you worm horses and dogs yearly to more or less prevent worms and get rid of any that they might have. Should I worm him (and maybe the rest of the flock)?

 

[azygous]

Worming won't hurt. But I suggest Safeguard which targets more species than the med you ordered.

A heavy worm load can cause a blockage in the intestines that can cause the crop to be slow. So yes, you are wise to cover that base.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

he has always had that lump on his front and it has always been very hard. I started looking for his actual crop and just below the bump and to the right, there is a softer smaller bump that I now assume is his crop. I checked it early this morning and it did not feel empty but I am not 100% sure. After about 45 minutes I went out to check on him again and his crop felt slightly fuller and harder, so I assume he ate some of the chicken feed while I was gone. Just in case it was an impacted crop I have been monitoring what he eats

Just to clarify - you mention the lump has always been there so s/he has had the lump for 8 years correct?
If the lump has always been there, then likely a crop bra is not going to be of benefit. Not sure what the lump is, but if it's been there, I would leave it alone.
I would still monitor where you are feeling like the crop is and see if it's emptying.

You mention Flubendazole, so I'm assuming you are in the UK or Europe?
That will treat roundworms and most worms that chickens can have, but usually not effective on tapeworms.

His age and the hormone change is very likely taking it's tole and he's starting to decline. I would offer supportive care, probably de-worm but it's best to get a fecal float if possible. Check that crop and treat accordingly, look for lice/mites.

Just my 2¢

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

Worming won't hurt. But I suggest Safeguard which targets more species than the med you ordered.

A heavy worm load can cause a blockage in the intestines that can cause the crop to be slow. So yes, you are wise to cover that base.

Would something like this be better?

 

[azygous]

That's a good all-purpose worming med. But as @Wyorp Rock has suggested, a fecal float test by your vet, quick and inexpensive, would be best. It would tell you if worms are present in his stools and what species they are. Then you can find the best worming med to target those.

I'm sorry for giving incorrect info about flubendazole. My brain goes dyslexic sometimes, and I say or do the opposite of what I'm actually intending. Imagine thinking, okay, I need to go left here to avoid that obstacle, and I go right and boom, I crash and burn. It's time to trade this brain in on a new one. If only.

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

Just to clarify - you mention the lump has always been there so s/he has had the lump for 8 years correct?
If the lump has always been there, then likely a crop bra is not going to be of benefit. Not sure what the lump is, but if it's been there, I would leave it alone.
I would still monitor where you are feeling like the crop is and see if it's emptying.

You mention Flubendazole, so I'm assuming you are in the UK or Europe?
That will treat roundworms and most worms that chickens can have, but usually not effective on tapeworms.

His age and the hormone change is very likely taking it's tole and he's starting to decline. I would offer supportive care, probably de-worm but it's best to get a fecal float if possible. Check that crop and treat accordingly, look for lice/mites.

Just my 2¢

I always struggled to find his crop when he was younger, I assume because the bump was covering it. I started to be able to see the bump when he was about 1.5 years old, it never seemed to bother him so we just assumed he was the odd one out. Would the crop bra maybe hurt him? Or should I still try it and monitor him closely?