Sick Rooster?

[Egger Allan Poe]

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.

It's all good! Thank you so much for your help!
One more question, how often should I worm the flock?

 

[mommiesrcool]

Would something like this be better?
View attachment 2374431

this is the dewormer i use and i would recommend it

 

[mommiesrcool]

It's all good! Thank you so much for your help!
One more question, how often should I worm the flock?

every 3 months is how I do it but depending on the dewormer you use there will be a withdraw day so for the safeguard, its 2 weeks which means their eggs will have some of the medicine so the eggs that they laid within the 2 weeks i would throw away but after the 2 weeks you can eat them

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[Chicalina]

Hey @Egger Allan Poe

I like your user name!

Great that you've sought advice here. 'He' is not a rooster, she is just an old hen who has stopped laying, bless her.

I think you need to prepare yourself for the end of her life. She has had a good 8 years and I can tell she has been taken good care of because you care so much about her welfare.

For a breed that lays a LOT of eggs, she has done really well to make it this far. I suspect the lump is a goiter or the saggy crop as mentioned before, but she is thin, thin, thin. And her body is giving up on her, she doesn't want to eat or drink or do chickeny things and be out with the flock.

You may be able to prolong her life by hand feeding her water and food, crop massage, etc, but it won't be for long and she hasn't got much 'quality of life' has she.

As hard as it sounds, you should give some thought to euthanising her. It may well be the choice between a quick end (with love and kindness) and a long drawn out one where she gets sicker and weaker. That is a lot for a 14 year old to deal with. Are your parents involved with the chickens? Can you talk to them about different options?

It is so sad when they get really old and sick like this (I cry over them every time), but I'm sure you understand that it is inevitable.

If you were my child, I would be so proud of you, having sought advice, researching, nursing and caring for her like you have.

I hope you don't think I'm being patronising. You've done great, but you may need to make the hardest decision now for her best interests.

Sending positive vibes.

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

Hey @Egger Allan Poe

I like your user name!

Great that you've sought advice here. 'He' is not a rooster, she is just an old hen who has stopped laying, bless her.

I think you need to prepare yourself for the end of her life. She has had a good 8 years and I can tell she has been taken good care of because you care so much about her welfare.

For a breed that lays a LOT of eggs, she has done really well to make it this far. I suspect the lump is a goiter or the saggy crop as mentioned before, but she is thin, thin, thin. And her body is giving up on her, she doesn't want to eat or drink or do chickeny things and be out with the flock.

You may be able to prolong her life by hand feeding her water and food, crop massage, etc, but it won't be for long and she hasn't got much 'quality of life' has she.

As hard as it sounds, you should give some thought to euthanising her. It may well be the choice between a quick end (with love and kindness) and a long drawn out one where she gets sicker and weaker. That is a lot for a 14 year old to deal with. Are your parents involved with the chickens? Can you talk to them about different options?

It is so sad when they get really old and sick like this (I cry over them every time), but I'm sure you understand that it is inevitable.

If you were my child, I would be so proud of you, having sought advice, researching, nursing and caring for her like you have.

I hope you don't think I'm being patronising. You've done great, but you may need to make the hardest decision now for her best interests.

Sending positive vibes.

Thank you,
Yes, my whole family is involved with the chickens, we love all our pets and want to what is best for them. Our plan is to do all we can for her, and if she doesn't get any better we will put her down.

 

[Chicalina]

Thank you,
Yes, my whole family is involved with the chickens, we love all our pets and want to what is best for them. Our plan is to do all we can for her, and if she doesn't get any better we will put her down.

That's good to hear. I'm glad you aren't dealing with this alone. I often read on here about young people's parents who aren't interested and it is a heavy responsibility to handle without support. You sound like a lovely family.

I'm glad to hear you are open to all options.

If it was my hen, then for as long as she can walk around (and isn't being bullied) I'd leave her with the flock rather than bringing her inside and isolating her, because chickens are social animals and they get more distressed being alone than they do being sick in the flock. Even very tame chickens seem to prefer other chickens to human company.

Maybe you can feed her some extra nice treats that she likes just for her. Something wet ideally so she gets hydrated too.

 

[Egger Allan Poe]

That's good to hear. I'm glad you aren't dealing with this alone. I often read on here about young people's parents who aren't interested and it is a heavy responsibility to handle without support. You sound like a lovely family.

I'm glad to hear you are open to all options.

If it was my hen, then for as long as she can walk around (and isn't being bullied) I'd leave her with the flock rather than bringing her inside and isolating her, because chickens are social animals and they get more distressed being alone than they do being sick in the flock. Even very tame chickens seem to prefer other chickens to human company.

Maybe you can feed her some extra nice treats that she likes just for her. Something wet ideally so she gets hydrated too.

Thank you again, I will do that!