sick rooster?

[chickenmamafl]

I have about a 4 year old rooster. He is usually pretty mean and won’t let me near him. I came home from work and he was like this with this head hanging down. He was fine yesterday and this morning when I let him out of the coop.
When I first saw him doing this, I thought he was asleep. But, he’s awake!
He lifts his head up, then it slowly sags back down. His wings are down and he’s staggering around like he’s a little tipsy when he tries to move.
Usually he attacks me and he let me touch him, then when he realized I was touching him he did lunge at me and he seemed unbalanced and then his head immediately hung down to the ground! Very alarming!
When he does walk he is walking with his neck way out in front of him.
Please Help!!

 

[chickenmamafl]

more pics

 

[chickenmamafl]

poor guy

 

[nuthatched]

What's his diet?

 

[chickenmamafl]

What's his diet?

He free ranges all day. 6:30am-7pm. I give them scratch and then he steals some of my hens layer crumbles if he can get to them. He was about a year old when I got him, and that’s what the people who gave him to me fed him so I just continued that.
I’ve had him probably 2 years and never had any issues with him until today.

 

[LaFleche]

Did you already inspect him closely for any possible injuries? Maybe a dislocation of his neck vertebrae?
Could he have had a fight with the other rooster?

I would separate him in a crate and keep him hydrated with added poultry vitamins in his drinking water. And offer some scrambled eggs with millet and fine oat meal.

 

[chickenmamafl]

Did you already inspect him closely for any possible injuries? Maybe a dislocation of his neck vertebrae?
Could he have had a fight with the other rooster?

I would separate him in a crate and keep him hydrated with added poultry vitamins in his drinking water. And offer some scrambled eggs with millet and fine oat meal.

He and the other rooster are best pals. They came from the same people. I’m assuming they’ve been together all their lives. I’ve never seen them fight. I separated them and he seemed stressed about it. He and the other rooster are always together. I have some rooster booster should I give him some of that? I’ll give him the scrambled eggs and oatmeal too. I don’t have any millet.
I tried to feel on his neck and he doesn’t like it. But, he always hates being touched so it’s hard to tell if it’s pain or his typical attitude.

 

[chickenmamafl]

I just saw him poop for the first time since I’ve been home from work and it was yellow, bubbly and mucousy.
He is still eating though. I have not noticed him drinking water.

 

[nuthatched]

He free ranges all day. 6:30am-7pm. I give them scratch and then he steals some of my hens layer crumbles if he can get to them. He was about a year old when I got him, and that’s what the people who gave him to me fed him so I just continued that.
I’ve had him probably 2 years and never had any issues with him until today.

He's likely vitamin and general deficient if he isnt injured, the people who told you to feed him like that didn't know much about nutrition.
Feed your whole flock a low calcium, high protein feed like flock raiser, with oyster shells for your layers.
Unless you have flocks of feral chickens in the area, they're not likely to be getting enough nutrition from free ranging.

Give him 400i.u vitamin E capsule and about a third of a B complex tablet every day until he improves. You can get this at the grocery store.

 

[chickenmamafl]

He's likely vitamin and general deficient if he isnt injured, the people who told you to feed him like that didn't know much about nutrition.
Feed your whole flock a low calcium, high protein feed like flock raiser, with oyster shells for your layers.
Unless you have flocks of feral chickens in the area, they're not likely to be getting enough nutrition from free ranging.

Give him 400i.u vitamin E capsule and about a third of a B complex tablet every day until he improves. You can get this at the grocery store.

Ok!! Thank you! I’ll go to the feed store today!