sick rooster

[celebrity]

We found our rooster in the coop yesterday laying down and he couldn't get up. When he did try to stand he would fall over and can't keep his head up.
He has a runny nostrils and had straw stuck to it. We cleaned his nostrils and gave him water with an eye dropper. This morning he is standing but can't
keep his head up. This all came on very fast, he was fine doing his thing and then all of the sudden down he goes. Any advise would be appreciated, it
broke my darn heart seeing him like that and all the hens were crying.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

First of all,

I'm sorry your first post has to be a sad one

It sounds like whatever's got him down has him very weak, try syringe feeding him with a mixture of plain yogurt, applesauce baby food, and a small amount of molasses. Once he's able to lift his head, feed him boiled egg, mashed up, for the protein.

That being said, unfortunately if he does recover, he's likely to be a carrier for whatever he's got forever. Most chicken diseases are like that. Seperate him from the rest of the flock, and keep an eye on your girls to watch for symptoms. If you do lose him, I HIGHLY suggest sending him for necropsy so a lab can tell you exactly what you're dealing with. In the meantime, don't let other chicken owners anywhere near your place, as they could take whatever disease this is home to their own birds. Be very careful about cross contamination.

Good luck!!!

 

[celebrity]

Thank you very much for the reply, we have been trying to feed him with the syringe and he seems a little
perkier today. He's still hanging his head down but is standing on his feet. We have him isolated in a quiet
warm place so hopefully he can rest and get over this. It's sad to see the head honcho hurting like this.