Sick rooster

[natcamp1]

Does anybody have any idea what could be wrong with my rooster. We got him in the spring of 09 at about 4 or 5 months of age. He has been an awesome rooster. He has never looked like this before. I am worried that maybe he is getting too old to be able to handle the cold. He hardly even wakes up when I talk to him. He constantly has his feathers plumed out like in the photos. He is sitting right under the heat lamp but his comb is frost bit and his wattle seems to be swollen. Not sure if I should bring him into the house or not. Thank you for your time and help. I am worried about my boy.






Could it be his age that is making him unable to deal with the cold. He has never been like this in the past winters. His comb has never turned black like this. He has had black points on his comb but never this black.
I have brought him in the house. He seems to have perked up. He ate and drank. I don't see mites or lice on him. I know that they are hard to see though. He isn't plucking any feathers out. I did notice while watching him eat that every few bites he would shake his head. Could he possibly have foul crop? It's hard to tell with his collar of feathers being puffed out. I got some close
ups of his wattles. He is moving around now and looking for a way out of the kennel.





After over an hour in the house he seems to be out. He didn't want to wake up. I hope I didn't hurt him by bringing him into the warm house. I am worried about him with his head shaking. I don't know how well he will deal with me trying to treat him for foul crop.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh poor guy. He almost looks like he has wry neck when his head is turned down so far into his chest. His wattles and comb are pretty frostbitten, and I'm sure his wattles are very painful right now. What part of the country do you live in? Most chickens can handle the cold in winter if their coops have overhead ventilation to prevent a build-up of moisture. , unless it is -30F. Head shaking is common with frostbite. Frostbite in wattles also makes it painful to eat. Some Neosporin ointment on his wattles and comb would be good to help with infection. Give him some scrambled eggs to eat. I would keep him inside until your temps are more mild, and look at your ventilation. Here are a couple of links for frostbite:
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/frostbite-in-chickens.aspx
http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/01/frostbite-and-backyard-chickens.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/12/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html

 

[natcamp1]

We live in Maine. Our coop has good ventilation. There's no condensation inside the coop. We have a heat lamp in the coop that comes on at 4pm and turns off at 9am. When it gets really cold I leave the heat lamp on all day. Frank has done very well the past 5 winters. This is the first that I have seen him like this. I will go put a triple antibiotic ointment on him right now. He will be in my house until it gets warmer outside. Thank you so much for your help. I guess he may be too old to handle the cold. All 12 hens are doing great.

 

[natcamp1]

I applied vetericyn to his comb and wattles

 

[Eggcessive]

Sour crop symptoms are a full balloon-like squishy crop. They will vomit easily if it is full, and you massage it. Many times it is a fungal infection and can happen along with other problems (Mareks disease, coccidiosis, and many others.). Probiotics canhelp, as well as anti-fungal drugs such as Nystatin, Medistatin, and Mycostatin suppositories given orally.

 

[natcamp1]

When I felt his crop while I was putting vetericyn on him it felt fine. He doesn't spit up. He was just shaking his head. I had never seen him do that. You are right about the pain in his wattles making him shake his head. Poor guy. He is warm, treated, and resting now.

 

[pwand]

Make sure his crop is flat in the morning before he eats or drinks, that rules out crop issues. deworm with safeguard and treat him for mites. Antibiotics may be needed as you treat him for the frostbite.

 

[natcamp1]

Thank you guys so much for your help!! I will get him some antibiotics and keep applying the vetericyn on his comb and wattles. I will keep him in the house until the temps warm up outside.