Sick rooster

[MaryWheatley]

Hello from Myakka City, FL.....birds are molting these days. Temps are quite warm...most in mid 90's. Took back Polish rooster about 2 weeks ago. He is thin, but was doing OK. Found lice, dusted him and hens, couple days later wormed all with Ivermectin paste. Noticed yesterday he was listless, not eating, seemed weak. Brought him to house, gave olive oil and electrolyte water by syringe. Also gave probiotics in yogurt by syringe. Feces seem fairly normal. He seems very weak and disoriented.
This morning he tried to crow, but still weak and confused. Any recommendations on other options to try to help him? He did eat some oats this am, but isn't interested in dried meal worms or grass.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Ivermectin is not very effective as a wormer since chicken worms have built up a resistance to it. If he has changed his location to your soil, he may have been exposed to a new strain of coccidia to which he has no immunity. Symptoms of coccidiosis are lethargy, standing around puffed up or hunching, weakness, poor appetite, diarrhea (with or without blood,) and pale color. Corid or amprollium is the treatment for that. Worms can also cause weakness. Try giving him some egg and low sodium canned tuna or ground meat to eat. Has it been wet or have you had any mold in your environment where aspergillosis might be a problem?

 

[MaryWheatley]

Thank you so much for your information. Yes, it's very wet here in Central Florida. Seems there is mold everywhere! I raised this guy from chick in spring of this year, then gave him to someone else, as we had 2 roosters. He has been away since about July. I don't know the specific conditions where he was living.

His breathing seems fine. Feces are not as abnormal as I expected when he went down. I will give him some of your recommended foods. I don't think another worming is a good idea in his present condition. I first powdered them because I found lice on him....I don't think we had lice...but he definitely had them, so I dusted all the birds. I will reworm everyone when he gets stronger...or should I worm him now as it may be his problem?

 

[Eggcessive]

It's so hard to tell what the problem is with chickens sometimes. It seems you have to rule out a lot of things. I would worm him with Valbazen when you feel that he is stable enough to tolerate it. You might want to try the Corid on him for possible coccidiosis. I would also look around to see if he could have gotten into something toxic, and watch him for any signs of leg weakness or paralysis. I hope you can figure this out.

 

[MaryWheatley]

Thank you again tried the tuna-- not sure he are any but he was moving around. Will use the Corrid as you suggest. Probably should do hens too.

 

[MaryWheatley]

Meant the Valbasen....

 

[seminolewind]

Mary, any vet can run a stool sample for you for worms. Poo is poo. My feeling is if you think it's worms making him sick, you should worm him. Because the worms will only make him sicker.

 

[MaryWheatley]

I don't know if it's worms-- after finding the lice I thought they all should probably be wormed. Was after the worming that he became lethargic. Don't know what his situation was where he was living, but he's very very thin
When he arrived, he didn't stop eating for about 2 days. That was a couple weeks ago though-- he has been free roaming with the hens up til I realized he was not feeling good.

 

[MaryWheatley]

Thanks for all your words of wisdom!! Dudley seems to be doing fine now. Put him back with girls a couple days ago, he has a nice full crop at bedtime and seems to be eating well! Have been giving them all yogurt in afternoons as it is still so hot here!