Skinny chicken

[Ilovechickens123]

I’ve noticed that my rooster has not been eating properly and he’s very under weight. I don’t know what to feed him to make him gain weight and now his legs are very weak and he can barely stand. When we put him down he stood and then fell.

 

[Swbertrand1]

The photos help a lot, but give the Forum some particulars on the bird.

How old is he? What does he normally eat? When was the last time you saw him eat/drink? What are his living conditions? Is he penned full-time, part-time, does he free-range? Have you checked his crop to see that it's full before bedtime and emptying by morning? Do you have other birds? Do you have new birds that have recently joined the rooster? Are any of your other birds showing any signs of distress?

Are you having super-hot days where you're located?

 

[Ilovechickens123]

The photos help a lot, but give the Forum some particulars on the bird.

How old is he? What does he normally eat? When was the last time you saw him eat/drink? What are his living conditions? Is he penned full-time, part-time, does he free-range? Have you checked his crop to see that it's full before bedtime and emptying by morning? Do you have other birds? Do you have new birds that have recently joined the rooster? Are any of your other birds showing any signs of distress?

Are you having super-hot days where you're located?

He is 1 year older and he is one of our oldest chickens right now. We had another chicken his age but she died and hes with our other chickens who gets along with good. He normally eats hatch to Jen food and sometimes we give him watermelon and other fruits. I don’t remember when he last drank or ate but we fed him today and he ate a bit but he doesn’t drink much water when he’s outside. He lives inside a very large coop with a giant open place to look outside and feel the air. We do have new chickens that are with him but he’s always been near by and now there together. All the other chickens seem to be fine he’s tho only one that’s not eating.

 

[Ilovechickens123]

The photos help a lot, but give the Forum some particulars on the bird.

How old is he? What does he normally eat? When was the last time you saw him eat/drink? What are his living conditions? Is he penned full-time, part-time, does he free-range? Have you checked his crop to see that it's full before bedtime and emptying by morning? Do you have other birds? Do you have new birds that have recently joined the rooster? Are any of your other birds showing any signs of distress?

Are you having super-hot days where you're located?

He is 1 year older and he is one of our oldest chickens right now. We had another chicken his age but she died and hes with our other chickens who gets along with good. He normally eats hatch to Jen food and sometimes we give him watermelon and other fruits. I don’t remember when he last drank or ate but we fed him today and he ate a bit but he doesn’t drink much water when he’s outside. He lives inside a very large coop with a giant open place to look outside and feel the air. We do have new chickens that are with him but he’s always been near by and now there together. All the other chickens seem to be fine he’s tho only one that’s not eating.

 

[Swbertrand1]

He is 1 year older and he is one of our oldest chickens right now. We had another chicken his age but she died and hes with our other chickens who gets along with good. He normally eats hatch to Jen food and sometimes we give him watermelon and other fruits. I don’t remember when he last drank or ate but we fed him today and he ate a bit but he doesn’t drink much water when he’s outside. He lives inside a very large coop with a giant open place to look outside and feel the air. We do have new chickens that are with him but he’s always been near by and now there together. All the other chickens seem to be fine he’s tho only one that’s not eating.

First, you must get water in him ASAP. Chickens must eat and drink all day long. If he hasn't had much to drink, help him get it. Add some electrolytes and/or sugar to the water if you can. That will help his energy level quickly. Food is the next thing we need to get in him.

When we have sick birds that won't eat, we make a mix of Starter Feed (Hatch to Hen feed is fine), Yogurt (any flavor; we used "mixed berry"), and vitamins (3 to 4 drops of Nutri-Drench is good here, but any Vit B-Complex will do, even tablet form if crushed and mixed into what we're making here). To sweeten the mix, add some fried or boiled egg yolk and mix all of this into a moist paste that he can easily swallow. If your mix is too wet, add some more feed; if too dry, add some more yogurt. You want it to be about the consistency of a moist dough ball like you'd make cookies with, not too wet, not to dry...

As for what's going on, this seems like intestinal parasites to me since the rest of the flock seems ok. Has he been wormed? Have you checked his poop to see if you can actually see worms in his stool? Also, check his vent to see if you see any external parasites. BOTH internal and external parasites will sap the strength of even the healthiest bird. Many on this site treat with Safeguard for goats. Follow dosing instructions on the label as the dose is determined by body weight.

There is the possibility of respiratory infections and illness, but this really seems like worms to me. In either case, he is likely going to need to be hand fed and watered for the next few days. Are you able to do that? You'll need a few things to hand water, but hand feeding is as simple as holding him under one arm and gently opening his beak with your thumb and index finger of that same arm, then drop a small ball of the mix we created above into his mouth with the other hand. Hand watering is a bit more tricky, but the process is basically the same. Use a medicine dropper or needle-less syringe to place water into his mouth. Here are some good instructions for doing that as you must make sure you don't put water in his lungs or aspirate him. Read about his anatomy and how to water him here:
https://bitchinchickens.com/2020/02/06/how-to-safely-give-oral-medications/

If you do nothing else, you MUST get water in him ASAP. He will not survive without it...

S

 

[Ilovechickens123]

First, you must get water in him ASAP. Chickens must eat and drink all day long. If he hasn't had much to drink, help him get it. Add some electrolytes and/or sugar to the water if you can. That will help his energy level quickly. Food is the next thing we need to get in him.

When we have sick birds that won't eat, we make a mix of Starter Feed (Hatch to Hen feed is fine), Yogurt (any flavor; we used "mixed berry"), and vitamins (3 to 4 drops of Nutri-Drench is good here, but any Vit B-Complex will do, even tablet form if crushed and mixed into what we're making here). To sweeten the mix, add some fried or boiled egg yolk and mix all of this into a moist paste that he can easily swallow. If your mix is too wet, add some more feed; if too dry, add some more yogurt. You want it to be about the consistency of a moist dough ball like you'd make cookies with, not too wet, not to dry...

As for what's going on, this seems like intestinal parasites to me since the rest of the flock seems ok. Has he been wormed? Have you checked his poop to see if you can actually see worms in his stool? Also, check his vent to see if you see any external parasites. BOTH internal and external parasites will sap the strength of the even the healthiest bird. Many on this site treat with Safeguard for goats. Follow dosing instructions on the label as the dose is determined by body weight.

There is the possibility of respiratory infections and illness, but this really seems like worms to me. In either case, he is likely going to need to be hand fed and watered for the next few days. Are you able to do that? You'll need a few things to hand water, but hand feeding is as simple as holding him under one arm and gently opening his beak with your thumb and index finger of that same arm, then drop a small ball of the mix we created above into his mouth with the other hand. Hand watering is a bit more tricky, but the process is basically the same. Use a medicine dropper or needle-less syringe to place water into his mouth. Here are some good instructions for doing that as you must make sure you don't put water in his lungs or aspirate him. Read about his anatomy and how to water him here:
https://bitchinchickens.com/2020/02/06/how-to-safely-give-oral-medications/

If you do nothing else, you MUST get water in him ASAP. He will not survive without it...

S

He eats when I feed him and we just found tiny bugs on his skin and feathers but we don’t know how to remove him

 

[Ilovechickens123]

He eats when I feed him and we just found tiny bugs on his skin and feathers but we don’t know how to remove him

Them*

 

[Wyorp Rock]

rooster has not been eating properly and he’s very under weight. I don’t know what to feed him to make him gain weight and now his legs are very weak and he can barely stand. When we put him down he stood and then fell.

normally eats hatch to Jen food and sometimes we give him watermelon and other fruits. I don’t remember when he last drank or ate but we fed him today and he ate a bit but he doesn’t drink much water when he’s outside.

He eats when I feed him and we just found tiny bugs on his skin and feathers but we don’t know how to remove him

Tiny bugs are either lice or mites.
You can find Permethrin poultry dust or spray at TSC. You need to treat him and your other birds asap. Clean out their housing and treat it as well. Do this in 7 day intervals.

Parasites can drag a bird down quickly, so it's very important to get rid of the bugs.

Work on hydrating him. You can give him a little sugar water for a boost, then get plain water into him. Once he's hydrated, then offer a bit of wet feed.
If possible, get some Poultry Cell vitamins while you are at the feed store. Give him 1cc per 3 pounds of weight orally for 3 days in a row. See if that helps.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Tiny bugs are either lice or mites.
You can find Permethrin poultry dust or spray at TSC. You need to treat him and your other birds asap. Clean out their housing and treat it as well. Do this in 7 day intervals.

Parasites can drag a bird down quickly, so it's very important to get rid of the bugs.

Work on hydrating him. You can give him a little sugar water for a boost, then get plain water into him. Once he's hydrated, then offer a bit of wet feed.
If possible, get some Poultry Cell vitamins while you are at the feed store. Give him 1cc per 3 pounds of weight orally for 3 days in a row. See if that helps.

SO glad you chimed in here Wyorp Rock! I was afraid they were going to find parasites on him :-(
My guess is that he might have worms as well, but I have nothing but his condition to go on...

 

[Ilovechickens123]

Tiny bugs are either lice or mites.
You can find Permethrin poultry dust or spray at TSC. You need to treat him and your other birds asap. Clean out their housing and treat it as well. Do this in 7 day intervals.

Parasites can drag a bird down quickly, so it's very important to get rid of the bugs.

Work on hydrating him. You can give him a little sugar water for a boost, then get plain water into him. Once he's hydrated, then offer a bit of wet feed.
If possible, get some Poultry Cell vitamins while you are at the feed store. Give him 1cc per 3 pounds of weight orally for 3 days in a row. See if that helps.

I’ve been giving him water and food but he still refuses to do both. The day we found the bug we bathed him and got rid of some of them but it’s been to cold to bathe him again so the bugs are coming back and becoming more. I don’t know what to do anymore but we’ve cleaned his house out and poured boiling water in all the cracks so hopefully the bugs are gone.