Unconcious/comatose rooster

[fish n cheeps]

I have a silkie rooster who has had a respiratory illness for about a week. Swollen eyes, runny nose, not eating/drinking. On Tuesday I started giving him tylan 50 dissolved in water. I have been syringing it into his mouth as he won't drink willingly. On Wednesday night he fell asleep, and has been literally sound asleep since then. It has been 2 1/2 days now. I can wake him up and syringe water into his mouth, and he will drink it, but when I put him back in the dog carrier he has been staying in, he lays down and goes back to sleep. His symptoms seem to be improving a little. His eyes are still swollen, but his nose isn't runny anymore. He looks almost dead, but I can see him taking long deep breaths. He never moves. It is so strange. Almost like he is in a coma. I don't think he is suffering. But, he is very very thin, and I'm not sure he will ever wake up and be normal. Has anyone else ever experienced this? What do you think I should do? Should we put him down? Should I continue to give him water, or am I just prolonging the inevitable?

 

[ten chicks]

Sleeping b/c he is not eating,they go into a type of "suspended animation"without food,then eventually die(starvation). Birds require a constant supply of food to fuel their high metabolism,without this energy they become lethargic trying to conserve whatever energy they have left.

You will have to tube feed him,to snap him out of it.

 

[fish n cheeps]

Tube feed? Like down into his crop? I have done this with a lamb, but never a chicken. I have tried to syringe feed him just by dropping food into his mouth, but he just sort of spits it out and doesn't swallow any.

 

[ten chicks]

Tube feed? Like down into his crop? I have done this with a lamb, but never a chicken. I have tried to syringe feed him just by dropping food into his mouth, but he just sort of spits it out and doesn't swallow any.

No,tube feeding is done with either the appropriate tube or aquarium tubing(this is what i use)burn the one end of aquarium tubing so it melts a bit,this is done so that it slides down. I will post a link with photos for tube feeding.

www.backyardchickens.com/t/805615/my-crop-tube-feeding-journey-with-my-bird-pics-for-visuals-very-detailed-post

The exact same procedure can be done with aquarium tubing. Here is another link.

www.backyardchickens.com/t/722041/how-to-t-feed-a-sick-chicken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754

 

[fish n cheeps]

great. thanks so much. I never would have thought to do that. I'll go to petco right now and get everything I need. Thanks again.

 

[Sarevan]

How is he doing? Were you able to get him tube fed? The feeding tube I use was actually marked for use on lambs, found it in the farm/ranch/feed store I go to for supplies. They need to expand the chicken supplies but I find the wormers, tylan50, and everything else there I need.

Hope he does a come back, that liquid bird food is good stuff to have on hand for tube feeding an ill chicken.

 

[fish n cheeps]

Tube fed him a couple hours ago, I mixed a little of his antibiotic water in with the formula. It was so so easy. I followed the directions and it was no trouble. He is still comatose, but I'll see if he needs more before I go to bed, and I'm hoping after a couple feedings I'll see him perk up. I'm feeling like such an idiot for not thinking of tubing him earlier. I hope I'm in time. I sure like him..

 

[ten chicks]

Tube fed him a couple hours ago, I mixed a little of his antibiotic water in with the formula. It was so so easy. I followed the directions and it was no trouble. He is still comatose, but I'll see if he needs more before I go to bed, and I'm hoping after a couple feedings I'll see him perk up. I'm feeling like such an idiot for not thinking of tubing him earlier. I hope I'm in time. I sure like him..

Yes,it is very easy. I had a silkie rooster that became basically comatose due to some head injury(no wounds)tube fed him for about 9 days,then he finally started eating on his own. Perfectly healthy and very attached to me,in fact he is sitting on my knee as i type this. Hope your boy starts to improve.