Unusual Rooster Behavior

[kenziecluck]

I need help or advice on how to help my rooster. He was fine as a chick but as he’s grown he’s started expressing some unusual behaviors and mannerisms.

• He holds his head down at all times.
• Occasionally shakes his head back and forth.
• Places the top of his head on the ground and stands in place with his head on the ground, upside down.
• When trying to jump on the coops, he flies ~6ft in the air and misses the entire coop structure and hits the ground (the coop structure is only about 2ft in height).
• If you enter the run, he tries to run away from you but will run into your legs instead and then away when he realizes he’s gone in the wrong direction.
• The right side of his head and underneath his beak is always wet and stuck together and has an odor to it.
• His right ear seems to be giving him trouble.

We have 7 hens and 1 rooster, and for reference he is about 6 months old and is the only chicken expressing these odd symptoms. We have speculated him having Wry Neck but I am unsure as I have never owned chickens before and have no experience with chicken illnesses. He mounts the hens perfectly fine but other than that he is not the average rooster. He still crows and eats and drinks. We have him on Nutri Drench by mouth once a day. But if there’s any other measures we need to take I would be glad to know!

All help is welcome.

 

[SueT]

Wow. I am following to see what answers are given. Not blind? By the way welcome to BYC!

 

[kenziecluck]

Wow. I am following to see what answers are given. Not blind? By the way welcome to BYC!

No I don’t believe so cause he gets around well on the ground sometimes, and thank you!

 

[WingItRanch]

Poor little guy! I have no answers either but following because I'd like to know what the experts have to say. You say he's 6 months old so a cockerel since he's a male under 1 year old. When did the behavior start?

 

[kenziecluck]

Poor little guy! I have no answers either but following because I'd like to know what the experts have to say. You say he's 6 months old so a cockerel since he's a male under 1 year old. When did the behavior start?

The head tilting started about 2 months ago, but has just recently begun to debilitate him. The wet substance around the face and beak has started within the past week.

 

[WingItRanch]

@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

Can you help kenziecluck?

 

[Eggcessive]

Was he vaccinated for Mareks as a chick? Can you look inside his beak for any yellow material and get any pictures of the the wet area under his beak? I would try some human vitamins E 400 IU and 1/4 tablet daily of B complex. Give a small amount of egg daily for selenium.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sounds like an ear infection. Is a vet a possibility?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

He also sounds very much in pain.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

• He holds his head down at all times.
• Occasionally shakes his head back and forth.
• Places the top of his head on the ground and stands in place with his head on the ground, upside down.
• When trying to jump on the coops, he flies ~6ft in the air and misses the entire coop structure and hits the ground

• If you enter the run, he tries to run away from you but will run into your legs instead and then away when he realizes he’s gone in the wrong direction.
• The right side of his head and underneath his beak is always wet and stuck together and has an odor to it.
• His right ear seems to be giving him trouble.

Welcome To BYC

You mention his ear seems to be giving him trouble, can you please get some photos of his face, eyes, inside the beak and of his ear?

Hard to tell what's going on. Is he crested - what breed is he?