wattle suddenly gone cyanotic, but comb fine. Is this fowl cholera?

[azygous]

If this big guy is behaving normally, not lethargic, eating, pooping, chasing the girls, he's probably okay.

Combs can be mood indicators, color changes can signify stress, and even position changes can result in comb color changes.

Darkening of the comb accomapnied by rattles when breathing can indicate respiratory/pulmonary issues, but as long as this rooster is acting normally, just keep an eye on him for any behavior changes that might indicate he's not feeling well.

 

[Perris]

Combs can be mood indicators, color changes can signify stress, and even position changes can result in comb color changes.

that's very interesting - that might be it. He's been no.2 for a couple of months while erstwhile no.2 was penned for fighting with no.1 roo. No.2 jail-broke 3 days ago, and has been behaving well since (most of the time) so I've let him be. So he's resumed No.2 spot and our Chirk has been pushed back down to No.3. As I mentioned, he is otherwise fine, and DS even saw him trying to mate a pullet just before bed, after No.s 1&2 had gone to roost. So his colour should return when he's adjusted to the new world order?

 

[aart]

not a chance of catching him, but managed to get this; good enough?
View attachment 2052506
If not, the sun is setting here soon so I'll try again once he's gone to roost

 

[Perris]

I haven't forgotten; I'm gonna try later, as there's an episode of a series I've been watching starting soon

 

[Perris]

can you grab that rooster and cage him, maybe put him on puppy pads, paper towels, newspaper - something where you can get a good look at his poop?

Also when you get him settled, check his crop - it really should be full for the night, then check again, it should be empty/flat in the morning before he eats/drinks.

He is caged, finally! - with paper under roost. His crop seems full-ish (they did go to roost 5 hours ago) and soft, but I am inexperienced in this matter. Photos don't work now though; the shed where the cage is has no light, and flash distorts the colours. But the shed has some clear roof panels so the light should be good tomorrow, and I'll try again then. Thanks again to all helping with this. I do hope it's just an idiosyncratic and temporary thing with him, and not some dreaded lurgy.

 

[aart]

He is caged, finally! - with paper under roost. His crop seems full-ish (they did go to roost 5 hours ago) and soft, but I am inexperienced in this matter. Photos don't work now though; the shed where the cage is has no light, and flash distorts the colours. But the shed has some clear roof panels so the light should be good tomorrow, and I'll try again then. Thanks again to all helping with this. I do hope it's just an idiosyncratic and temporary thing with him, and not some dreaded lurgy.

Good move.
Don't need pics now.
Did you take food away but leave him some water?
Check crop before feeding in the morning.
Hopefully you get good pics of overnight poops in morning.

This is how I like to set up crates, so poops don't get stepped as much:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/

 

[Perris]

yes he had water, yes crop fine this morning, yes got photos of his poop, which looks completely normal (so someone else in the flock is producing those lime green poops ) but the sun needs to get higher to get a decent photo of him in the crate in the shed; more to follow when I have photos of his comb and wattles as well as his poop! I imagine you are all asleep now anyway

 

[Perris]

here we are, head and poop

he's eaten his breakfast and seems fine bar this cyanosis ...

 

[Perris]

and this is him now, a couple of hours after having free run of the shed

 

[Shadrach]

Have you been gardening and adding anything containing nitrates to soil he may have access to Perris? That is one possibility.
Another is hypercalcemia.