Roosters in distress

[trainman]

I have 2 grown roosters, one a Plymouth Rock and the other a Light Brahma. Both have been very active fellows guarding and servicing the flock of 24 hens. I allow them all to free range my 20 acre farm and they cover the majority of it. It consists of about 1/2 woods and the rest is yard or fields with a pond.

My problem is about 2 weeks ago my PR rooster became sort of sluggish and lethargic and his throat became quite swollen. He has pretty much returned to normal now but sometimes his crow sounds like he has a sore throat and his throat still is just slightly swollen. .

Now my LB rooster is acting the same way only much worse. His throat is much more swollen too. He's really slow in movement and seems pretty much apathetic about things. He has ceased crowing. Today he did start servicing the girls so I take that as a good sign that he may be recovering.

Does anyone have an idea what may be the problem with these guys? The hens don't have any signs of this affliction. I was thinking it could be a snakebite. Both of these guys are very aggressive about protecting the girls so I could see this issue being a snakebite. They venture in the woods every day and we certainly have a lot of snakes here. The last week or so they have really become active and aggressive too.Is there anything I can do for them? If it is a snakebite then it seems to be working it's way out of the PR rooster.

Thanks,
trainman

 

[thebulg]

My thought would be to catch them first and assess them. If there are puncture wounds, you know you have a snake bite and at that point my thought would be similar to yours-if they're improving each day, great. I might try to pen them up to some extent to prevent them going into the woods again.

If they have no signs of bites, i would get them away from your hens unless you are prepared for some of them to contract what the roos have and possibly not recover. If you are a nature take its course kind of person, then you can certainly let nature take its course.