4 year old rooster suddenly stopped crowing and is lethargic

[Bethany2]

Hey guys! I am desperate. I seem to live in an area where we don't have any chicken experts. Im waiting for the local vet to call back, but its been a full day and no word. Our very healthy, spirited Rhode Island Red rooster who's 4 years old suddenly stopped crowing this morning. The back end of his comb is grey/purple while the rest of it is still bright red. He is walking funny, like lethargic or drunk or both. We are giving him Rooster Booster in his water, which he does seem to like. He is quarantined with his favorite hen, who seems to be getting him to drink more. We have lost 3 chickens in the last 12 months, but this rooster is my daughters baby. Literally, she has carried him around every day since he was a newborn chick. He is her most beloved pet. He normally chases me, but he didn't seem to care at all when I was next to him. Very unlike himself. She's checked him and his poop for signs of worms but sees nothing. The other hens were pecking his feathers off pretty bad which is why we decided he needed separated. Its not like him to give in to such severe bullying. My daughter said he seems to keep his head down and butt up a lot. She also said he does feel thinner.

If anyone's gone through this with a diagnosis, I would be grateful for insight. It will break her heart if he doesn't just die of old age.

 

[Tookie]

Could you get a video of him walking funny?
Check him over for lice or mites.
Early in the morning before he eats or drinks anything make sure his crop is empty.
What's the weather like?

 

[Bethany2]

I will get video tomorrow morning. We are in NC, so the weather has been pretty mild/warm, nothing he isn't used to. We've been in a drought until today when the bands from the hurricane blew through (much needed) but nothing really big, he's been through hurricanes a few times and no change of behavior with those. We looked him over for mites/lice/worms but found nothing. Is there something I can find at Tractor Supply for mites or worms and treat him just in case its not as apparent? Or would that cause more harm if its not the issue?
Really bummed there aren't more chicken vets around my daughter is pretty upset. She's lost a lot this year and he would be the worst hit of them all.

 

[WingsysRoost]

Is it possible he could have gotten into something harmful? The way you described his gait makes me think there could be something neurological going on, which could either be something that developed over time or from him getting into stuff that isn't good for him. I would be more inclined to guess the second option if it is in fact a neurological issue, since it seems to be more sudden onset, but chickens can also be very good at hiding illness.

Purple comb usually means not getting enough oxygen or circulation issues, in my experience. Does he appear to be having trouble breathing at all?

What does his poop look like? How much thinner is he now when compared to before? A little bit? A lot?

 

[Tookie]

I will get video tomorrow morning. We are in NC, so the weather has been pretty mild/warm, nothing he isn't used to. We've been in a drought until today when the bands from the hurricane blew through (much needed) but nothing really big, he's been through hurricanes a few times and no change of behavior with those. We looked him over for mites/lice/worms but found nothing. Is there something I can find at Tractor Supply for mites or worms and treat him just in case its not as apparent? Or would that cause more harm if its not the issue?
Really bummed there aren't more chicken vets around my daughter is pretty upset. She's lost a lot this year and he would be the worst hit of them all.

If you don't see any mites or lice there is no need to treat for them, but to treat it you have to use permethrin poultry dust.
For worms you can use safeguard goat dewormer or valbazen.
You could take his droppings to get tested for worms, but I'm not thinking this is the issue.

 

[Tookie]

Is it possible he could have gotten into something harmful?

Good question.

 

[Bethany2]

Is it possible he could have gotten into something harmful? The way you described his gait makes me think there could be something neurological going on, which could either be something that developed over time or from him getting into stuff that isn't good for him. I would be more inclined to guess the second option if it is in fact a neurological issue, since it seems to be more sudden onset, but chickens can also be very good at hiding illness.

Purple comb usually means not getting enough oxygen or circulation issues, in my experience. Does he appear to be having trouble breathing at all?

What does his poop look like? How much thinner is he now when compared to before? A little bit? A lot?

I was wondering that as well, though I don't know what he could have gotten into of course, but my daughter cleaned out the coop this morning, got up all old food that they'd scattered, etc to see if maybe there was mold or something like that making him sick. He seems a bit better today, he was actually walking around, slow but not in a drunk way like yesterday, and he's eaten some chicken treats and he loves the Rooster Booster water, drinking a LOT of it this morning. I haven't seen him poop, my daughter said she thought he was constipated. the back of his comb is still purple today but it does look slightly better. It was nice to see him out and about this morning, but still no crowing.

 

[Bethany2]

Good question.

We aren't sure, in the 4 years he's been with us he hasn't gone anywhere new as far as free ranging, and to be extra cautious my daughter fully cleaned out the coop today, as they like to pick through their food and scatter it, so the only thing I can think of is if he ate some off food with mold.
He's walking normal today, still slow, and not crowing. His comb looks a little bit better. Maybe its the Rooster Booster we started him on yesterday. He LOVES it. He has his own water in his quarantined coop, and we watched him basically chug half of it this morning.

 

[Bethany2]

If you don't see any mites or lice there is no need to treat for them, but to treat it you have to use permethrin poultry dust.
For worms you can use safeguard goat dewormer or valbazen.
You could take his droppings to get tested for worms, but I'm not thinking this is the issue.

thank you for all your help, my daughter said she hasn't seen him poop so it seems he's constipated? maybe that's why hes been walking funny. His walk and general stance reminded me of our egg bound hen. Today he's walking normal, just slow and cautiously.

 

[Bethany2]

Is it possible he could have gotten into something harmful? The way you described his gait makes me think there could be something neurological going on, which could either be something that developed over time or from him getting into stuff that isn't good for him. I would be more inclined to guess the second option if it is in fact a neurological issue, since it seems to be more sudden onset, but chickens can also be very good at hiding illness.

Purple comb usually means not getting enough oxygen or circulation issues, in my experience. Does he appear to be having trouble breathing at all?

What does his poop look like? How much thinner is he now when compared to before? A little bit? A lot?

He seems to be constipated. He doesn't sound like he's breathing weird, that was my first assumption, I know some people are having issues with their chickens getting RSV type viruses, and since he's not crowing I thought maybe that was it. But nothing upper respiratory seems to be an issue.