My rooster stopped crowing?

[akd23237]

Has this happened to anyone's roosters? I also noticed that his comb is smaller and less red. He is a free-range rooster- he stopped eating cracked corn and other grains, but he will eat only bread and crackers (wet) very whole-heartedly. I've also noticed that he doesn't move around as much as before. He's hunkered down more these days, with his tail usually down. I don't hear him making any sneezing or coughing noises. I don't see blood or worms in his poop.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.----old english bantam gamebird, over two years, about a pound I think....
2) What is the behavior, exactly.-----he stopped crowing, is very selective of what he eats, I also think that his poo is whiter
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.----no
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.----- maybe a the coldfront that just passed through Miami?
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.----he eats free range, and I also throw down cracked corn and oats, and he also gets cat food now and then....after he got sick he only eats wet bread and crackers though. He's drinking water too.
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.----- I think that his droppings are smaller, whiter
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?----giving him more of what he does still eat (bread that is) since he doesn't seem to want to eat anything else.
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?---any
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use---a tree

 

[basicliving]

I don't have an answer for you, but hopefully someone will weigh in soon.

He sure is a fine looking rooster though!

Penny

 

[speckledhen]

Hard to say. He doesnt look like he feels well, that's for sure. My rooster Zane stopped crowing for month and a half when he had an infection in the soft tissue around the hock joint. His comb shrank and curled over and he seemed depressed. With antibiotics to treat the infection, he got better. Have you checked his joints, etc, for swelling? Are they hot to the touch? I really dont know much to tell you except by my experience, but maybe you can get one of those vets on the list I gave you.

 

[akd23237]

Oh. thanks. I appreciate the great information. I'll feel his joints tomorrow...

 

[beautifulbirds]

Hi there
First off you should isolate him from the rest of the flock in case what he has is infectious.
Secondly, I have paid very good money to find that most vets do not treat chickens; I have stopped going to vets for this very reason.
My treatment: I use garlic steeped in water as a first treatment with all of my birds and it works quite well.
Take 10 cloves, peel and steep in boiling hot water, when at room temperature take an eye dropper and squirt into his mouth, watch for him to swallow. Try to get about 3 squirts into him. Watch him for 24 hours. OPffer bread and milk, he probably has a sore throat. If he looks like he has made some improvement then try and find someone who supplies FRESH WHEATGRASS JUICE. Get some and repeat the procedure, eye dropper, into his mouht x3 times. Do garlic in the morning and wheatgrass at night. Offer ground corn in a wee bit of milk, mix into the bread mixture. Treat as though you are feeding someone with a very sore throat, nothing rough. See how you go.
Good luck.
BB.

 

[akd23237]

Thanks, beautifulbirds!!!

 

[missourichickenmama]

my roo is doing the same thing! i just thought it was because it was the cold weather... no notable decrease in eating though...

 

[dlhunicorn]

It could be literally anything (in the photo he does look very ill indeed). Ideal nutrition and a good poultry supplement like Avia Charge 2000 (you can order online from McMurry) or failing that the Rooster Booster general supplement will ensure a balanced nutrient vitamin profile (to deal with any possible deficiency issues). If it were me I would separate him and get some parrot handfeeding formula from the pet store (this is a powder you add water to) make that up into a porridge consistency and mix with some grower crumbles... top off with a few squirming mealworms (get from bait or pet shop) to encourage him to peck (once started they will usually eat some of the feed underneath). If you have the extra money for it put that feed in a watermelon "bowl" (scoop out middle ) as the color red will also encourage pecking. This basic supportive measure will hopefully keep up his strength and help him deal with whatever else may be ailing him.

 

[chookee]

hi there,
you chook looks very unwell by the colour of his crown & ruffled feathers & dropping his wings; immediate vet care required; how are his dropping and any other info

 

[ddeans]

Bump