Rooster’s face turned purple

[Iriskandi]

So a few days ago I noticed my 7 month old rooster’s face, comb, and waddles were getting darker. It has been at most 2 days that his face has been the color in my pictures. He has seemed pretty normal in the flock. It’s been really hot the last few days so most of my birds are a bit lazy. But today when I got home from work, he just seemed not quite right. And when I came up to him to give him a pile of crumble since he didn’t go over to the feed dishes, he pooped a small amount of very loose, mostly white with a tiny bit of neon green poop. His bum looks like he’s had a bit of loose poops and a small trace of bright green poop.

He’s not fluffed out. I have seen him mate a willing young pulley twice. And he has pecked a bit at the food I gave him. He doesn’t look obviously sick. But he has a bit of a distant stare. And I haven’t heard him crow yet. He’s the youngest of my boys and can be shy. But he had started to feel more confident until just a few days. He doesn’t look thin. He hasn’t let me catch him yet, which makes me hopeful. I can normally confirm a sick bird by whether or not I can catch it.

He doesn’t scream sick. And my boyfriend thinks I am crazy. I have a Marek’s positive flock, and right now it seems like things have stabilized in respect to symptomatic birds. So I think he thinks I’m just creating a problem in my head out of nothing. None of my other birds look like him. I read that sometimes maturing roosters’ combs will get darker as a sign of hormones fluctuating. But today he seems different.

And as I was typing this he had another loose poop that was NOT as green as the one I witnessed. It looked more normal.

Am I being a paranoid momma?

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

A
purplish comb signals a lack of oxygen in the blood, poor circulation or respiratory/breathing issues. Your chicken could have something caught in her throat if you notice her comb suddenly turn purple. In extreme cases, it can be the indication of a stroke or heart attack. If you suspect your chicken has suffered a stroke, consulting a vet is your best course of action.


Avian flu is another possibility if accompanied by other symptoms such as lack of coordination, soft-shelled eggs, decreased appetite, lack of energy, diarrhea, swelling of the comb, head and eyelids, nasal discharge, decreased egg production or coughing and sneezing.

https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/02/what-can-my-chickens-comb-color-tell-me.html?m=1

 

[Iriskandi]

I’m not ruling out Avian Flu, but he’s missing a few symptoms. He did sneeze a couple times this afternoon. But he made it on his roost tonight, which is pretty high up for most of my birds. I definitely notice that he is less interested in food/water, but he will eat. He wasn’t really interested in the special food I make my sick birds (starter crumble mash made with Nutri-Drench water). I tossed him some globs of mash, which he ate casually. He didn’t seem too interested in eating but seemed like he decided to eat because it was there. No swelling anywhere. If anything his face/waddles/comb are cool to the touch. They aren’t cold but seem cooler than average. His poop seems looser but not necessarily diarrhea. I wouldn’t call him lethargic but just like he’s dazed/distracted. He isn’t running up to break up another rooster trying to mate a hen, which he normally does. But he did mate the same pulley as earlier 2 more times. None of my other birds are showing illness. I have one bird that is partially paralyzed due to Marek’s. But my flock is essentially immunocompromised, I would think Avian Flu would have wiped me out by now or at least already killed him and make other birds act sick.

Maybe he has some sort of respiratory issue though. He did have an off couple of sneezes out of nowhere.

I gave him a small squirt of Nutri-Drench before bedtime tonight. Maybe I should put him on an antibiotic? Is there something I can get from a local TSC?

 

[Eggcessive]

I really think something is going on with his heart where he is not getting enough oxygen in his blood. Does he have any breathing difficulties?

 

[Iriskandi]

He seems to be breathing fine. Other than the couple of sneezes I heard, he seems to breathe normally. He doesn’t seem to want to talk. Now that I think of it, I don’t think he said anything tonight. All of my boys chatter.

Perhaps it’s a ways of Marek’s presenting itself? A form of paralysis causing his circulation to decline?

 

[Eggcessive]

You could try injectable Tylan 50 in the cattle medicines, an antibiotic that treats mycoplasma (MG.) Pick up some 3 ml syringes with 20 gauge needles. Withdraw the medicine, take the needle off, and squirt it in his beak to give it orally, but give it a drop at a time. Dosage is 1.5 ml for a rooster 3 times a day for 5 days. Since he is not tame you could try caging him, and giving the Tylan mixed with some egg. I have used a tsp of plain yogurt, a tiny bit of feed, and some water to make a treat for the Tylan dose.

His comb really shouldn’t be that cyanotic or blue from a respiratory infection. Heart problems can be common around the time of maturity. Mold fungus can cause aspergillosis.

 

[Iriskandi]

Well perhaps I will treat with Tylan. It won’t hurt him if it’s not MG right?

I was afraid that it may be something genetic with his heart. I was finding a little bit of information before I posted. It all seemed to point to the heart and had no cure.

 

[Eggcessive]

It won’t hurt to give the Tylan. I hope that he gets better. Make sure that he keeps cool and gets plenty of water. I place a wide shallow pan of water in the shade for the chickens to stand in to cool off during hot weather.

 

[centrarchid]

He is likely carrying a heavy worm burden that is degrading his blood volume interfering with his ability to keep tissues oxygenated.

 

[Iriskandi]

It won’t hurt to give the Tylan. I hope that he gets better. Make sure that he keeps cool and gets plenty of water. I place a wide shallow pan of water in the shade for the chickens to stand in to cool off during hot weather.

I have moved all of the feeding/watering spots to shaded areas. They free range during the day. I live in Ohio. And we seemed to have skipped spring around here and went straight to summer. The birds aren’t too keen on the quick change in temps. I think I’ll start him on Tylan tomorrow evening.

I could worm him. I have not worked yet.