[joyfull]

Little red rooster my black red araucana has become unsteady on his feet. The other night he didn't go up the ramp to his coop and got shut out (never noticed him underneath the house as it was dark) so he spent the night on the floor. I can only assume that something happened to him that afternoon for him to not to be able to get up the ramp at tea time. In the morning he seemed ok but it had been quite cold and damp overnight. Well now he seems to be very wobbly and keeps falling over. He is eating well and also drinking, but this wobblyness is a bit worrying. His poohs appear normal looking but are very smelly. He is about 20 weeks old. Any ideas anybody?

[Aunt Sally]

Vey smelly could mean a bacterial gut infection.  Course if Baytril followed by sime Avipro might be a good idea !

[joyfull]

Hi Aunty, had already thought of that and have put him on aureomycin. Have got Avipro in stock so will use that afterwards, thanks.
Do you think being out on the grass in the damp night air could be the reason for his unsteadyness? He is the sole survivor of the batch of araucanas that I got in August and really would hate to lose him like the rest (especially now that I have just got him 4 new wives from a different breeder).
I have him indoors in my office where it is warm and he seems alert but still wobbly.

[Aunt Sally]

Personally I would have thought that a night out would not have done him any harm.  It's more likely that he didn't go in because he was feeling too poorly to make his way in.

Keep a very close eye on him for any other symptoms and if he doesn't respond after being on antibiotics for a couple of days think again.

How old is he?  

[joyfull]

about 20-22 weeks, still growing and getting his neck feathers and not crowing yet.

[Aunt Sally]

Oh yes,,, you said that already,sorry

[Foxy]

Agree, a night out should not have affected him. Does he feel like he is the right weight? It is hard to know without a sibling to compare to though.

[joyfull]

Hi Foxy, he does feel underweight but has done from the day I got him. Having said that my vet has said every bird that I have taken in to her is underweight so don't know if that is because they free range or not. Like you say without a sibling it is difficult to know if he is normal weight or not. His appetite is good and he is drinking. He appears to be alert especially now that he is in the warmth. They all have access to layers all day and treats in the afternoon along with loads of grass etc. When he does walk it's like his feet are too heavy and he just plods very slowly and only for short distances.

[joyfull]

forgot to say there is no sniffles or chestiness present. Do chickens get the equivalent of growing pains as he does seem to be getting bigger at the moment.

[Foxy]

Is he a large or bantam Joy?? 

If you feel he is a bit light, then he probably is.

If he free ranges that doesn't make them light, a free ranging bird will feel compact with good leg muscle. A cockerel kept in a smaller area will look heavier but will just be carrying more fat which is lighter than muscle.

One thing though if he does make it I wouldn't breed from him

[joyfull]

He's a large fowl araucana, and I don't think the breeder I got him off was particulaly carefull with his breeding. I got 6 girls off him at the same time (slightly younger)  and within 2 weeks lost the lot (although his symptoms do appear different). So hopefully he will pull through but will now have to look for another black red cockerel  .

[Foxy]

Oh that is such bad luck

I will keep my eye for you. Good luck with your lad, if he makes it after all that will make him a tough cookie!

With my breeding stock I switch to breeders pellets around Christmas, plus Oregstim in their water

[joyfull]

Well Little Red Rooster is still with us and after having a very lengthy chat (11/2 hours) with Foxy (me that is not Red) it was thought best to change him back onto chick cumbs, cod liver oil and multivitamin drops (with several b vitamins in) for a while. All treats have now been cut out. As the six girls that I had previously that died came from the same breeder and had amongst other things suppressed immune systems it is quite possible that his is also suppressed so he may be liable to suffer whenever he gets stressed, moults etc. However so long as he is happy in his own little world then he will be cherished and pampered by me. At the moment he is living in my office in a rabbit run and seems quite content.
Thanks Foxy your input has been most appreciated, as has yours Aunt Sally and as soon as the anti biotics are finished then I will give him the avipro.
Fingers crossed for a happy ending
xx

[kitkat]

Poor boy, hope he stays well for you. Doesn't sounds like he and the others had the best start.Some [not all] breeders make me mad, they dont give a toss

[joyfull]

I agree kitkat some don't care and with the rise in popularity of chicken keeping some are just churning them out in an effort to cash in.