Chicken Coughing and

[centrarchid]

About a week ago I went out to check on penned groups of chickens and found a young stag / cockerel housed with hens was not looking thrifty. I handled him to find he was very much underweight. I needed a bird to collect feces from so brought him in hoping he would be good for that purpose. He is now one of my house chickens. Indoors with quality nutrition he got thrifty quickly and is coming back in weight. What I have noticed is he seems to cough occasionally and does not put his head back over his back while sleeping. He even holds his neck extended where it slowly sinks down until he jerks it back up to about horizontal to repeat process. He also appears to have excess fluid in his crop when it is distended. He is not cropbound as crop empties normally.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

A video would be useful to be sure I'm understanding your description of his neck movements, but it sounds like something is bothering his throat or crop. If it seems like his crop is too full you could try limiting how much food and water he gets before bed to see if that allows him to sleep more comfortably. A heavy worm load, if you haven't dewormed recently, might explain why he was skinny and why he's eating and drinking a lot. Or you could try a crop flush followed by some probiotics in case he ate something that threw his system off. Since he's young there is also the possibility that he has some internal birth defect that is causing problems.

 

[centrarchid]

Underweight I think because hens dominated him too much.
I popped him with Dylan 50 yesterday to see what response is realized. He will be given rooster booster too.

Video will have to wait until tonight.

 

[centrarchid]

I think gapeworm

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

I think gapeworm

Gapeworm is really quite rare.... I'd be surprised if it was that, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to deworm.

 

[centrarchid]

Gapeworm is really quite rare.... I'd be surprised if it was that, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to deworm.

I had to deal with gapeworm in chicks during late spring on multiple occasions. Behavior of the stag is very similar when stretching out neck with frequent "yawns".

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think gapeworm

Jim are you culling or keeping?
What's your Game Plan (pun may be intended)

 

[SourRoses]

I don't understand the bit about not putting the head on his back to sleep.

All of our chickens through the years have always let their heads drop while sleeping on the roost.

 

[centrarchid]

Jim are you culling or keeping?
What's your Game Plan (pun may be intended)

He will not.be used for breeding. He is to be used for fecal experiment.

 

[centrarchid]

I don't understand the bit about not putting the head on his back to sleep.

All of our chickens through the years have always let their heads drop while sleeping on the roost.

Healthy deep sleep has head nestled on back a little under feathers of wing. This especially case when temperature not above thermally neutral.