My roo chick smells like fish!

[BarkerChickens]

One of my roos smells like fish!

He is 7 wks old and has stunk since the day we got him (2-3 days old). He is beautiful (a Salmon faverolle) and I want to keep him. But what is up with the stench?!?! It is only his head...everywhere else smells like a normal chick. Maybe his breath? (though he smells constantly...not just when his beak is open). He acts fine and he is the only one of 55 chicks that we have that smells like this. Has anyone had experience with this? What causes it (or might cause it)? What can I do to make him smell better? I pick him up and immediately get reminded of his nasty fish head.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Is my chick the only fish head cockerel/roo out there? Maybe he think the "salmon" in salmon faverolle is suppose to be the fish, not the color.

 

[jnjross]

it's the feed,

 

[MoodyChicken]

Is there fish meal in the feed? Does he have a runny nose?

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:

How is it the feed? The other 54 chicks don't smell that way. I don't remember the brand off the top of my head, but it is the same chick starter feed that our hens were on a couple years ago and they never smelled that way either. If it is the feed, will he stop stinking when we switch over to the lay pellets when they are older? Is this common? We handle all of our chicks and he is the only one that is nauseating (though a sweety despite his aroma).

Quote:
I was typing when you posted this! I never thought about fish meal. I will check. But, like I said he is the only aromatic chick. No runny noses in any of the chicks (including fish head).

 

[flakey chick]

Perhaps it is sour crop. Does it smell sour at all, or just fishy?

 

[jnjross]

it won't say "fish" it's included in "animal protien"


you sniffed 54 chicks?

sorry,

it's veryyyyy common! and it MAY stop on layer , but companies use alot of the same stuff in layer and starter just in diff ratios

 

[MoodyChicken]

If he's the only smelly one that is kinda odd. My guess is that, if he's otherwise healthy, he is on the bottom of the pecking order and being pushed around. Is you cage large enough for all the birds? Small cages means birds are kept in contact with their droppings and thus smell worse. Also, if they're constantly picked on they tend to get poo and muck all over them.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Quote:
It's the new drug. all the kids are doing it these days.

Sometimes they will distinguish between the different animal proteins. Especially fish because too much of fish meal will make the birds eggs taste funny.

 

[BarkerChickens]

It's not sour crop...no sour smelling breath, no gassy, bloated crop (not to mention he's survived 7 wks of stinkiness). He is lower in the pecking order, but not the lowest. He and 47 of the chicks are inside the 8'x12' coop now (no access outside yet...that is coming this weekend). The rest of the chicks are in the brooder in the house still. He doesn't have poo on him nor does he smell like poo. He smells like fish and only at his head.

As for sniffing 54 chicks...yep, pretty much!

We hold all of them and all have been verified to smell like chicks except this little guy.

Oh...and side note. No, not all the chicks will be in the coop as adults. We will get rid of excess roos and about 12 of the girls will go to DHs best friend.