Listless White Leghorn Cockerel

Phoebe · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:43 am

My White Leghorn bantam cockerel (3 months old) has just become listless. He looks normal perched, but when he stands up he droops over. See the attached pictures. He has stopped eating, but still drinks water and seems to be thirsty.

Two of his sisters had the same symptoms a week or so ago. Both have died. Before they died, they looked fluffed up, would breath through their mouth, and in a couple of days would not eat or drink.

All my birds have access to good food and fresh water and free-range during the day. They are home-bred and reared for organic egg production. They are not vaccinated.

I wonder if my young birds are suffering from Coccidiosis. If so, what should I do?
Phoebe

ILoveMyChickies · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:03 pm

If it is Cocci and not saying that it is as I don't know what cocci looks like, you can get something like Amprolium which is 'for the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis'. I've got it but haven't needed to use it. Poly Aid Plus may also help. I also have this and have used this before, it's pretty good for giving sick and injured birds a bit of a pick up. Hope he survives and that someone with more experience can help you.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Here is mummaroo's thread on Understanding Coccidiosis

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11138&p=96376&hilit=+cocci#p96376

Hope reading it helps.

Generally the chookies poop may have blood in it if it is cocci. Good hygiene is very important when when raising chicks, especially if they are not vaccinated.

Here is a thread on chick care
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18521

Did the other chookies die during a hot spell, maybe it is heat related.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Sorry the chick care thread may not have worked.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18521

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Possibly chronic respiratory disease? This extreme heat would not help. Can you move him into your laundry in a well ventilated poultry cage or pet carrier and keep an eye on him? He may need a course of antibiotics then.

Here is a thread on chronic respiratory disease
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=454

Once again good hygiene is of the utmost importance.

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Hi Phoebe,

When you say "when he stands up he droops over" do you mean he falls over? At his age it could be Marek's disease, especially since he isn't vaccinated.

Does he have diarrhoea, blood in the droppings or a dirty vent? If so, then coccidiosis is a possibility as PP has suggested, but so are many other things including worms, bacterial infections etc.

Is he sneezing or coughing? Any discharge from his nose or mouth? Any facial swelling? Any increased breathing effort or breathing noises? These may all suggest respiratory infection.

It may also be worth opening his mouth to see if there is any infection down his throat.

In the meantime, an emergency electrolyte/energy supplement such as Polyaid Plus given direct to the beak as suggested by ILMC may help in the short term, as will adding an electrolyte in the water such as Spark. These can be purchased at some stock agents, pet shops or bird vets.

Good luck with him!

Phoebe · **Posted:** Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:54 am

Hi ILoveMyChickies, Petite Poulet, and Parvo,

Thank you for your prompt responses and for your very helpful comments and suggestions. Because of a severe short-circuit problem in the old wiring in our house, I have not had access to the internet to reply sooner.

The cockerel has survived and recovered. It does seem that it was heat related. Indeed, it was 45 degrees Celsius in our shearing shed on the day that he was suffering, although it was 10 degrees cooler in the chook house.

However, his sisters died on a much cooler day during cool weather. One of them did have blood in it's droppings, diarrhoea, and a dirty vent, all of which may well indicate it had Coccidosis disease.

Thank you also for recommending various products to have on hand for treating poultry health problems.

Phoebe

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