Ailing Roo?

[countrymom22]

Okay, here's the problem. Right before the polar vortex hit our 13 or 14 year old roo, Sparrow, really slowed down. He hasn't roosted off the ground in at least 2 years, which is fine with us. After the cold snap, he didn't want to go back outside, and since I'm an accommodating soul, I fed and watered the flock inside and outside. That was fine for a few days and I saw him eating, drinking and moving around inside the coop. Then about 5 days ago, we realized that he wasn't moving around, so I brought food and water to him and he had a good appetite. He was moving around, maybe in a 2 foot diameter circle using his wings. He sits on the floor with his legs pushed way out in front of him. He can't seem to pull them back under him. Well, with another sub freezing weather snap on the way, I brought him into the house in a dog kennel.  That way he wouldn't get frostbite on his feet.  He is eating eggs and strawberries with gusto and is very alert.  We don't want to put him down if it isn't necessary, but I can't keep him in my kitchen indefinitely.

Does anyone have any idea what the issue could be or if there is anything we can do to help him.  He has tried to pull the legs up under himself, a little more everyday, but he still hasn't tried to stand. He was vaccinated for Marek's when we bought him, if that helps any.

Any help is welcome.  We are not against culling him if it's best for him, but he is a family favorite, super good with his girls and very tame/respectful of humans.  We have almost lost him twice in his lifetime and nursed him through both times.  We know he has to go sometime and that he has lived far longer than most roos, but we want to give him every chance.

Thanks for the help! 

[dustawaits]

Keep hi warm. He may have arthritis and the cold is affecting him.
He has a great deal of age on him .

[dustawaits]

Keep hi warm. He may have arthritis and the cold is affecting him.
He has a great deal of age on him .

[Maura]

That's really old. I'd also guess arthritis. Put a few drops of flax seed oil in his food. He also needs vitamin C, so what ever he will eat with C. Stop giving him corn, but do give him oats, wheat, sunflower seeds.

[countrymom22]

Thanks for the suggestions. The only thing he will eat right now are strawberries. Yes, I'm buying strawberries for a rooster!

He is very alert and has the energy to flap his wings to move himself around the dog crate, but he can't stand or even keep his legs under him at all, so if I put him back outside I know he will end up with frostbite. He is very thin and doesn't seem to eat enough to keep himself going. He is eating maybe 4-5 strawberries a day. I give him whatever he'll eat, but that is all he wants. He's not drinking as much as I think he should be, either. I'm leaning toward arthritis, as well. I'll try the flax seed oil and see what happens.

Hubby is thinking that he is just done on this earth and wants me to pick a date that he needs to be better by or else we'll put him down.

I hate playing God!

Thanks for the suggestions.

[countrymom22]

Update: right after my previous post, Sparrow stopped eating all together. He wouldn't take any water either, so we made the decision to let him go. He was a great roo and even my youngest son, who was chased and attacked by a different roo that we had years ago and has since not really liked the chickens, asked when we can get another rooster. Oldest son says he misses waking up to the cock-a-doodle-do each morning. Not sure my neighbors feel that way though!

I did give in and got 12 Buff Orpington and/or Leghorn chicks at Tractor Supply a week ago. Unfortunately, we lost a tiny one last night. She started out as the same size as the other 11 but while they have more than tripled in size in the last week, she just wasn't growing, so I can't say I was surprised.

So far, 2019 isn't starting out so good. We are down 1 rooster, 1 hen (hawk), 1 week old chick and my sweet old dog.

Hope things get better from here on out!

[mzgarden]

countrymom22, Oh rats. When you get a good roo, you're golden. Sorry he didn't make it but he clearly had a good life with lots of people appreciating him, as well as hens. Rough start to 2019 for sure.

[solargeek]

Wow that is a tough list of losses. Hoping spring will help. We of course, still have snow drifts on our driveway or 4 feet tall and 19 inches of snow on the ground minimum. So spring is kind of a dream right now, not a reality…

[countrymom22]

While we don't have much snow left, it's still getting below freezing at night so the chicks are in my grooming room, which creates havoc at times with my client dogs! I'm hoping to be able to move them out to my potting shed in early April, weather permitting.

I'm sorry that you still have so much snow solargeek, so you probably don't want to know that I'll probably having daffodils blooming here in another 10 days!