Cockerel gasping for breath

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chickenfan

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A friend has recently taken on Bluebeard, one of my cockerels, 2-3 weeks ago. Initially she had him in a pen next to the hens so they got to know each other, then they all went in together a week ago. He is now gasping for breath. He is gaping and stretches up to take breath. His comb and wattles have gone purple and he is too busy trying to breath to eat and drink, but is still bright. She has wormed him with Panacur two days ago and put him on tylan yesterday but he has not improved. I just wonder what might be wrong with him? I've suggested separating him from the hens (who have all fallen in love with him) to see if that helps.
 
I forgot to mention he is a young bird that hasn't lived with a harem of hens before.
 
Chickenfan, It is either a cardiovascular problem or a respiratory problem, the purple comb and wattles are due to poor circulation/not enough oxygen in the blood, check to make sure there isn't an obvious blockage to the airways then go through the list of respiratory diseases to see if symptoms match
https://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/ if not then there is a very good chance it is his heart, is he a big lad?. Taking him away from the hens would be a good idea in any case but it will hopefully prevent him from overexerting himself in the short term.
 
Thank you Dinosaw. I've passed your kind message on. I hope its not his heart. What about the gaping? Could that be a worm stuck somewhere? I know the crows I had earlier carry this.
 
Sadly he is getting worse - more wheezy and comb and wattles bluer
 
Hi Chickenfan. I don't know for sure but if it was happening to me (my chickens that is) I think I would be thinking gapeworm was the likely culprit. Needs to go to the vet as soon as possible and maybe, if they think it's gapeworm, they could administer a wormer by injection?
Hope he makes it.
 
He isn't getting enough oxygen; I'm very much afraid it is his heart or a serious respiratory disease. Personally I would be less inclined to think its gapeworm, but I'm not a vet. Whichever it is, he can't breathe properly, and there is a good chance that this won't have a good outcome. Its up to you, but I advise at the very least a trip to the vet first thing; its possible a vet could try to bring him round with intravenous tylan if its respiratory, but it could be any number of internal issues, including tumours, affecting his heart, in which case I'm afraid he is likely to be PTS to avoid suffering. If he is a very bad way now, then I would advise culling. Its a horrible situation; I feel for you.
 
Thank you very much Rick and Mrs Biscuit. My friend took him to a vet two days ago and he was wormed then in case it was gapeworm. It is puzzling as he was strong, exceptionally vigorous and healthy until the sudden breathing problems.
 
Sounds to me like he has something stuck in his airway Chickenfan. It's possible in his excitement he has breathed in a piece of straw or bedding? Don't know what to suggest here apart from having a good look down his throat. I think if it was a heart problem he would have gone by now.
 
Thank you Chris. My friend dispatched him as he was getting worse and suffering too much and she is going to do an autopsy today. There was nothing visible in the throat so if it was lower down it was complicated to deal with.
 
I found another 'lost treasure' in the book 'Complete Poultry Keeper and Farmer' by L. Pierce- Gervis, a 1947 reprint of the original 1938 edition. In it the procedure for post mortem is very comprehensively described. If you ever find a copy it is well worth buying as it covers feedstuffs and vitamins very well also.
 
Thank you Rick and Chris. I shall certainly look for that book and will tell my friend. I haven't heard any more from her yet, but she was going to look at the trachea and the vet advised her what to look for re the heart if it was heart failure. She was very sad to lose him. He was big and magnificent and her hens stayed next to him when he was ill.
 
Bluebeard's liver was dark red (congested) which is suggestive of congestive heart failure, poor fella.
 
At least your friend can rest assured that there was little she could have done Chickenfan.
 
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