Unfortunately this won't be a particularly happy rooster post. For the past few days I noticed weird poo (I won't burden you with details) in the middle section of the coop. Apollo the rooster lives there with his hens Alva, Nora, and Wyn. I felt them all up, checked crops and bellies and looked them over, they all seemed fine... until Sunday.
Sunday I went out to do afternoon chores. Apollo was napping in a patch of sun in the coop, pretty normal, it was nice in there and they do love to sun bathe. But when he didn't greet me like he usually does I took a closer look. Poor guy was really sick. Lethargic, and slightly wheezy. I picked him up to get a better look and he hardly moved.
This is the guy who greets me every time I see him with a 'huck huck huck hoo' and a little dance. He snuggles up to me at every opportunity and whistles softly when I hug him. Of all the roosters in the coop he is the most affectionate. He's the one I'm kissing in my profile picture. I was there when he hatched. Even before he had a name I remember him looking up at me out of the incubator. I really love this guy.
So I put him and his girls on a really good antibiotic. I was preparing myself to find him passed away this morning. But he was obviously feeling better. So good news, the antibiotics are working, bad news, whatever he has may be contagious and pass to the rest of the flock.
There are five diseases that are likely causes. All can be fatal but if he gets over this he'll probably be immune to it in the future. I'm holding my breath and keeping a very, very close eye on the rest of the flock.
Time will tell how this plays out.
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