emergency - spreading paralysis, please help!

I've been looking online for two days for an answer to this but have found nothing - hopefully someone here can help??

My 6 month-old silkie cockerel Owen started showing signs of leg paralysis Saturday afternoon.

He was fine Saturday morning, never sick a day in his life - everyone else in the flock is thriving. They have a small coop for the night and a large grass and dirt pen for the day.

I isolated him as he could sit but not walk except by dragging himself by the wings to eat and drink.

Yesterday (Sunday) his paralysis spread to his entire body except his head. His legs are stiff and will not bend on their own but they do bend if I apply pressure to his knees. His instinct is to push them straight out of his body so he keeps topping over. His wings are held spread away from his body. His muscles have tremors. He has zero equilibrium nor muscle coordination and can only remain in the squatting position if I hold his legs.

He cannot eat or drink on his own yet is alert, clear eyes, cannot talk anymore but he tries. No fever, no discharges anywhere, poops are watery but not sickly looking. Eyes bright and alert. I looked for ticks or bugs or stings but cannot find anything.

If I put mash in his beak he will swallow it. I have been giving him water with poly-vi-sol with a tube directly into his crop, a little bit every few hours. 

He has gotten progressively worse the past 48 hours and now can only lay on his side, legs feebly kicking from under him. He seems to be having more difficulty breathing today than yesterday.

Thank you Sharon... just came back from trying to tube-feed him and I can't even do that anymore, he won't let me - thrashes his head from left to right with his neck all backwards and I'm afraid to hurt him.

Perhaps he's trying to tell me something :(

I think I will have to do the humane thing, maybe even tonight so he doesn't suffer any longer.

Thank you for your input...  

I just wish I knew WHAT it was. like you said, perhaps a stroke or a head injury?

thanks again... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kikiriki 

Disease descriptions and checklist
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Nothing in there fits with what Owen has - it's all bits and pieces.

Might he have had a stroke or hurt his neck/head and what we're seeing is neurological?

thanks everyone...

Owen's paralysis spread to his neck and he started having trouble breathing, no way to get food or water into him... he was covered in his own poop and prostrate on his side, unable to move.

My husband laid his poor body to rest a few minutes ago as leaving him to suffer was just inhumane.

I'm heartbroken and baffled, still don't know what happened - oh dear Owen, rest in peace... you were loved for every minute of your short life.

Good-bye my baby