Odd behavior. Seizures? Something else?

[hugitnotnugget]

Background info

So I got this Silkie rooster summer of 2020 from a farm who wanted to get rid of him because he was attacking the other hens and people. He’s almost 2 years old. He is kinda an ass... we have another rooster that the hens would run to when the silkie wasn’t treating them right. He finally is nice to tour hens!! But he attacks us almost every chance he gets. He doesn’t hurt at all an it is quite funny but he is pretty strange. Anyway....

The troubling behavior

for about a month now we have seen 4 times that he seems to lose control of his body. His head pins to his back and he falls back on his butt. He sometimes makes a distress sound during this. When he’s scared he will let me cuddle him until he feels brave again and starts being an ass again. But he lets me hold him when it happens and after so I know he’s scared. I’m not sure what it is or what causes it. When you hold him he kinda vibrates...? Almost like he’s shivering but he does it when he’s not cold. Right now the temperature here is between 20-30. He acts fine otherwise. He doesn’t eat or drink much really but he hasn’t sense we got him.

T you for any advice or knowledge you have!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ass roosters are never worth owning for a backyard chickener.
There are a few possible reasons for his condition. It could be his vaulted skull or the problem with an exposed brain.
Someone with a lot of birds may be able to handle him but there isn't any reason for you to be encumbered with a rooster you and your hens don't like just because your neighbor didn't.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does sound like he is either having seizures or some type of neurological symptom. Wry neck can be similar. With neurological symptoms, it probably would not hurt to start some vitamin E 400 IU softgels, 1/4 of a human B complex tablet, and give a small amount of scrambled egg for a small dose of selenium daily. Have you ever seen any suspected Mareks disease before?

 

[hugitnotnugget]

Ass roosters are never worth owning for a backyard chickener.
There are a few possible reasons for his condition. It could be his vaulted skull or the problem with an exposed brain.
Someone with a lot of birds may be able to handle him but there isn't any reason for you to be encumbered with a rooster you and your hens don't like just because your neighbor didn't.

The hens don’t mind him now. Even a few choose to hang out with him instead of the other rooster. He definitely learned if he’s an ass the hens just leave him. It was funny to see him peck on and then looked confused when they left. He’s never drawn blood from them. He is an ass but I’ve always liked a bird with attitude. Everyone deserves a chance at a good life. I’ll look into that. I’ve never heard of it before but there is a lot of poof up there covering his head

 

[hugitnotnugget]

It does sound like he is either having seizures or some type of neurological symptom. Wry neck can be similar. With neurological symptoms, it probably would not hurt to start some vitamin E 400 IU softgels, 1/4 of a human B complex tablet, and give a small amount of scrambled egg for a small dose of selenium daily. Have you ever seen any suspected Mareks disease before?

I haven’t seen any other signs of that disease with him or our others thankfully. I’ll start him on vitamins! His other owners adult son did NOT like him and I’m pretty sure he’s been kicked a lot before. I’ll try it and keep an eye on him!

 

[Eggcessive]

Being knocked around at his former home could have caused some brain damage, but chickens can suffer seizures. I hope the vitamins help eventually.