paralysed rooster??

[Dog and Chicken Show]

We have a 5 yr old rooster that has collapsed.
The kids noticed mites on him a few weeks ago, and we treated him with DE and then a pyrithan (sp?) type insecticide.
He then started falling over about a day after treating him for the mites.
He is unable to stand now, he just falls down.
His left leg won't support his weight, but he is able to push with it when laying on his side.
We have to keep turning him over from side to side but then he pushes himself around with this right leg and sometimes his left.

He was taking food and water by himself about a week ago, and then I had to force water on him.
Now he doesn't accept food and will not allow me to give him water.

I'm treating him with DE again for the mites, since they have returned too.

Anyone have any idea what may have caused him become somewhat paralyzed? My husband is thinking he may have had a stroke?
He's a really calm, gentle rooster but I'm afraid he is not going to make it....

Any help would be great! Thank you!

 

[bairo]

Sorry to hear about that. Are you certain you mixed the pyrethrin correctly? tell me exactly what you used and what mix ratio and ill let you know for that. I am assuming the 10% stuff? Did he fight you a lot when you were spraying him? and what did you use to spray him with?

 

[Dog and Chicken Show]

Hello!
The container is:
Permectrin Fly and Louse Dust.
Permethrin is 0.25% and 'other' is 99.75% - it doesn't say what that is though....

Directions: Northern fowl mites - direct application: Apply not more than 1lb/100 birds. directing dust to thoroughly cover vent area.

I have no idea what is wrong with the poor dude. He is so miserable and not taking water or food, I don't know what to do for him!

He didn't fight when we dusted him, he's a really mellow guy at heart....

Thank you!

 

[bairo]

ok..that stuff is fairly safe. I thought you were talking about the liquid that you had to mix in water. Ill see what I come up with on his signs and symptoms. Your husband may be correct at the age of the rooster

 

[centrarchid]

Possibly Mareks disease. I have been dealing with it or something similar for three years. It strikes in fall resulting in birds walking about as if drunk. They still eat. All but one recovered within 2 weeks. Exception was rooster that I tried to nurse through for nearly 2 months but he eventually passed. In my case, the chickens I think are picking it up from migratory songbirds.

 

[Bigcreekpeafowl]

Sounds awfully suspicious you treated him with pyrethrin and the next day he develops symptoms of pyrethrin toxicity.
Uncoordination, or paralysis is top symptoms of acute toxicity to pyrethrin.
Even though you may have followed the instructions and did not OD on it he still could be hypersensitive to it.

 

[Dog and Chicken Show]

Thank you all for your thoughts!
Mareks - could definitely be that since we had the songbirds come through but because we are having a VERY mild winter (60-70 degrees and NO rain whatsoever) they haven't really left....
And yes, he could have been very sensitive to the dusting.
He's still hanging in there, just dusted him again with the DE and he MUST be eating and drinking behind my back because he's still alive and I haven't force fed the water for about a week now....

We have 30 chickens and no one else is showing signs of anything, even the mites. But did put out the DE and wood ash for their dusting pleasure

I'll post if things change here!
Thanks again!