18 month old rooster acting unstable and listless

[Melfento]

My rooster was acting completely normal and fine yesterday. He was crowing and running around with his hens. He went to bed last night and when I went out to feed them this morning he was still in the coop but hiding in a nest box. I reached in to pick him up and pull him out but he wouldn't stand he would just flop down. Normally he wouldn't let me near him but he seemed too weak to care. When he does try to walk its like he's unbalanced or drunk. He has a thick saliva coming out of his beak. He wants to eat but takes a bite and spits it out or holds it in his beak. We are finally getting him to drink a little water. When he is laying down his wings are hanging loose not tight by his side like normal. He sits for a bit tries to walk a few steps and sits back down. There are no psychical injuries. His crop is not impacted or sour. We aren't sure what's wrong. I'm hoping someone has seen something like this before and can help.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is he? Do you have another rooster? I would separate him in a dog crate with food and water to observe him. He could be injured. I had a 6 month old cockerel who had been the leader of the pack of my first chicks, and he did the same thing. He was also vaccinated. We put him down, eventually, and I never knew exactly what was wrong. Mareks is something that can occur even in vaccinated chickens. Injuries are very common. Try to get him eating and drinking, and I would also give some human super b complex 1/4 tablet daily in a spoonful of water or food, just in case of a deficiency. If you should lose him, have your state vet do a necropsy to find out what was wrong. Are you in the US?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Could he have gotten into moldy feed, or anything moldy? Mycotoxicosis can cause similar symptoms, I lost two cockerels from mold consumption a year, or two ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. If you should lose another chicken in the future with similar symptoms, I would get a necropsy by the state vet or a pcr blood test for Mareks by RAL labs. This link below has a list of state vets to contact about necropsies and costs:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[Show Sebright]

Are they vaccinated for anything?

 

[Melfento]

Are they vaccinated for anything?

Yes, they have received all their vax.

 

[Show Sebright]

Yes, they have received all their vax.

What ones? Also @Eggcessive might be able to help you more.

 

[Melfento]

What ones? Also @Eggcessive might be able to help you more.

They have Marek's vax, they received it from the hatchery.

 

[Show Sebright]

@MysteryChicken any ideas?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sounds like Marek's Disease.

I'd check his ears for an inner ear infection to rule that out. It will cause a bird to be unsteady on their feet most of the time. What to look for is crusty yellow, cheesy like pus.

The saliva can be from sour crop, if he has it. You can tell if his breath smells funky.