5 month old deathlayer roosters loosing leg function

[member 544621]

Considering none of the rest of my flock has been affected and the differences in the symptoms, I seriously doubt that it was.

 

[Shellieshore]

Considering none of the rest of my flock has been affected and the differences in the symptoms, I seriously doubt that it was.

I realize this thread is a few months old, but I had a similar experience with deathlayer juveniles recently and am wondering if anyone else has had similar problems with this breed.
My deathlayers were a little younger - about 4 months old. 2 pullets and 1 cockerel hatched from eggs I had purchased from a breeder. They seemed to be healthy and happy, living their best life free-ranging with the rest of my flock. Out of the blue, one of the pullets stopped walking around with the rest and looked ill- head down, unable to walk. I separated her and (because we have a known coccidiosis problem on our property) gave her a dose of Corid just in case. She passed away the next day after passing some major greenish whiteish diarrhea. The day after, the other deathlayer pullet and the cockerel were both down- and like your two- walking oddly. Sitting on their hackles to walk or sitting upright like penguins and almost falling over backwards. Both started having the same diarrhea. The 2nd pullet passed away quickly, but the cockerel held on for about a week- eating and drinking, eyes alert, but unable to walk properly or "stand" without falling over backwards. His comb at one point turned almost purple, but then changed back to red, which I mistakenly hoped meant he was regaining strength. Meanwhile, he was still alert and eating and drinking a lot, but also passing a lot of the same type of waste- like everything was going straight through him. He was almost emaciated when he passed away.

Loooong story short- sorry-
Do you mind if I ask where you got your DLs? None of the rest of my flock was affected... only these 3 of this breed. Because of the strange almost paralyzed walking, I'm wondering if it's a genetic disorder.

 

[microchick]

An update for those who helped - unfortunately they did not survive.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they would pull through for you.

In a world called perfect, they would have made it but unfortunately this world isn't called Perfect and things happen when you take care of chickens that in the end you can only sigh, shake your head and say to yourself that you did the best you could and leave it at that.

@Davethebirdman, we all learn from experience. To this day I have never heard of a degree in 'Chickens' that would make us the know all, do all when it comes to caring for them. Every decision we make is judgement call at best. Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.

I bought birds not knowing about the different strains of MD and paid for my lack of knowledge dearly. We all learn from our mistakes.

The OP and others were seeking knowledge and suggestions and I commend them on their efforts to save their birds. We have all been there and done that and until there is a college degree in 'Chickens', BYC is the place to go for help and support. We all are eager to support one another and sometimes the only thing we can offer is from the wealth of our personal experience and a virtual 'hug' when things go south.

We've all been where the OP was and a good percentage of us wind up with the same conclusion. So now it's time for and not for criticism. That is not in the spirit of Back Yard Chickens.

 

[Davethebirdman]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they would pull through for you.

In a world called perfect, they would have made it but unfortunately this world isn't called Perfect and things happen when you take care of chickens that in the end you can only sigh, shake your head and say to yourself that you did the best you could and leave it at that.

@Davethebirdman, we all learn from experience. To this day I have never heard of a degree in 'Chickens' that would make us the know all, do all when it comes to caring for them. Every decision we make is judgement call at best. Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.

I bought birds not knowing about the different strains of MD and paid for my lack of knowledge dearly. We all learn from our mistakes.

The OP and others were seeking knowledge and suggestions and I commend them on their efforts to save their birds. We have all been there and done that and until there is a college degree in 'Chickens', BYC is the place to go for help and support. We all are eager to support one another and sometimes the only thing we can offer is from the wealth of our personal experience and a virtual 'hug' when things go south.

We've all been where the OP was and a good percentage of us wind up with the same conclusion. So now it's time for and not for criticism. That is not in the spirit of Back Yard Chickens.

 

[Davethebirdman]

I don’t know what’s to become of these Deathlayers. So inbred and sensitive. Everyone wants to save such a beautiful bird from extinction, but it’s so impossible. Hard to figure it out. They probably would haven been better off staying in Germany.