BR Rooster sick

[wkellen]

I have a BR Rooster that was perfectly fine about a week ago. It started with a slight limp. I checked him out and could see nothing wrong. No missing feathers, no broken legs, no objects stuck in his feet or legs. I even moved his legs and nothing seemed to hurt him when I did. It has progressively gotten worse. Now he will take about 3 steps and sit. I just found a featherless spot on his lower breast area. It looks like it is just from him sitting on the ground. It doesn't look infected or anything, just bare. The last 2 nights I have had to go out and pick him up and put him in the coop on the roost. I noticed this morning his poop is a yellowish orange color. I made sure to put water and food close by him thinking he is probably getting dehydrated. Anyone have any ideas? I will try to get video up of him later.

I also found a dead opossum under our porch last week. Only because it stunk to high heaven! I would wonder if maybe they got into a fight. I dont think he could kill the opossum though. Plus I dont see any marks on the rooster where it looks like he was bitten or scratched.

Thanks,
Wayne

 

[wkellen]

Ok, the rooster died a week or so ago. I have a hen that just started limping today. She is an old large BR hen that has been perfectly healthy until today.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am so sorry that no one answered your first post. If that happens again, keep posting on the same trhead, and you should eventually get an answer. This is just a guess, but I would wonder if your rooster may have had mycoplasma synovitis, a disease that is actually a respiratory disease that also affects the joints.. Is there any swelling of the joints of your hen or rooster from the toes to the hips? Sometimes they will develop a sore or breast blister on the breast bone due to lying on the breast on the ground. Treating with Tylan or tetracyclines such as oxytetracycline or chlortetracycline may treat symptoms. You can get the diagnosis confirmed through a test by your vet or local extension agent.
The other possibility could be related to the rotting opossum carcass, when could have contained botulism toxin. That causes paralysis of the legs, followed by the wings, neck and breathing muscles. Contact your state vet about getting a necropsy done by your state vet if either chicken dies. Please let us know on this thread what happens.