Chicken Unable to Balance?

[HappyTrailsKal]

There is no harm in treating for coccidiosis, but the symptoms don't fit with coccidiosis. Coccidiosis doesn't present with balance issues.
What do you feed? Can you post a photo of the ill bird?

We have tried a couple combos of feed but have found that a mixture of layer pellets, non-medicated start and grow, sunflower seeds and grit seems to add weight to the cockfighters (most come in severely malnourished). We try to add vitamins to their water on a regular basis as well. Is wry neck a possibility? He stands and walks hunched over for a while then will tip to one side, support himself with a wing and lay back down. He has an interest in eating and drinking. Poop is softer but doesn't appear to have the consistency of coccidiosis poop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Since you have a vet that helps out with the rescues - can he do a fecal float to look for Coccidiosis? It very well could be Marek's - there is no treatment for this, so ruling out other possibilities would be important.

Photos of the poop for @casportpony to look at too if you have them

Symptoms of Wry Neck would be twisting of the head, uncontrolled head or neck movements, etc. I don't see any of that in the photos.

Does he eat o.k.? I notice the lower beak is longer than the upper.

 

[HappyTrailsKal]

Our vet is not available to do fecal floats, he would not be able to be seen by a vet for another 3-4 days which can be too long for some birds

He came in with a broken beak and it's never posed a problem for him, he's gotten around for many years with it. He's eating a feast right now of pumpkin guts/seeds.

I have given him polyvisol for an extra boost of vitamins and am going to try some corid.

 

[JacksonPearce]

There is no harm in treating for coccidiosis, but the symptoms don't fit with coccidiosis. Coccidiosis doesn't present with balance issues.
What do you feed? Can you post a photo of the ill bird?

Hm, I don't know that I agree there-- one of my pullets died of coccidiosis and it looked like balance problems to me! I would treat for it just in case.

 

[HappyTrailsKal]

So an update on the whole situation. We took the chicken to the vet on Thursday and that morning before the appointment another chicken (isolated cock fighter as well) presented us with the same symptoms but was in much worse shape than the guy I posted about. Both were taken to the vet and even she is stumped by what it could possibly be. The first guy was treated for coccidiosis but to no avail. These two chickens have never crossed paths and have lived on different ends of the sanctuary their entire time here. The second guy is much younger than the one I originally posted about - he is about a year old vs. the other who is about 6. uuuurrrrrrggggg....

 

[junebuggena]

We have tried a couple combos of feed but have found that a mixture of layer pellets, non-medicated start and grow, sunflower seeds and grit seems to add weight to the cockfighters (most come in severely malnourished). We try to add vitamins to their water on a regular basis as well. Is wry neck a possibility? He stands and walks hunched over for a while then will tip to one side, support himself with a wing and lay back down. He has an interest in eating and drinking. Poop is softer but doesn't appear to have the consistency of coccidiosis poop.
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So you feed roosters high calcium layer feed? Could be part of the problem. The high calcium content of layer feed will eventually damage the kidneys to the point where they can no longer function properly. Some birds can tolerate a high calcium diet for years. Others only need a few weeks of it to deteriorate.