cockerel alert but cant walk help!

[nettifer]

my 9mth old stunning white leghorn coal, was running around on thursday doing as boys do! then on friday when i let them out ( they free range) he staggered out of the coop, and kept falling on his bum, i put him in a coop alone so as he wouldnt get hurt, i started baby vits and hypercurnian,he was eating and drinking well, then saturday he just lays on his right side with head and chest up, still eating and drinking, started treating them all with abs

he is still alert , talking to his girls through the mesh of his coop, even giving warning sounds, its the 4th day of abs, he moves around by moving his legs to push him but keeps on his side, poop is firm, but greenish, im hoping its just an ear inf as some of the others have swollen cheeks

and today for the 1st time since thursday he crowed

on friday the tips of his comb had turned purple, but they are back red now and yesterday he started shaking his head hoping that means something is moving, he is a weighty bird, can anyone help?

 

[seminolewind]

If he can't walk and acts like nothing is wrong, I would suspect Marek's. Is his breast bone real prominent? Is anyone else having problems? How long have you had him, and how long has it been since you added chicks or chickens that were not hatchery chicks, or hatched by you?

 

[nettifer]

hi ive not added any new birds for 12mths only ones i hatched myself, he can move his legs to push himself around the coop hes lay on his right side ive tried putting him on his left and he flips back over, he opens and closes his feet and when i pick him up he moves them up and down, hes still eating and its a week today since he went down, he sounds rattly and shakes his head but hes had a course of abs, its strange x

 

[seminolewind]

I don't know then. Possible stroke or something toxic? I'm just guessing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Botulism or spirochetosis could also be ruled out as causes. Could he have eaten any rotting vegetation or animal/fish carcass? Are there any poulty ticks that could have bitten him?
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/187/botulism

 

[Nambroth]

Just as a side note, Marek's does not always come in on other chickens. It can travel on the wind, wild birds, or on our shoes/clothing.

Anyhow, here are some ideas to explore:

• Lymphomas are often caused by Marek's disease, but may also be caused by Avian Lymphoid Leukosis: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/neoplasms/lymphoid_leukosis_in_poultry.html

• Heavy Metal Toxicity in chickens (and other fowl, such as ducks) can look very similar to Marek's paralysis. Lead toxicity seems to be the most common for birds like chickens, that unlike other pet birds such as parrots, generally do not chew on metal objects but may swallow small metallic objects whole. Lead shot, BBs, pellets, (etc) are often mistaken for stones and ingested to aid the bird in digestion. A single BB or piece of lead shot is enough to cause serious illness in a large fowl chicken, or even eating old lead paint flakes, or finding them in the soil is enough to harm a chicken-sized bird. Heavy metal toxicity is one of the leading medical problems that vets and wildlife rehabilitators see in ground dwelling birds such as chickens, ducks, and geese, so it can be somewhat common. Symptoms include neurological issues such as partial or total paralysis of one or both legs and sometimes the wings. With lead toxicity, lesions of the nervous system and elevated white blood counts can also mimic Marek's infection. X-rays and/or blood tests might be necessary to diagnose this problem. Treatment generally involves injections of a chelating agent such as Calsenate. Large metal objects may need to be surgically removed. This problem is very hard to diagnose without veterinary help. For more reading: http://www.birdclinic.net/avian1.htm http://www.avianweb.com/heavymetalpoisoningbirds.html

• Botulism in fowl can also mimic the symptoms of Marek's, in that it often causes neurological distress and paralysis. Often birds with botulism will present leg weakness, and neck weakness or paralysis. This can come on quite suddenly or gradually, depending on how much of the Botulism toxin has been consumed by the bird. Botulism is caused by the consumption of the toxin, either from decaying material (usually decaying carcasses) or eating an abundance of invertebrates that have been infected with the Botulsim toxin (such as maggots that have been feeding on decaying material). Generally, if a bird survives more than 48 hours, it will recover, so if Botulism is suspected in birds with sudden paralysis, immediate treatment is necessary. For more reading on Botulism consult the following: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/botulism/overview_of_botulism_in_poultry.html and http://www.avianweb.com/botulism.html

• Other toxins produced by molds may have degenerative effect on the nervous system of birds, causing signs similar to Marek's such as weakness, paralysis, or spasms, so it is very important to investigate feed, both bagged and in the bird's environment, to make sure it is fresh and free of mold.

• Injury to the body, and especially to the head, can cause paralysis-like symptoms that look similar to Marek's. It is important to carefully check for hidden injuries, gently palpate bones for breakage, and observe your bird carefully to determine if injury is a factor. Injuries may be internal and not visible via simple physical exam. Head injuries can cause paralysis or weakness, and loss of motor control. Breeds with vaulted skulls (such as Silkies) are especially prone to brain damage, and can sustain brain injury and swelling that can create physical disability.

 

[Nambroth]

hi ive not added any new birds for 12mths only ones i hatched myself, he can move his legs to push himself around the coop hes lay on his right side ive tried putting him on his left and he flips back over, he opens and closes his feet and when i pick him up he moves them up and down, hes still eating and its a week today since he went down, he sounds rattly and shakes his head but hes had a course of abs, its strange x

My rooster that died from Marek's had this same reaction. He'd try to stand and would flip himself over. He could still move his toes, but had no real control over his legs. They still moved, just not the way he wanted them to.
I'm not saying it's Marek's-- see my above post for other things it could be. I just wanted to let you know not to completely dismiss the idea of Marek's. It is a pretty common disease.

 

[nettifer]

thanks everyone! well we are on day 9 now he still cant stand or walk,he is still eating and alert, he would lie on his right side but every time i put him on his left ( away from the crop) he would shuffle his legs and flip back over! its been cold at night here so i put him in a polystyrene box with 1 side cut off in his coop, to keep him warm, he now seems to be a little more upright

i pick him up every couple of hours to clean his poop away its green and white, when i pick him up his legs starp paddling, he still has some weight on him even though he has lost some,his comb and wattles are still bright red and his eyes are bright, i suspected an ear infection as some still have puffy faces and he was a little rattly so i gave abs, im still giving vits etc, they free range and with the wet weather drink from every where so im not sure but to happen over night with no signs of illness is so wierd

 

[nettifer]

well im on day 12 now with coal, he is still eating and alert,when i pick him up he paddles his legs but still cant stand or walk

his feet are not curled up into balls like in mareks and his comb is still red and eyes bright im still giving hypercurniun and baby vits is it possible it was a stroke? he was a very active boy !

 

[Eggcessive]

I had mentioned sprichetosis as a possible cause earlier in a post, but didn't leave any links. It is a disease caused by poultry ticks and can cause paralysis in some chickens. A vet can check for spirochetes in a stool sample. Treatment is antibiotics such as Denagard, tetracycline, Tylan, and penicillin among others. Here is a link: http://www.developmentvet.aun.edu.eg/poultry diseases fourth year/ch1_15.htm
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/avian_spirochetosis/overview_of_avian_spirochetosis.html