Cockerel with vertigo - dizzy - can't stand

[ladyrsanti]

I have a young roo at about 8 weeks old. He can't stand, falls over if he tries and is obviously very dizzy. He sits there moving his head 'round and 'round and falls over just sitting on the ground and then flaps wildly to regain his footing. The symptoms came on suddenly - I just noticed it this morning when he was getting knocked over by his coop-mates. He's separated now, back in the brooder, in the house. Not eating or drinking. Poo'ed once, liquidy and dark but not too strange. He was previously in a grow-out pen with 13 others who are all, thus far, doing fine. All were hatched here, by me. Not vaccinated for mareks. He was the only one that hatched from that particular hatchery. He had medicated feed as a young chick and is currently on non-medicated starter.

Any ideas?

 

[Michael Apple]

If birds come in contact with molds these symptoms can happen but usually there's some respiratory distress.

It could be a vitamin E deficiency which can be seen as late as 8 weeks in chicks.Chicks attempt to walk and fall over backwards or walk around in circles. Sometimes the head hangs forward or the neck twists side to side, and trembling has been seen also.

Never store feed for over 4 weeks. What brand of feed are you using?
Never feed excessive amounts of cod liver oil or soybean oil (beyond 2% of feed offered).
Get some Poultry Nutri Drench and give the chick the oral dosage recommended on the label with a syringe absent the needle.

Start adding a vitamin, mineral, electrolyte powder in the water 3 days a week.
If there isn't any damage to the chick's brain, this should take care of the problem.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Alright, I'll try those things, thanks. They go through their feed so fast, it doesn't last for more than two or three weeks per bag. I buy the Dumor brand chick starter right now - store it in a metal garbage can with a lid. Should be alright. Everyone else is acting fine still. This little guy might be the canary in the coal mine though. He's always been a little behind the rest, the runt. He's also the only one of his breed (coronation sussex).

 

[Michael Apple]

I wouldn't use a feed that's been on the recall list. Dumor is a garbage feed. No offense but you can do better:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm313507.htm

 

[ladyrsanti]

I did not know that. It's the only brand offered at our TSC that sells chick starter. Layena is sold there but not the starter.

Anyway, he was dead by the time I got back from the store with the vitamins.

 

[Michael Apple]

My condolences for you and the cockerel. I often wonder why so many shop at TSC. Perhaps it is because that is all that exists in their local areas and big corporate chains like TSC and Walmart put all the small feed stores, local distributors out of business. Kind of like the Walmart of feed stores. I walked into one once, saw they didn't have much to offer besides mostly Chinese products, then walked out. Chain stores move forth like the plague.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Thank you and I agree wholeheartedly. Our local feed mill closed over the winter

and we are down to a TSC and a feed mill in the next town. I didn't have much of the last bag of chick starter left so I dumped it and changed out their feed for a new bag as a precaution. I'll make sure to take a trip to the other feed mill for next time, even if it's out of the way. Hopefully that solves it and no one else up and dies like that. Keep an eye on the others. Strange day.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I am sorry for your loss. He was at that dangerous age for cocci...so watch carefully for signs of coccidiosis in your remaining flock. I have seen that behavior with a chick right before I saw bloody poos...don't know for sure of course if they were related...was years ago.

 

[Michael Apple]

ChickensAreSweet caught something there. I looked at the first post and you stated they are 8 weeks old and no longer on medicated feed. I never use medicated feed, but use Corid 9.6% as a preventative dose (1 tsp per gallon of water) for five days, once a month from 3 weeks until 6 months of age at least. I've found that to be effective and the birds stay very healthy. I use Avian Super Pack (1/4 tsp per gallon) and Probios (1 tsp per gallon) after the five day Corid treatment for three days. I add the vitamin-probiotic addition to water for two-three days out of every week.

 

[Michael Apple]

Also, certain strains of Coccidiosis like E. Maxima cause stools that are thick mucous with a grey/brown color. What it does is thicken the walls of the small intestines and chicks get stunted growth. I can't stress enough the importance for preventative treatment for Coccidiosis unless you live in a desert where no wild birds exist.