Drunk-acting rooster - what do I do?

[3nglishteacher]

1 yr old flock of 22 EE hens and 1 rooster...all fine this a.m., this afternoon our boy has no balance: tilting, careening, falling back on haunches or face first in the dirt. His poo was solid tan, almost crumbly. He did try to eat and drink but kept falling on his face. And I noticed while watching him try to mount one of his girls that his butt was flaming red. What in the world could it be? All eat laying pellets from a local company, some scratch in the p.m., kitchen scraps & stale bread as I have it. Everyone else seems just fine, tho egg production has been a little off last 10 days .... any thoughts ?

Thanks!

 

[threehorses]

Can you get him to drink? Crumbley droppings shriek of dehydration. Dehdyration can cause the ataxia. His red vent sounds like he had diarrhea, but that wouldn't match with crumbley droppings now.

Can you also get some nutrition in him? Boiled egg yolks? Something he can't resist but that is almost ridiculously easy to digest?

Has he had any access to any spoiled kitchen scraps, a compost pile, any pesticides, any new plants cropping up in your areas, etc? Look around for anything that's just been this week - investigate.

Also check him very very carefully for parasites. Mites can seem to bring a bird down in one day and certainly can make them anemic to this point. A bird can look completely healthy one day and then be down the next. If you have to, go outside tonight with a flashlight and check - especially the neck and vent area. they're easier to see there. They're so very tiny - mostly you're just looking for movement. That would be my first suspicion.

 

[Southernbelle]

One of the signs of Mareks disease is partial paralysis and staggering. I hope he feels better soon.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

If the chicken starts showing neurological signs or can't move well, it may have botulism. Try putting 2 Tablespoons of epson salts per gallon of water and give that to the chicken as its only source of water for two or three days.

also give the wet mash probiotic
and put the store bought probiotics in the wet mash