Leg Problems in Young Rooster

[CherryAdventure]

Hi

So, this little Rooster was born on the 23rd December, 2014. A couple days ago, he started acting odd. He hung back, wasn't as interested in play, and sat in the perches in the middle of the day. This happened to happen at the same time that his "brother" started laying. He had been inseparable from this little girl, and now she was ignoring him. I thought he was just a bit sad, or lonely.

Today when I went out to feed the chickens, he was sitting in the corner, so I took the opportunity to catch him and say hi. He didn't run away. So I took him outside the coop and put him down. He sat, so I nudged him with my foot. He got up and stumbled a few steps then sat again. I put him in the nursing home we built for sick hens, and I gave him food and water. He ate a bit, then stumbled off into the corner.

He is eating and drinking, he has enough weight on him, and his comb is bright red. He looks completely healthy. He just can't walk. My first thought is that it's the same as Lightning's case. We were told it was a common genetic deficiency. But lightning was much younger, only a few weeks old. Then I thought inbreeding. We've only ever gotten sick hens from a certain farm. Any hens we've gotten from other places have been fine. Coincidence?

I need to know whether this is contagious, or if I need to vaccinate my hens against this. We're bringing in 11 more in on the nineteenth, and I am determined not to loose any.

What could cause a Rooster of this age to suddenly stop walking?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Eggcessive]

Bring him inside in a crate or pen with food and water to watch his eating, behavior, and ability to walk and stand. He may have injured his leg or he could be suffering from something like Mareks disease, or avitamin deficiency. Resting his leg for a few days, offering him poultry vitamins in his water, and trying to get him interested in some scrambled eggs, tuna, buttermilk, or liver, in addition to his feed would be good. Be sure and be descriptive of how he sits, walks, if his wings are drooping or he is using them to balance, and if his toes curl or he sits on his hocks.

 

[CherryAdventure]

I've just gone outside to check on him. I found him lying on his side, dead.

That progressed so fast since this morning, could it have been snake bite? We sit in the middle of 1000 acres of bush, snakes are common. We had a roo die mysteriously last year, and we nailed snake on that.

In case it wasn't snake, I've burned his body to try and prevent spread of disease.

I just need to know what it was so I can prevent it happening again. Please help!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry for your loss. Mareks can strike very quickly in some cases, but botulism, a paralyzing disease from eating dead animal carcasses or buried vegetation, lead or heavy metal poisoning, and moldy feed would be other problems to rule out. If you hadn't already disposed of his body, I would have sent it to the state veterinarian or local university poultry department for a necropsy and testing for Mareks.

 

[CherryAdventure]

I just can't believe he was completely healthy yesterday and now from this morning to now he managed to die.

Botulism. That sounds possible, because of the fact that they have access to 100 acres grazing, and he could have found a dead snake or bird or possum. Or, maybe we fed him something wrong.

So, I'm going to cut off access to the hundred for a while, and check all my feed. I give my chickens kitchen scraps. Is that bad? Should I reserve scraps for my pigs?

I'm looking into buying wormer, and I'll vaccinate against Mareks.

If this happens again, I AM GOING TO THE VET.