?????Marek's or something else?

[Nicho1511]

I have a Wyandotte rooster 20 weeks old. Progressing nicely till yesterday when he was free ranging in the backyard he began to show signs of staggering and imbalance. This morning he seems a little worse and as the day has progressed he is now mainly just sitting and is unable to stand for very long. He is eating well he is bright and his comb is red eyes clear no discharges. He is fed on laying hen crumble pellets and his water is infused with garlic chilli and apple cider vinegar, he free ranges in the back yard every day. No other chicken in the flock are showing any symptoms or signs. What do I do? Am I putting the other flock members at risk, or should I do the humane thing I am at a loss!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/
Keep in mind that there are several forms of Marek's and may not represent all the manifestations.

As an aside, roosters (or any birds not building shells) shouldn't be consuming a diet as high as 4% calcium (layer feed).
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2337/urolithiasis-in-male-broiler-breeders/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sounds like Marek's is a possibility. My juvenile presented the same way. I tried to treat and it was bright eyed and voracious appetite with normal droppings for two weeks before I culled. Culled the second one at day 2 of presentation with symptoms. Those were my only two losses out of 60+ birds.

I choose to cull early as I feel it DOES decrease or limit the flocks' exposure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

free ranging in the backyard he began to show signs of staggering and imbalance. This morning he seems a little worse and as the day has progressed he is now mainly just sitting and is unable to stand for very long....He is fed on laying hen crumble pellets and his water is infused with garlic chilli and apple cider vinegar, he free ranges in the back yard every day

Hi @Nicho1511 Welcome To BYC

Do you have a video of his actions or photos of him you would like to share?
How long has he been eating layer pellets? (for videos post to youtube or vimeo then provide us a link)
What other food/treats do you feed?
Can you take a fresh poop sample to a vet to rule out/confirm Coccidiosis or worms?

I'm sorry to hear that your cockerel is not doing well. You mention he free ranges the backyard - any possibility he ate anything toxic (fertilizer, rat poison, weed killer) or rotten (moldy vegetation or dead animal)?

It's possible that at his age he may have Marek's. If this is the case, the only thing you can do is offer supportive care, make him comfortable ensure he is eating/drinking. Some people do place them in a sling to help the legs move some.

There are other things that can mimic symptoms of Marek's, so you may want to look into those (see @ChickenCanoe post above)
Provide B vitamins, get a fecal float, look him over for lice/mites, offer a diet with less calcium and higher protein like chick starter or flock raiser, check him over very carefully for any injury or wounds that may be hidden under the feathers, etc. If he declines further, talk to your vet or you may have to make a hard decision whether to continue to treat him or end his suffering.

Let us know how he's doing.

 

[azygous]

Since the cockerel is the only individual to show symptoms and put that together with him being the only one to free range, that sum points to the possibility of him getting into a neurotoxin.

The last time this happened in my flock, it took me two full days to track down the likely source - a log splitter sitting in the free range area leaking toxic fluids onto the soil. A small chick had consumed grit from the oily soil right before it showed paralytic symptoms.

Other sources of contamination are recent insecticide applications, peeling lead paint, soil contaminated by recent disposal of paint thinner from cleaning brushes. There are also some plants that are toxic, as well as mushrooms.

While Marek's is a possibility, it's wise not to rule out contaminants from petroleum distillates.

 

[Nicho1511]

Thank you for all your replies. Henry my Wyandotte rooster was standing this morning when I approached the chicken coop he also began flapping his wings and later I heard him crowing so he appears a little better today. I will go and observe him as the day goes on I will also take a video and post. Thank you for pointing out the feed was not appropriate for a rooster. I have changed his feed too. Fingers crossed this is improvement but we will watch to see if the balance issue improves even though he is standing he tends to be walking backwards to keep his balance.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

we will watch to see if the balance issue improves even though he is standing he tends to be walking backwards to keep his balance.

It's great that he seems to be improving a bit. Walking backwards can be a neurological symptom due to Vitamin E deficiency, head injury/trauma and unfortunately diseases like Marek's.

Offer Vitamin E 400IU daily along with B Vitamins (1/2tab B-Complex that contains B1) and give him some chopped egg for Selenium. See if this makes a difference with his balance issues.