My rooster can't stand and barely walk

[Marklee8]

Our white giant was healthy and thriving. Then we noticed a downturn. He stayed in the coop and didnt want to come out. When he did he was on wobbly legs. He started getting worse to where we thought maybe has wasn't eating. We removed him from the coop and noticed he was full of lice all over him. We took him home and bathed him and fed and watered him good. The next day he was more responsive and trying to move but couldn't. His comb was also looking better it was before turning black but it is now turning red again but he still won't get up and walk. He tries but can't support his weight! Anybody heard of this or have any info?

 

[CapricornFarm]

how hot is it where you are? He may be suffering from anemia because of parasites, and that makes it harder to deal with stress like heat. Pick him up, does he feel very hot? Is he panting?

 

[Marklee8]

It's around 90 here, when we found the chicken lice there was thousands of those after a good bath those are gone & he is perkier, just not able to stand on his own, as far as hot he's seemed to be very hot under his wings since we first got him we thought it was just because they are such big birds...ps were new to all of this

 

[CapricornFarm]

Set him in a pan of water with a fan on him. He needs electrolytes, vitamins, lots of fluids. Fruit if he will eat it. Hope he makes it.

 

[Marklee8]

Still alive this morning, gave him polyvisol drops, & made a mixture of grated apples, honey, oat meal, yogurt & egg yellows. He seemed to really like that! Other wise he's perky & alert almost seems like someone who's had a stroke....

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

it sounds like he has been stressed from the heat and the bugs being on him. i can give you a recipe for a poultry spray to make to help keep the bugs from getting to the birds, but this will require a weekly spraying on each bird if they are willing to be picked up an handled.

i had nearly lost a few of my girls when they had been 'attacked' by the lice and they seemed as if they were so lethargic they were about to die!

 

[Klwright1122]

Quote:
I had the same problem with my rooster a few months ago...when I noticed him acting depressed and wobbling around I also found lice all over him. I separated him from the flock and went to my co-op and got some "hi-yield" garden, pet& livestock dust...4 pound bag was less than $5. I put it all over him in between his feather and especially on his butt/vent area. I took this stuff and spread it put it in my coop, nesting boxes and in the dirt where they like to take their dust baths also.
The lice had nearly sucked him dry--when I picked him up he was skin and bones. I felt horrible for not noticing sooner. After the dusting he seemed to improve some, less depressed, but still seemed wobbly and weak. He died a week later--but I believe I just didn't catch the lice in time. I really believe they just sucked the life out of him.
I would dust him now and then dust him again in a few days or a week--hope this helps.

Edited to add: if there is some white crusty hard stuff at the base of his feathers--these are lice eggs...this stuff is hard to get off almost like it's cemented to his feathers...the dusting should help kill the babies.

 

[brahmakid11]

my barred rock rooster limps but its just a minor injury

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yes, they do call it heat stroke. Hopefully you caught it in time. You will need to clean and dust the coop as well to get rid of those bugs.