My Rooster is Sick! Please Help!

[sassy16]

Hi I have 5 bearded silkies! Thursday Morning My husband went out to feed my horses and noticed my rooster was on the ground on his side. I took him to the vet and he has coccidiosis. I am so confused because I had treated them all 2 weeks prior with Corid. Anyway the vet gave me amaprol and I have been treating them with that for 2 days now. He is now eating on his own and drinking on his own but he will not walk or stand. He just lays there with his left leg in front of him and his right leg under him. He can move the legs because when I pick him up he will move them. He does move the right more than the left. He will push against your hand a little with the left and alot with the right. He is eating southern states pelleted all grain. He seems to be much more alert and talking to the girls and me but he is not even trying to stand. Can they survive this and if so what do I do. I fed him the fist day a feed the vet gave me by syringe it is called Critical Care Vegetarian. He said to feed it until he would eat on his own. I dont want to loose him. Please help!

 

[sassy16]

I have had the rooster for about 6 months and one hen and I just got 3 more Hens 2 weeks ago. I guess I should mention he is just 9 months old. on the first of Dec. I am new to the chickens and want to do everything I can for him he has such a personality!

 

[sassy16]

The Calico is the rooster! I was told by the breeder he was a calico.

 

[Gargoyle]

It does sound like he's getting a bit stronger, lets hope he's doing better in the morning.

I wonder if the new ones you got two weeks ago could have been carriers of a disease. Did you isolate/quarantine them for a while before putting them in with him?

 

[sassy16]

No I got them from the same breeder. When I bought him and the first hen (the one in the pic) she died a week later and the breeder replaced her. I treated the rooster and the new hen when I got them and then every few weeks after that. The breeder said I was treating them too much so I stopped and he became sick. The vet said I should have continued. I will be so upset if I loose him. I can take care of 1,000.00 lb animals and cats and dogs but I am starting to think I am just not a chicken person. I know people who dont worm or have never heard of coccidia and there chickens have never been sick plus they rarely clean the coop. I clean the coop every week give them probiotics and wormers and feed southern states a great feed and they get sick. I dont get it!

 

[sassy16]

I am emailing the chicken Dr that the breeder said to contact and he said it sounds like merricks. My local vet said highly unlikely because only have 5 chickens. He said that usually happens with huge bird farms.

 

[Chickadeeee]

If he's not standing, I think you should take a few moments out of the day to stretch his legs for him, so that the limbs are still getting proper circulation. If he doesn't improve soon, I think you should have your vet look at him...it could be a spinal injury that has paralyzed him. I hope he gets better soon!

 

[Gargoyle]

You'll find a lot of info here on BYC about Marek's disease. Also, here's the wikipedia article.

Note the symptoms, one of which is "asymmetric paralysis of one or more limbs". The way you described one leg being weaker seems perhaps a bit like that.

 

[sassy16]

I am so upset. I do take him out and move his legs around. The one he moves just fine the other i move around for him. God it would be such a coincidence if he had cocci and Merrick's. I have the worst luck. Now I am afraid if he does die to get another because my ground has cocci and possibly Merrick's and I just expanded my coop and burried wire all around it so I cant move it! Just my luck!!