Need help figuring out whats wrong with my roosters

[bantyman]

This year I have lost 3 of my best roosters They start their thing by just standing in one place then they start limping like something is wrong with their legs..both after a day or two Then they sit down and stay their till they die which is usually a day maybe two later Their comb is red and they have their feathers There are usually hens in with them but this thing dont bother them They still lay and act normal Have looked them over for bites ,mites,lice and whatever I can find but haven't found anything Does anyone on here have a clue what might be the problem ? I am thinking about having a neurocorp (?) thing done Any help will be greatly appreciated

Mike

 

[BantamLover21]

How old are the roosters that are dying? And are they vaccinated for Marek's disease?

If they are younger than 1 year (especially if they are non-vaccinated), I would suspect Marek's before other things. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Marek's. The only hope is to vaccinate day old chicks yourself or only buy from vaccinated sources. Or, you could breed for resistance, but that can be a hard thing to do with some breeds.

If not Marek's, then I would suspect some sort of poisoning (botulism, etc.). Next time one of your roosters shows similar symptoms, I would try flushing his system with an epsom salts or molasses flush. Below are the recipes:

Epsom Salt Flush

1 teaspoon Epsom salts in 1/2 cup of water, poured or squirted down the bird's throat twice daily for 2-3 days (or until bird recovers). Don't just give the birds the water and expect them to drink it on their own. They don't like the taste of epsom salts, and won't drink enough of the water for it to work.

Molasses Flush

1 pint molasses per 5 gallons of water, given for no longer than 8 hours. Most birds will drink the molasses water willingly, but if not, you can use a syringe and force them to drink.

 

[bantyman]

One of them was 3 years old and the other 2 were 1 1/2 -2 years old But if it were Mareks wouldnt the hens show symptoms also ? They all get fed the same so the botulism is kinda on the bottom shelf But I will try the flush and see if that helps any next time it comes around Which I hope it dont cause I only got 2 roos left and I dont want to lose them Thanx for your help Maybe things will work out and get better

Mike

 

[Eggcessive]

I don't know of any disease affecting only roosters. Botulism is caused by eating a toxin produced in decaying animal, fish, or vegetation, or maggots that have been on them. They can die within 12-24 hours. Mareks, botulism, or some other poisoning would be likely. Some breeds of chickens can be more immune to getting Mareks. Are all of yours the same breed? Here are some links to read about botulism and Mareks:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[bantyman]

Thats 2 that said botulism Maybe I need to look into that During my feeding ritual I have to look at their feeders and havent seen anything moldy or maggots But guess I have to look closer Maybe I will find the culprit and put an end to this mess I only have 2 roosters left and cant afford to lose them Yes I only have the one breed Black cochin bantams from Tom Roebuck and James Cooper Will look at these links and see what I can find Thank you so much

 

[Nambroth]

Do the roosters have access to any different areas of your property than the hens? Any chance they are getting into something? A lot of old homesteads have lead in the soil, paint, etc... if for some reason your roosters could get access to something like this, it could cause the symptoms you are seeing.

You might want to do a necropsy if you lose one again. I know you are in North GA but Athens has a very good poultry sciences department that could test a dead bird for you. Make sure if you want to do a necropsy to chill the bird (refrigeration) but do not freeze it, and get it to them as soon as you possibly can. Within two days is best.