Paralyzed cockerel, can’t figure it out!

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Hello!

I have five month old cockerel that turned up lame about three weeks ago. He couldn’t walk or stand and he wasn’t moving his legs at all.

I checked him over and I don’t think his legs are broken, no swelling or cuts, everything looks normal.

I brought him inside and immediately started treating for vitamin E difiency (400 IUs daily for two weeks) and have been giving him half a tablet of b complex.

After a couple days he could move his legs up and down, but I have seen almost no toe movement. His appetite is fine and he is otherwise healthy.

I have been massaging his legs daily with olive oil and aloe, but it seems like his legs are getting stiffer. I can no longer fully extend them. After about a few days of being inside, I also noticed his toes start to turn black. I also noticed just yesterday that some of the yellow scales are starting to fall off. Is it Scaly leg mites? Can that cause the stiffness and paralysis?

He doesn’t seem in any pain.

What else can I do? What might it be? The rest of the flock (140) is perfectly fine.

Thank you!!

 

[Noraaaaa]

Hi! The exact same thing happened to one of my old silkie roosters. I tried everything I could think of but unfortunately, I could not help him. He became so stressed and upset that I ended up euthanizing him. Im sorry . The rest of the flock should not have any problems that are caused by your cockrel.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Hi! The exact same thing happened to one of my old silkie roosters. I tried everything I could think of but unfortunately, I could not help him. He became so stressed and upset that I ended up euthanizing him. Im sorry . The rest of the flock should not have any problems that are caused by your cockrel.

I really appreciate your reply! I’m so sorry to hear about your boy…goodness, I would hate to euthanize him but have been considering it. Before this happened he was my only chicken that would NEVER stop running. I wish he could do that again, but I will definitely do what’s best for him!

 

[Noraaaaa]

I really appreciate your reply! I’m so sorry to hear about your boy…goodness, I would hate to euthanize him but have been considering it. Before this happened he was my only chicken that would NEVER stop running. I wish he could do that again, but I will definitely do what’s best for him!

Yeah I’m sorry for you too D: it’s so sad to have to euthanize an animal . Mine just wouldn’t get better no matter what we did. Good luck (mabey you can make a cure, not sure though)!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Have you had any extremely cold weather lately? Wonder if it could be frostbite?

 

[Altairsky]

From the pictures I can see his fingertips are black. That looks like necrosis. It might have suffered frostbite.
When the frostbite heals (or self amputate the dead part of the foot), he should be fine.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It does not look like scaley leg mites.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do not handle the feet or toes. There is nothing you can do to help frostbite, and handling them just makes it worse.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is frostbite and the black necrotic toes will eventually fall off up to the healthy pink skin. But he also could have something else going on with his legs. I would be concerned about Mareks disease. Could he have been injured by another cockerel or rooster? You might want to check out some chicken slings to get him upright and in front of his food and water. Here is a link about slings and on page 1-2 there are samples and designs for making one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

That is frostbite and the black necrotic toes will eventually fall off up to the healthy pink skin. But he also could have something else going on with his legs. I would be concerned about Mareks disease. Could he have been injured by another cockerel or rooster? You might want to check out some chicken slings to get him upright and in front of his food and water. Here is a link about slings and on page 1-2 there are samples and designs for making one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

Thank you! I really appreciate your reply. I do have him in a sling, which he has been very stubborn about staying in and typically flaps out of it But I think I outsmarted him and changed the design a bit, so he stays in it now. It could be possible he was injure by another cockerel, I have about 7 right now and they are all much bigger then he is, but they never seemed to care about him. I checked him over for injuries and couldn’t find any swelling or abrasions. I really have no idea How long will it take for the frostbitten areas to fall off?