paralyzed rooster?

[hprc2002]

Ten days ago my main New Hampshire Red rooster suddenly showed signed of weakness in the legs; within a day he could not walk and he was sitting on the floor, unable to walk. He cannot perch, so am keeping him in a separate large cage, within the coop protected from the other younger rooster and rats that could potentially get him at night. As it is winter in my part of the world, we have a lot of them trying to get in at the moment.

He is eating well and is quite alert.

He is five. My past roosters have lived from 7 to 10 years.

I had treated him and the rest of the flock with ivoverm (2 drops on the skin) a week earlier as recommended by the vet.

No idea what might be the problem? Has anyone had the same issue in the past?

Not too sure what to do; I am thinking culling, but it is my daughter’s pet; she has raised (and trained) him from the egg so that would be a last resort.

thank you for your input.

 

[nuthatched]

What's his age? Diet? Any signs of illness.

 

[hprc2002]

Age: 5.
Diet : grains mix from the local feed mill, as for all my other chicken (about 30)
No sign of illness, apart from not being able to walk.
He was always active, and still looks alerts. He eats well.

 

[nuthatched]

Age: 5.
Diet : grains mix from the local feed mill, as for all my other chicken (about 30)
No sign of illness, apart from not being able to walk.
He was always active, and still looks alerts. He eats well.

What the nutritional analysis of the feed? Are fines added?
If it's a whole grain feed with fines, you have to serve it water as a mash or fermented, if its wholw grains and doesn't have fines, I'd recommend switching feeds.
Give your rooster 400i.u vitamin E capsule and about a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks.

 

[hprc2002]

He died a week later, then a old hen went down with the same symptoms a week later. None of the other 25 had any issue since. I was worried about Marek, but there was no contagion and no new birds were introduced in the flock. I wonder if they could have eaten something poisonous, like nightshade berries. I am always on the lookout for those, but the area they free range is large with part of it in bush so might have missed it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry for your loss. I usually do a home necropsy just to look at major abdominal organs when I lose one. Sometimes, but not always, you can see something abnormal with the color of the organs. You can always post any pictures here for opinions. Mareks is probably better tested by a lab.