Please help. My beautiful Silkie rooster is sick and I don't know why

[fjorddreamer]

Whatever is wrong with my rooster came on suddenly. He was acting completely normally, but yesterday afternoon when I went out to gather eggs and feed scratch, he never came out for scratch. He has four hens with him so he's always the first out and is always very vocal when he hears me coming with the scratch. Anyway, he was in the coop sitting very quiety and kind of hunched up. He is very docile and lethargic. I brought him in the house. He's in the basement in a dog crate. He has no injuries and nothing looks out of the ordinary. He is not sneezing, not breathing funny, not making noises, no discharge....nothing like that at all. He's not eating, but I've give him water a few times and he will drink some. I scrambled an egg for him but he's not interested. He's a bit more alert this morning. He fought me a bit when I picked him up and held him, but other than that, he's still just sitting quietly and sort of hunched up a bit. He seems to not be able to walk. When I first brought him out on the floor it was almost as if his legs went out in front of him. Like he has no strength in his legs or something. After a while he did sit with his legs under him again so he looked a bit more normal, but he's not walking around any.

Does anyone have any ideas????? He's only a year and a half old and has been healthy and strong until yesterday. If there was anything wrong the day before, it must have been minor enough that it wasn't noticed. I don't believe he could be injured in any way. He's just been in a small coop with his four hens. There are no other sick chickens and he doesn't appear to have any symptoms of respiratory problems or anything. He's not lousy. His feet look normal. I just can't imagine what it would be????

 

[fjorddreamer]

can anyone help?

 

[77horses]

None of our chickens have ever had anything happen like that before, so I really can't help with what is wrong with him. My only advice would be to keep him separated (like in a dog crate or something) and keep him inside. That way if he's sick, which hopefully he isn't, it doesn't pass on to the other hens.
Good luck!

 

[fjorddreamer]

any ideas, please!!!!!

 

[naked_heels]

did he tried to eat at all, feel his pouch see if there's any food there. His eyes shut or open? Try Tylan 50 about 1cc thru the mouth and follow up with water, give him some warm boil egg. Do it twice daily for 3 or 4days you will see some sign of recover

 

[Turner]

Could be Marek's...or?

 

[fjorddreamer]

Quote:
Yes, his eyes are open. I managed to get him to eat some. If I hold him and put the food on his beak he will eat and I got him to take a couple more small drinks. He ate a bit of scrambled egg and a few, very soft, cooked peas that were left over from supper. I don't think he's pooping much. I only see one poop in the crate that he's in. He was vaccinated and has a band on his wing, but not sure if that's a vaccination for Mareks. He doesn't seem to act or look like Mareks, but I'm only going by what I looked up on the internet. I've never had experience with Mareks. His legs seem a bit stronger tonight and he's a bit perkier. I just can't imagine what it is! I can try to get some Tylan tomorrow? I'm not sure where to get it around here. I don't think our feed stores have it. Maybe our vet??? I do have a package of vitamins here that you give stressed birds. Maybe I could try that?