Please help! Rooster can stand

[Kaiyafitness]

Hi everyone I’m new to this page! So this morning when I went down to see my chickens I found my 30 week old silkie rooster, Rambo, laying on his side extremely lethargic and unable to stand up. Immediately I brought him up to the house and noticed he had a pretty bad mite and lice infestation (I was aware of 2 hens and the whole flock of 21 chickens had been treated with wormer the day before). In an effort to get the mites off because my intial thought was that he had become anemic and was very weak, I Put him in a warm bath and got many mites off. Rambo has been in a clean box with wood shavings and a towel, fresh water and food, but will not touch the food or water and cannot stand up on his own. I gave him an electrolyte mixture via a syringe but he will not eat anything I try give him.
When he lies he tends to have 2 feet more forward and kind of leans back, I’ve got him sleeping in my bathroom to keep an eye on him and he just woke me up (it’s 4am) by making a loud noise and when I went in he was laying on his back and just frozen, so I put him back to normal and tried to support him and give him some more electrolytes, although his tongue has started to stick out now when he drinks.
Through searching the internet I thought it may have been mereks but his toes curl around my finger if I hold them and I’ve seen him try to move them so they aren’t paralysed, and his eyes seem completely normal.
I would really appreciate some advice as it’s very scary and I also now have concern if it’s a contagious virus and may affect my whole flock, or has he just become extremely anemic ?

Any advice is appreciate thank you

 

[azygous]

There's always a chance his symptoms represent weakness from being attacked by coop mites, but more likely it's an avian virus. Marek's isn't the only one. The leucosis virus is very similar to Marek's and produces similar symptoms. Yes, it's just as contagious.

The best way to find out what it is would be to have a necrospy done on him. Recently, I've had some Blue Australorp pullets with these symptoms, and I took one to my state lab last week still alive. They euthanized her and did the necropsy. It was determined she had the leucosis virus and it had affected her brain causing her paralysis and total lack of balance. The virus also produced secondary infections that caused reproductive disorders. These viruses really mess up a chicken inside.

You might try B-complex vitamins on the chance he's suffering from a deficiency. I like B-100 as it contains ample amounts of the B vitamins that affect nerve connections. Also, toss in some vitamin E 400iu. If it's a vitamin deficiency, he should respond positively in days.

 

[Kaiyafitness]

There's always a chance his symptoms represent weakness from being attacked by coop mites, but more likely it's an avian virus. Marek's isn't the only one. The leucosis virus is very similar to Marek's and produces similar symptoms. Yes, it's just as contagious.

The best way to find out what it is would be to have a necrospy done on him. Recently, I've had some Blue Australorp pullets with these symptoms, and I took one to my state lab last week still alive. They euthanized her and did the necropsy. It was determined she had the leucosis virus and it had affected her brain causing her paralysis and total lack of balance. The virus also produced secondary infections that caused reproductive disorders. These viruses really mess up a chicken inside.

You might try B-complex vitamins on the chance he's suffering from a deficiency. I like B-100 as it contains ample amounts of the B vitamins that affect nerve connections. Also, toss in some vitamin E 400iu. If it's a vitamin deficiency, he should respond positively in days.

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! What were the symptoms of your chicken with leucosis who passed?
I will add in the b vitamins to the water I’m giving him via syringe although it is difficult as he doesn’t take much in

 

[Kaiyafitness]

Hi to anyone who has read this thread as their chickens had similar symptoms, my rooster ended up having gapeworm! He didn’t show any obvious symptoms of gapeworm till I tried to give water via syringe and his tongue was very floppy, he would lean back and push his head back into his body, thankfully I had treated him for worms the day before and he has still been in terrible condition but just pood out some gapeworms so fingers crossed it isn’t too late

 

[Mutchi]

is he ok now!

 

[Kaiyafitness]

No, unfortunately the gapeworms were causing him to be unable to breath as they grow in the trachea and eventually lead to suffocation, we kept him going for a few days with hopes he would be a mirracle rooster but the suffering became cruel and he was on his way out so unfortunately he had to be put down i live in a forest area so would recommend to anyone similar to me to worm their chickens, I have now wormed my whole flock, it was a very horrible passing

 

[Kaiyafitness]

is he ok now!

No, unfortunately the gapeworms were causing him to be unable to breath as they grow in the trachea and eventually lead to suffocation, we kept him going for a few days with hopes he would be a mirracle rooster but the suffering became cruel and he was on his way out so unfortunately he had to be put down i live in a forest area so would recommend to anyone similar to me to worm their chickens, I have now wormed my whole flock, it was a very horrible passing

 

[Mutchi]

No, unfortunately the gapeworms were causing him to be unable to breath as they grow in the trachea and eventually lead to suffocation, we kept him going for a few days with hopes he would be a mirracle rooster but the suffering became cruel and he was on his way out so unfortunately he had to be put down i live in a forest area so would recommend to anyone similar to me to worm their chickens, I have now wormed my whole flock, it was a very horrible passing

Aww sorry

 

[Rookie Chicken Mama]

I am so sorry! Thank you for sharing this! It will likely help others.

 

[mollylyda1]

No, unfortunately the gapeworms were causing him to be unable to breath as they grow in the trachea and eventually lead to suffocation, we kept him going for a few days with hopes he would be a mirracle rooster but the suffering became cruel and he was on his way out so unfortunately he had to be put down i live in a forest area so would recommend to anyone similar to me to worm their chickens, I have now wormed my whole flock, it was a very horrible passing

Aww sorry

Is that typical for the gape worms to grow in the trachea? Do they cause a fever?