Please Help! - sick rooster…

[NewChickenMama2304]

Hi - new here and seeking help! I’m a beginner at raising chickens and I really need some advice because I want the best for my flock but this incident has taught me I have SO MUCH to learn.

Yesterday, I let the flock (4 hens and 1 rooster) out of the coop morning and my boy could not stand on two feet. He is a 10 month old true blue whiting named Blue and has always been a feisty friend who loves to get the best of you when you’re not looking. I say that to explain that he is acting way out of character.

One leg is completely limp, he can put no weight on it, and he is using his wing to get around, but barely moving at all. It has been raining non-stop here in Eastern NC and he has developed what I would call a cough in the last 5 days. We were able to check his feet yesterday and I see no signs of bumble foot and don’t believe I see signs of scaly leg mites, but could be mistaken.

He’s eating and drinking water. I have probiotic and electrolytes in his water, but his cough seems worse today. No crowing for 2 days now. He’s eating Dumor 16% layer crumbles and I’m going to tractor supply now to see if they can give me more advice on what else to do. When we got our chickens in November, we were advised they had been vaccinated.

Any advice is really appreciated. TIA

 

[Lillith37]

I would start him on 1/2 a human b complex tablet daily and scrambled eggs to help with the leg weakness.

If you look inside his beak are there any lesions or mucous? Any discharge from his nose? Are any of the hens showing respiratory symptoms?

Make sure your coop is properly ventilated. 1 square foot of ventilation per bird and it needs to be above or below where they roost (so they are not catching the drafts).

 

[Eggcessive]

The B complex can help if he has curled foot paralysis, but the other possibilities are a leg injury involving the sciatic nerve, or Mareks disease. It can strike in the first year even though he may have been vaccinated. Hopefully it is not Mareks, though. Can you feel any swelling in his hip or thigh or see any green bruising through the feathers? Let us know if his condition changes. I would keep him propped up on rolled towels near his food and water. Every 2 hours check to see if he needs to drink or eat. Chicken sling chairs are handy, but an active rooster might not tolerate one.