Possibly Dislocated Leg. Can he be helped?

[Breac]

Here's the backstory. I have a little male polish frizzle I call Kheune (Keen). Three days ago, I noticed him huddling down and hobbling around to get food. I brought him inside, hoping he'd get better. Sadly, his legs are shifting outward. It now looks like he's doing the splits. He cannot stand, or even move around much, but he eats and drinks well. Here's two photos:

I'd like to know if his leg is dislocated, or is it something else? Can it be fixed? Should I have him put down? As it is, I'm opting for euthanasia, since I feel that if he can't be fixed, it would be cruel to keep a bird that can't move. If there is a possibility that he could get better, however, I'd be MORE than happy to try it.

Does anyone have any advice for my little Keeny?

 

[kathyinmo]

That posture appears to be Marek's disease. You can google Mareks in poultry and find alot of information. There is also a thread on it with information, here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=349905

 

[Breac]

Thank you very much for the information. Since there is no cure for Marek's and he isn't going to get better on his own, I'm afraid I have no other choice but to opt for euthanasia.

I Do currently have four other chickens in close proximity to him. Two apparently healthy siblings, and a mother hen and one month old chick. Should I purchase vaccines for the other four birds?

 

[MotherJean]

Yes. There's no guarantee that it will prevent Marek's from spreading through your flock, but vaccinating is still recommended by poultry health experts. Some studies have shown that the vaccine given after a bird is infected can reduce the severity of the disease and, therefore, the mortality rate. If you decide to cull this roo, you might want to check with your county agriculture agent or state vet to see if you can get a free necropsy on him. I would want to know if this was Marek's or not so I could decide what the best course of action would be to protect my other birds.

ETA: Did you see the recent thread on using automotive starter fluid (ether) for euthanasia?