Pretty sure it's Marek's disease...

[Eggcessive]

Human vitamin B complex is very good to use, or a chicken vitamin with riboflavin listed on the label (Poultry NutriDrench does not have it.) Could he have hurt his back rough housing with another cockerel or in some other way? Are you feeding him a complete chicken feed? Vitamins and minerals are very important in bone growth.

 

[azygous]

But isn't it better to get him away from the others? It might be another disease that can be passed on slowly to other chickens in the flock, and quarantining might stop some of that. Also, what about pecking? The other birds might see him as weak and easy to bully. Quarantine is not just to make sure he doesn't give the other chickens a disease, it's for his own safety as well. I'd never leave a sick chicken in with other chickens, at the very least for fear of the sick chicken being bullied. Chickens aren't exactly compassionate (but they make up for it by being cute!)

You raise some very valid concerns. They need to be taken into consideration, absolutely. However, unless he's showing visible symptoms of a respiratory infection and if the others aren't picking on him, chickens recover so much quicker when left with the flock. Many of us never remove a sick or injured chicken from the flock unless it's absolutely necessary, and we return that chicken as soon as is practical.

Some of the concerns you've raised are the reasons a lot of chicken keepers have constructed a segregation pen inside their runs. This is one way of keeping a recovering chicken safe while still allowing it to be part of its flock.

 

[Wonderling]

But isn't it better to get him away from the others? It might be another disease that can be passed on slowly to other chickens in the flock, and quarantining might stop some of that. Also, what about pecking? The other birds might see him as weak and easy to bully. Quarantine is not just to make sure he doesn't give the other chickens a disease, it's for his own safety as well. I'd never leave a sick chicken in with other chickens, at the very least for fear of the sick chicken being bullied. Chickens aren't exactly compassionate (but they make up for it by being cute!)

I moved him into a smaller section of the coop that has wire between the rest of the coop so he can see the flock but not join them. The pullets have been coming in to check on him ever other hour or so it's quite sweet.

Human vitamin B complex is very good to use, or a chicken vitamin with riboflavin listed on the label (Poultry NutriDrench does not have it.) Could he have hurt his back rough housing with another cockerel or in some other way? Are you feeding him a complete chicken feed? Vitamins and minerals are very important in bone growth.

I gave him NutriDrench but I'll see if I can find something with riboflavin. I don't think he'd have been rough housing, he's quite a bit bigger than the other cockerels and generally ignores them for the most part other than telling them to get out of his way. They get a medicated chick feed, I'll look at the percentages on the label.

 

[microchick]

I agree, not time to throw the baby out with the bath water, at least not yet.

My experience with Marek's disease is that the limp goes to the dragging of toes better known as knuckling under very rapidly. I once lost an 8 week old pullet in less than a week from first limp to second leg involvement and full 'scissor' stance and having to be culled. If this is Marek's I think it will progress and you will know for sure if it is MD.

I went back and reread your original post. 10 months old. Makes me go Hmmmmmmm. Marek's usually hits younger birds. BUT I've seen it hit cockerels when they hit sexual maturity and start exhibiting that testosterone flush that the boys get when they start experiencing breeding stress. I've lost a lot of cockerels to MD at one year of age thanks to that. Roosters can make their own stress, I've learned.

I wouldn't panic yet. Keep a watchful eye on your boy and keep us informed. You've been given some excellent advice so far.

 

[Peepsi]

You raise some very valid concerns. They need to be taken into consideration, absolutely. However, unless he's showing visible symptoms of a respiratory infection and if the others aren't picking on him, chickens recover so much quicker when left with the flock. Many of us never remove a sick or injured chicken from the flock unless it's absolutely necessary, and we return that chicken as soon as is practical.

Some of the concerns you've raised are the reasons a lot of chicken keepers have constructed a segregation pen inside their runs. This is one way of keeping a recovering chicken safe while still allowing it to be part of its flock.

Segregation pen does the trick!

 

[microchick]

Also, the only incident of classic Marek's paralysis happened in the 8 week old pullet. The cockerels that died between 8 months and one year of age just up and died within a few days or sudden death. No paralysis. My other birds mostly died at about 2 years. Sudden decline, weight loss, lethargy, dead.

Good job putting him where his hens can see him and he can interact with them a bit.

 

[Bird-Whisperer]

Aww, poor thing!
I'm not sure how much I can help since I haven't had to deal with Mareck's, but I'll try.

Are his legs paralyzed, or is he just having a hard time standing/getting around?

Also, have you tried checking for bumble foot? I've had a few birds with bumble-foot who refused to walk.

 

[Wonderling]

Aww, poor thing!
I'm not sure how much I can help since I haven't had to deal with Mareck's, but I'll try.

Are his legs paralyzed, or is he just having a hard time standing/getting around?

Also, have you tried checking for bumble foot? I've had a few birds with bumble-foot who refused to walk.

I'll take another look at his feet in the morning, I looked at them again today but they didn't seem to have any issues that I could see, I was looking more at his legs than his feet though. I'll try to get a good picture to post of what I'm looking at so everyone can get a better idea of what's going on as well.

 

[Bird-Whisperer]

Yes, a picture may be helpful. I've had a couple hens who would limp for seemingly no reason, then in a couple days, get better out of the blue!
I hope your boy will recover quickly

 

[plum14]

I am watching this with interest as I have a very similar case with a crested legbar hen 5 months old. I have made another thread.