Rooster acting like he is drunk - please help.

[peep2]

Hello,

I am new to all this but I am hopeful that someone can assist. I have a rooster that I believe is not quite a year old. He has been fine up until approximately 3 weeks ago when it appeared that he was losing his sense of balance. It has not gotten any worse but hasn't gotten any better. He acts like he may be drunk. I have checked his spurs, his legs, his feet and all seem to be fine but it is as if he can't stand. He is eating still, drinking water and crows with delight each and every morning. We are now keeping him away from the others in the coop as it seemed that he was being picked on by another rooster and hen. I have tried looking on google with regards to his symptoms but nothing seems to have assisted. I am really hopeful that someone here may have experienced something similar and can offer a few thoughts on what can be done for the rooster - who we have affectionately named 'Toombs'.
Thank you.

 

[quintinp]

it happened to me, i think the heat did it, it was a little rescue chicken, and she started to get better, but i had a deep water bowl and she fell over in it after i had her for about a month, and i found her dead in the bowl when i got home

 

[peep2]

Thank you for your reply and sorry to hear of your loss. I don't believe it is the heat at this stage as it has been cool weather, but not cold - our winters here are fairly mild. The rooster continues to just sit in the laundry basket and looks quite lively but just can't get or maintain balance. He is still drinking and eating but I wish I knew how else I could help him.

 

[Imp]

The "drunk" chicken has been posted lots of time, but not so much recently.

Sometimes it can be helped with vitamins & electrolytes. You should be able to find them at the feedstore. I've also seen pedialite without iron posted, sometimes diluted sometimes not.

Good luck

Imp

 

[peep2]

Thank you for your advice, I have since looked up how to make electrolytes and am giving that a try but as well next time when I am in town I will seek out a feedstore and purchase electrolytes and vitamins. Here is very much hoping that they work. Thank you again.

 

[tellynpeep]

Neurologic disease... I'm concerned about Marek's disease. Other causes.... parasites, other viruses, inner ear infections,etc. Good luck.

 

[quintinp]

yeah the ear infection could place him off balance

 

[chickenzoo]

Could be head injury, an illness, moldy food toxicity.... a few things...... If no legs are affected I would rule out Mareks for now. If no problem moving his head/ neck then less likely toxicity, could be swelling in the head from injury or encephalitis. Vitamin E, poultry vitamin perhaps a steroid may help if their is swelling... but 3 weeks is a long time.

When was he last womed, as sometimes a heavy parasite load can cause off balance, weakness, off gait etc....

 

[peep2]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and thoughts.

With regards to 'deworming', I have not dewormed any of the chickens that I have although I do have the dewormer. Today we placed the rooster out in the grass and observed him. He sits, but tends to favour one side, when we picked him up to have a closer look his one leg seems to quiver. It seems that he is favouring his right leg, and that I believe has something to do with his inability to be stable. Oddly enough though at one point in time he actually got up and did it a bit of a run - didn't get far and seemed to sit back down. At one point he fell over to his side, and stretched his leg out. I have gently felt both legs, one seems to be a bit larger then the other but not that much larger. Can roosters sprain their legs? Could that be why he has loss of balance?

 

[CrzyChicLady]

I have a rooster who went through the same "stage". I could walk up to him and give him a little shove and he would practically fall over. He got better before too long and now he's a big ol' meany again! Good luck with your roo, I'm sure he'll be fine, roos are tough! Don't worry too much.