Rooster can’t stand

[Kaiyafitness]

Hi everyone I hope it’s okay that I’m reposting this with some more info as I’d really appreciate some guidance and if there is any hope for my rooster at all.


I have a silkie rooster, about 10 months old I think, who has recently had a few issues. It started out I noticed when he was eating his food with the other chickens he would kind of lay down, but then he was happy to run around and be normal, within a few days he became a bit more lame, and then one day very quickly declined and was losing balance, kept falling
over, so I got him inside and isolated him.
I’ve had deaths caused by worms in my Flock in the past so it was the first thing I had suspected, quickly after isolating him I noticed there were live worms in his poo, so I gave him the correct dosage of ivermectin. About 24 hours after I wormed him I let him into an isolated area to have a peck around and be in the sun and he seemed to have improved a lot, was crowing and walking around (eating/ drinking normally), and checked his poo which had dead worms in. I continued to isolate him and for 3 days he was quickly improving and almost got to normal and then within the space of a few hours just rapidly declined and I found him laying on his side unable to properly walk. I kept him inside from here on. Now today (about 3 days after this happened) he is unable to walk, when he does try he falls over and lays to his side (often with a wing out), he can stand still though. After doing some research I suspected it could be a vitamin deficiency maybe caused by the worms? Since then I have been using polyaid plus and vitamin complex via syringe and water, 2 times a day and also encouraging him to eat (which he will eat a lot)

update after 9 days when this began: he is still isolated and he eats and drinks really well, I’ve been giving him vitamins, egg and chook food everyday. There seems to be no improvement at all, he can no longer stand on his two feet and he just falls to one side, he can however move his legs perfectly normal (kicking for example). I also noticed he has quite a bad lice infestation, which I’ve began treating with diatomaceous earth.

I’ve been doing a lot of research and the thing that always comes up is of course mareks, but if there’s any other possibility of something like a vitamin deficiency I want to at least give him a chance which I have been doing but need to consider his quality of life. Does anyone know how long it can take a chicken to recover from a vitamin deficiency? And if the worms and lice are what could’ve caused it? Also I did make him a chicken sling so he could be more comfortable but he wasn’t a fan

Please could someone guide me in the right direction of his care, I’d appreciate any advice and thoughts ! Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve had deaths caused by worms in my Flock in the past so it was the first thing I had suspected, quickly after isolating him I noticed there were live worms in his poo, so I gave him the correct dosage of ivermectin.

checked his poo which had dead worms in. I continued to isolate him and for 3 days he was quickly improving and almost got to normal and then within the space of a few hours just rapidly declined and I found him laying on his side unable to properly walk. I kept him inside from here on. Now today (about 3 days after this happened) he is unable to walk, when he does try he falls over and lays to his side (often with a wing out), he can stand still though. After doing some research I suspected it could be a vitamin deficiency maybe caused by the worms?

update after 9 days when this began: he is still isolated and he eats and drinks really well, I’ve been giving him vitamins, egg and chook food everyday. There seems to be no improvement at all, he can no longer stand on his two feet and he just falls to one side,

I also noticed he has quite a bad lice infestation, which I’ve began treating with diatomaceous earth.

I’ve been doing a lot of research and the thing that always comes up is of course mareks, but if there’s any other possibility of something like a vitamin deficiency I want to at least give him a chance

Sorry about your cockerel.
Here's your other thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-unable-to-walk.1494330/#post-24931819

I too would consider Marek's. Birds can still flap wings and have movement with Marek's disease.

Where are you located in the world?

You de-wormed with Ivermectin, have you given the follow up dose? Was it roundworms that you saw?

You have been giving Poly Aid which does contain a variety of vitamins, electrolytes, etc.
After 9 days, I would think you would see improvement if it were a vitamin deficiency...

You dosed him with Ivermectin and he's got lice? Have you followed up with the second dose? Ivermectin should be effective against lice/mites - it's not that good of a de-wormer anymore.

DE is not going to get rid of the lice if the Ivermectin didn't. Find a permethrin based bird/poultry spray or ask your vet to give you something.
A fecal float will reveal if the worms are taken care of - it they aren't then use Fenbendazole, Albendazole, Flubendazole...etc. to de-worm him.

Take him off the electrolytes - those are not for long term use. Get some human Vitamin E (400IU) and B-Complex (1/4 tablet) daily.

Quality of life does have to be considered. I'm sorry you're facing this.

 

[Kaiyafitness]

Sorry about your cockerel.
Here's your other thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-unable-to-walk.1494330/#post-24931819

I too would consider Marek's. Birds can still flap wings and have movement with Marek's disease.

Where are you located in the world?

You de-wormed with Ivermectin, have you given the follow up dose? Was it roundworms that you saw?

You have been giving Poly Aid which does contain a variety of vitamins, electrolytes, etc.
After 9 days, I would think you would see improvement if it were a vitamin deficiency...

You dosed him with Ivermectin and he's got lice? Have you followed up with the second dose? Ivermectin should be effective against lice/mites - it's not that good of a de-wormer anymore.

DE is not going to get rid of the lice if the Ivermectin didn't. Find a permethrin based bird/poultry spray or ask your vet to give you something.
A fecal float will reveal if the worms are taken care of - it they aren't then use Fenbendazole, Albendazole, Flubendazole...etc. to de-worm him.

Take him off the electrolytes - those are not for long term use. Get some human Vitamin E (400IU) and B-Complex (1/4 tablet) daily.

Quality of life does have to be considered. I'm sorry you're facing this.

Thank you very much for your response.
I am located in Auckland New Zealand.
I’m giving him his second dose of wormer tomorrow because i read it should be 10 days after the intial dose.
I have been checking his poo and cannot see any worms which is good, but the ivermectin hasn’t taken care of the lice, I will try get my hands on the spray for the lice! As well as try your other recommendations! Thank you for your help

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you very much for your response.
I am located in Auckland New Zealand.
I’m giving him his second dose of wormer tomorrow because i read it should be 10 days after the intial dose.
I have been checking his poo and cannot see any worms which is good, but the ivermectin hasn’t taken care of the lice, I will try get my hands on the spray for the lice! As well as try your other recommendations! Thank you for your help

Yes, I would follow up with the Ivermectin. Interesting it hasn't taken care of the lice. Are you treating his housing/where he sleeps with the DE or some type of louse/mite powder? If not, then you will want to do that too.

I would try the vitamin therapy to see if that helps. The Poly Aid looks like a good product, but it may not have sufficient amounts of E and B1, B2 in it to see a lot of difference - this is why I suggest getting the human vitamins. Plus he doesn't needs all the extra sodium and calcium that goes along with the electrolytes. Electrolytes are meant for short term ( a few days).

After you finish with the Ivermectin - give him some buttermilk with white cooked rice for a few days to help sooth the intestines.