Rooster cannot stand up

[atief1253]

I'm wondering if someone can help me. Yesterday my rooster was on his side, could not get up, he walked backwards very well but fell when going frontwards. I isolated him and he has been laying on his side all day with food and water. He just can't get up. He's 8 months old. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm going nuts trying to find an answer for him. Could he have sprained or broken his leg? I hate to lose him, he is such a sweet little guy. I just checked on him and he is still on his side sleeping for the night. I need advice. Thanks.

 

[azygous]

If it came on all of a sudden, if you can rule out pesticide poisoning, it could be a temporary vitamin E or B-1 deficiency. Giving him those vitamins and seeing if he returns to normal would then rule out Marek's.

Marek's is one possibility.

Have you noticed any grey or greenish bruising on the legs? Any swelling that might point to a broken leg or sprain?

Has the roo been foraging where there might be poison mushrooms?

 

[atief1253]

no bruising, no swelling, doesn't cry when I move his legs, poops look fine, no poisonous anything on our property. all the hens are fine. No pesticides in our yard. Besides the other hens could get pesticides too since they all congregate in the same place. Kind of nervous about vitamins - what if I make him worse? Need to go buy some.

 

[azygous]

Pick up some selenium while you are at it. None of these vitamins are toxic and are trace elements in all food. Sometimes for no good reason a chicken will have an imbalance of vitamins and being the delicate creatures they are, it can result in neurological symptoms. With vitamins, they disappear as quickly as they came on.

One vitamin E 400iu per day, one vitamin B1 or if you can't find B1 get B complex. And just a half a tab of selenium.

If this doesn't work, suspect Marek's.

 

[atief1253]

how long should he take them? I can't go until tomorrow so hopefully he will still be okay tomorrow.

 

[azygous]

Probably a week, no longer than two weeks. They should work by then and he'll be over this thing. If they don't work, then it's not a vitamin problem. But he's young. And this sort of thing happens with young chickens. They recover and it never happens again.

But it could be Marek's. Have you had your chicks vaccinated against it?

 

[atief1253]

the person I bought him from said she vaccinates all her birds. She may take him back and give me another. He has had too many problems for an eight month old rooster. He is such a sweetie.

 

[atief1253]

thanks for all your advice. I'll remember for the future.