Rooster down

[goatkeepers]

I know its been a while since I posted and I hate that my first post back is an "emergency" one.

But I just went to feed everyone and when I fed the 5 1/2 month old BLRWs I realized that one of the roos was laying down and couldn't get up. There is two roos and one hen in there and they are all 5 1/2 months old. I hatched them from eggs and had to help one roo out, could this be the one?

Anyways, hubby helped me to get him out of the pen and we checked him over-- there seems to be nothing wrong with him! Except that he can't get up. He is laying on his right side and kicks his legs but can't right himself.

He is eating and drinking fine.. When I picked him up I noticed that he is pretty skinny. Could the other roo be bullying him? I need to sell one; just hadn't gotten around to it.... They were all fine this morning when I fed...

Thanks so much for any help!

Nina

 

[goatkeepers]

Please help!

ANY suggestions welcome! I am just dumb-founded, because there's nothing externally we can find that's wrong with him.

 

[WriterofWords]

I don't know what to tell you, I hope someone does. What does he do if you hold him up on his legs? Do his legs collapse under him? Do his legs seems strong but it's a back problem?

 

[birdlover]

I wish I could give you advice, too, but am also in the dark. I doubt that it is related to helping him out of his shell. If he is skinny, I would guess - yes, the other rooster is bullying him. Anyway, for tonight, bring him in the house where it's warm and give him food and water. It's possible he could just be weak from not enough food?

 

[goatkeepers]

Thanks you two, it's just so weird. Driving me crazy because there's nothing wrong with him that we can see.

When we tried to stand him up, both his legs seemed strong. He stood when dh supported him, but as soon as he let go, the rooster fell back over on his right side. And he still is kicking his legs, like he is trying to right himself, but can't....

 

[birdlover]

Bring him in the house, put him in a cardboard box or some other type of box and help him stay in the right position by propping him up with towels. Put water and food for him to eat. See how he is in the morning. If you can, offer him hard boiled egg yolk, plain yogurt with oats in it, maybe some fruit like apple sauce or grapes. These are all things I give my chickens when they're sick. They usually gobble them up. You can put mash in the apple sauce or yogurt, too. Let us know how he's doing. There is also a possibility that he may have injured himself OR has the beginnings of mareks disease (pray it's not that!).