Rooster needs help!

Hrg73

In the Brooder
May 7, 2022
16
42
43
Hello. New member to BYC, thank you for accepting me! We started off with 7 chickens, 6 hens and one rooster about five years ago. Not sure if their actual age because they were given to us full grown. Over the years we’ve lost some due to predators or unknown causes. We are now down to one hen (Pumpkin) and our rooster (Mister). Over the last winter they became infested with lice/mites which we treated (several times now) with elector psp. Mister, during this time started have spasm like seizures. They start out with him lowering his head, spreading his wings then jerking his feet and head, at times very aggressively. Often ending up on his back. He’s losing his feathers, has a rash that I’ve been treating with neosporin and vetericyn spray. After hours of research it seems to me like it’s a vitamin b12 deficiency. He’s been given nutri- drench and rooster booster, scrambled eggs, beef liver, dark salad greens. I’ve been keeping him on the porch in a box with a heat lamp due to his feathers loss. Last night was the first night that I didn’t find him on his back every time I checked on him. He’s still having the fits throughout the day though. Is he improving or am I kidding myself? He also has a bumblefoot which I’m treating to treat but it’s difficult to soak him because of his spasms. My husband said we should have put him down weeks ago but I hate the thought of it being something that I just haven’t tried. Any advice would be appreciated. Also, he has a great appetite, drinking lots of water and poops seem to be normal. I just don’t feel like he’s dying, I feel like I’m failing him 💔😢 I have a video but don’t know how to upload it.
 
Welcome To BYC

Can you please post some photos of your rooster, the bumblefoot, his poop and the rash?
A video of his actions may also be helpful. Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

Are the mites/lice gone or is there still an infestation?

What were you feeding before all this happened?

I would feed a nutritionally balanced poultry feed like all flock or chick starter. Giving the eggs, liver, etc. as a treat.

Some of this sounds neurological, so I would give him 400IU Vitamin E and 1/2 tablet B-Complex daily.
You are thinking B12 (Cobalamin) deficiency...I don't see Cobalamin in Poultry Nutridrench, it is in Poultry Cell. So...I would give B-Complex which should have B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12, that way you are covered.

See that he's drinking well and eating.

When we get more info and photos, hopefully we can make more suggestions.
 
Welcome To BYC

Can you please post some photos of your rooster, the bumblefoot, his poop and the rash?
A video of his actions may also be helpful. Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

Are the mites/lice gone or is there still an infestation?

What were you feeding before all this happened?

I would feed a nutritionally balanced poultry feed like all flock or chick starter. Giving the eggs, liver, etc. as a treat.

Some of this sounds neurological, so I would give him 400IU Vitamin E and 1/2 tablet B-Complex daily.
You are thinking B12 (Cobalamin) deficiency...I don't see Cobalamin in Poultry Nutridrench, it is in Poultry Cell. So...I would give B-Complex which should have B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12, that way you are covered.

See that he's drinking well and eating.

When we get more info and photos, hopefully we can make more suggestions.
Thank you. I’ve never uploaded a video to YouTube, so that may take me a minute to figure out. I’m feeding them a mix of cracked corn, feather fixer and scratch grains, primarily. He has a healthy appetite! I don’t see any mites/ lice at all. Is the b complex a human supplement or chicken?
 

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You have more photos and video on the other thread. They can be found here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-needs-help.1525227/post-25694463

The actions look neurological. I would get him on some vitamin therapy to see if that helps.
He's a big guy, so for the first 2-3 weeks I would start with 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex twice a day, then taper down to just once a day for several more weeks.
A treat of egg or tuna once a day will help with the uptake of E.
(Yes, the B-Complex and E are both human vitamins that you can order online, pick up at WalMart/CVS, etc. )

No lice or mites on him now right? What about the inside of his ears? Any infection, pus or debris?

If possible, get a fecal float to see if worms are a contributing factor to some of his other problems, but the flipping about onto the back, is neurological to me.

I would cut back on scratch grains, corn and focus on him eating the nutritionally balanced feed (feather fixer). Egg, fish or meat can be given to help give him a protein boost.
 

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