Our big BR rooster had been in excellent health for four years, then he started to fall over on occasion. He'd squawk, do a little "break dancing," then get up like nothing happened. He'd crow just like always, eat and drink normally and bed down with the girls in the coop at a night. We figured they were seizures and searched the Internet for information. I found that chickens can have seizures, which don't tend to be serious as long as they're brief and aren't associated with an infectious disease. I checked his stools and they were normal; he eyes were clear with no discharge, and there was no evidence of physical trauma.
Unfortunately the seizures have been increasing in frequency and duration this month, and now he cannot stay upright for very long at all. As his legs go stiff he pushes back and "sits," then rolls completely over on his back and stays that way for a long time, sometimes 45 minutes to an hour. He blinks during these events, and usually one of his legs is extended and the other one is bent in a more natural position.
Last night was the second night that he couldn't make it into the coop. The first night I put him in a dog cage and set it inside the secure run. The next morning I opened the cage and he was still lying on his back, but after an hour or so he got up on his own, walked outside and drank some water. But soon after he started having seizures again. He ate some scratch with the hens and seemed OK until the next seizure. Last night I had to place him in the cage again, and this morning he's still on his back, hasn't made any sound, and his right leg is extended and quivering. That's no way to live, and I seriously doubt he'll be able to get up at all today.
I'm afraid I need to put him down, but it's very difficult to decide the quickest and most humane way, and I don't want to do it in front of the hens. I'm open to suggestions.
