Rooster started limping and now he won't move

[Fair Wheaten]

Yesterday afternoon I noticed that our Cucoo Marans/Americauna rooster was nesting in the lawn. It was really odd, he never nests even when all of the hens are resting...and in the lawn? I went out to check on them, and he just sat there looking at me. I threw some scratch to see if that would get him moving, and he still just sat there. He let me get right down next to him and didn't move until I tried to touch him. When he got up, he was limping really bad, but there are no signs of any type of injury.

It started snowing and I was just about to go out and move him when I noticed he wasn't there anymore, he had moved to the covered porch. When I put a pile of scratch in front of him, he freaked out! But he never stood up and his wings were flaping around like they were broken. I went out later to put him in the coop, and had managed to make it in on his own, but he is nesting on the floor of the coop and never did get on the roost last night.

The coop is really clean. We keep the manure and junk contained and clean it regularly. Which I'm really glad for since he's nesting on the ground. The spot he's using has really clean straw, and the food and water is right there by him. He's alert, or seems to be, but he won't get up and move around at all. All of the hens are out and about, and he's still on the floor of the coop.

I'm going to try and really inspect him when my husband gets home, and I'll post some pictures then as well...but there isn't much to see as far as I can tell. His posture has been droopy, if that helps.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on?

EDIT: Well, the Colonel is dead. I checked him out, and there are no injuries! I have no idea what happened, but the rest of the flock seems fine. I half way wonder if he got into the Oleander.

 

[katrinag]

Seperate him from the rest of the flock ASAP. You can put him in a dog kennel or a larger box. Check for lice/mites. Look for any injury.

 

[ruth]

I'm so sorry you lost him. Do you have other roos that might have attacked him? I recently had several older roos jump on a young one and kill him. If I hadn't seen it myself I would have never known what happened to him. Same symptoms as yours - after I got the others off him - he limped around a bit and then started becoming lethargic. I separated him but he died a few hours later. Didn't have a mark on him but I saw at least three 15 pound roosters jumping on his back. And today I separated a huge black orp roo that is limping terribly and I know he too got in a fight with the others a few days ago. They jump on one anothers back and cause internal injuries and injuries to legs. Isolation will help him heal.

 

[katrinag]

Sorry he passed.

 

[nzpouter]

if in doubt, take him in for necropsy, just in case it is something contageous.

 

[Fair Wheaten]

Thanks for all the reply's guys! He was our only roo, our flock size was only 9 total...but now I need another one! He was such a good roo too, great with the hens, great with the kids...not a mean bone in his body, but very protective...he'd even chase off the cat's if they got too close. I just don't know what disease would have acted that quickly!

None of the hens are displaying any symptoms at all...except walking around looking for The Colonel and getting in squawking competitions! No eggs today, but if something did get a hold of him and cause some internal damage, that could have been distressing for the hens. That's the only thing I really think could have happened. They all eat the same things, chicken feed and they free range all over the yard. My only other concern is that someone may have poisoned him. We're getting more and more neighbors and becoming less and less rural around here, and since he was the only one affected, I can't help but wonder...

Thanks again everyone!

 

[dixiechick]

The exact same symptoms happened to our roo,Elvis (see avatar). We took him to the vet and she suspected Botulism. She suspected a build up of bacteria in his liver from exposure to mold (living in FL, feed will mildew in a hurry) He died on the way home.

I am SO sorry for your loss.

 

[jjthink]

So sad - I'm sorry.
JJ