Rooster unable to stand

[Avyron]

I have an about three year old salmon faverolle roo who.. about a week ago seemed to get quiet. Now he's not a mad crowing type. And will have days where he just isn't that noisy so this didn't really mean anything to me. But five days ago I found him sitting on the floor alone rather than on the roost or with the hens. When I put food in he got up, seemed to have a limp but ate and carried on as normal. I checked his leg and body but couldnt find anything wrong. Since he seemed happy and well I assumed he had hurt his leg and just decided to keep an eye on it.

The next day he was on the floor and the limp was worse. He was wheezing and had dark tips to his comb. One of his eyes was sticky and sealed shut. I brought him indoors into a large rabbit cage and gave him food and water. He could stand and hobble and the darkness went away. His comb returned to red within an hour of being indoors.

The next morning he could no longer get up and walk. But he opened his eye and looked alert. He had soiled his feathers from laying so I bathed him (also using the wetness to give him an even more thorough look over) and I found lice on him.

Since then his... eating and alertness seems to be improving. This morning he clucked at me for the first time in a week. He's had a poo sample sent off that has come back clear. He has no apparent injury.. and seems healthier but still cannot get up and stand. His comb is red. No wheezing and sitting up.

I've treated him with ivermectin, apple cider vinegar in his water and vitamins B etc should be arriving tomorrow.

Does anyone have any clue? ? I've checked my girls and can't even find a single louse on any of them but I've treated them all I'm case.

Atm I'm just keeping him inside, clearing the poop from beneath him several times a day and keeping the food and water under his nose.

Top standing pic is when I first brought him in after his comb went red: Laying and face pic are him today. He has always, since I first got him, plucked out his own beard.

 

[Hazelbunny]

That's a beautiful rooster maybe he was the first to get lice or the lice like him best. Maybe they are mites my chickens got mites and the mites only attacked two of my hens. 8 hope you find out what's wrong.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you seeing the white clumps of lice eggs at the bases of his feathers? What are you using to treat them? Permethrin dust or the 10% liquid is very good, and kills on contact. The lice will need to be retreated in 10 days to get newly hatched eggs.
It sounds like he has a respiratory infection, and possibly an injury. Mareks disease might be possible, but hopefully not. Does he have any swelling on either ankle or hock joint, or any scabs on his footpads? The wheezing could be causing his dark comb tips. Does he have any sneezing, cough, or any drainage from eyes or nostrils? I have a SF roo and hen, and mine are heavy and tend to crash onto the floor, even from low roosts.

 

[Avyron]

I can't remember the actual name but I have a lice powder hopefully also coming tomorrow for him. I haven't actually seen eggs.. but I've physically seen the lice moving around. Since bath and ivermectin most seem dead but I still see moving ones.

He has no swelling, scabs or shows any pain or discomfort now. In fact he looks healthy! there's no wheezing anymore and he's alert and sitting up. He just can't stand. If I lift him.. his feet move and respond but he just won't bear any weight and sinks straight down again. Baffled lol.

 

[Avyron]

Oh and his eyes etc are all clear. .. literally he just looks normal.. bar the silence and not standing

 

[Eggcessive]

You might want to Google chicken slings in case you would want to make one. They are getting the chicken upright and out of their droppings, and you can place food and water in front of him. Can you examine him at some point and see if he can move both legs and toes? Does it seem that one leg is weaker than the other?

 

[Avyron]

I actually had considered slings.. but I'll look into that again.

It started on his left leg and still seems to be left more than right. Both legs more and toes will curl round my fingers. He won't flatten his left foot out to stand.. and just a bit more with right. First couple of days right was normal

 

[Hazelbunny]

Both legs more and toes will curl round my fingers. He won't flatten his left foot out to stand..

Does he have a black spot on his Foot? If bumble foot gets bad enough it can stop chickens from walking. That's most likely not the issue but I just wanted to ask.

 

[Avyron]

Nothing there at all. The scales look harder than they should be on his legs so I've worked paraffin into them in case of mites or any other nasties (plus the treatment)

 

[Hazelbunny]

Nothing there at all. The scales look harder than they should be on his legs so I've worked paraffin into them in case of mites or any other nasties (plus the treatment)

Very strange I have never heard of anything like was your roo has... I hope you find out what's wrong.