I have searched and searched the forums and the 'net before finally deciding to write it up, because I can't find anyone describing my rooster's exact issue.
He is an adolescent Rhode Island Red (assumed adolescent, he hasn't found his voice yet and his black and green tail feathers are only now about four inches long or so, so he's not very old).
I got him from a farmer who had let his coop get overrun with too many birds. When I got him, (and some hens also) they had all had their feathers pecked out, and the usual you find in a coop with too many birds. They still don't mingle with my original hens, but they all tolerate each other with no more pecking or feather pulling (or at least nothing bad anyway). Anyway, I've had them all for about two to three months now, no issues, all got their feathers back, healthy, get out all day long and run around my farm.
Just two weeks ago I had noticed my roo was slightly limping, but didn't seem to impede him. Then he disappeared. We went out looking for him and found him bedded down in a fence row in our back field. He didn't want to walk, and when he stands, he stands on his toes, and then gets real shaky. He will then plop down like he's roosting, but after a little while he will lean forward a bit, put his tail high up in the air and his head down on the ground, and lift himself up in almost a standing position while keeping head down on the ground and tail up. (Makes me think of how a cat will do the same when either in heat or when you pet the base of their tail.)
I have brought him in in a large tote with blankets and food and water. He is eating very good, drinking good, and his droppings look normal. I have washed his legs and feet to make sure there are no injuries. There are no scales, no sores, no swelling, nothing that I can find at all wrong with his legs.
He will get up and walk a little bit, but he wants to walk on his toes only instead of flat footed and then after a few minutes he has to throw his wings out to balance himself, then he'll just plop back down and start the process all over again.
Like I said, he seems healthy otherwise, beautiful shiny feathers, eyes are good and clear, no discharge or sneezing, just nothing that I can find physically that would account for his symptoms. If someone could point me in the right direction, that would be great. He's our only roo for our 11 hens and we've gotten kind of attached to him. I can send a short video of what he does if anyone wants to see his actions for more clarification.
He is an adolescent Rhode Island Red (assumed adolescent, he hasn't found his voice yet and his black and green tail feathers are only now about four inches long or so, so he's not very old).
I got him from a farmer who had let his coop get overrun with too many birds. When I got him, (and some hens also) they had all had their feathers pecked out, and the usual you find in a coop with too many birds. They still don't mingle with my original hens, but they all tolerate each other with no more pecking or feather pulling (or at least nothing bad anyway). Anyway, I've had them all for about two to three months now, no issues, all got their feathers back, healthy, get out all day long and run around my farm.
Just two weeks ago I had noticed my roo was slightly limping, but didn't seem to impede him. Then he disappeared. We went out looking for him and found him bedded down in a fence row in our back field. He didn't want to walk, and when he stands, he stands on his toes, and then gets real shaky. He will then plop down like he's roosting, but after a little while he will lean forward a bit, put his tail high up in the air and his head down on the ground, and lift himself up in almost a standing position while keeping head down on the ground and tail up. (Makes me think of how a cat will do the same when either in heat or when you pet the base of their tail.)
I have brought him in in a large tote with blankets and food and water. He is eating very good, drinking good, and his droppings look normal. I have washed his legs and feet to make sure there are no injuries. There are no scales, no sores, no swelling, nothing that I can find at all wrong with his legs.
He will get up and walk a little bit, but he wants to walk on his toes only instead of flat footed and then after a few minutes he has to throw his wings out to balance himself, then he'll just plop back down and start the process all over again.
Like I said, he seems healthy otherwise, beautiful shiny feathers, eyes are good and clear, no discharge or sneezing, just nothing that I can find physically that would account for his symptoms. If someone could point me in the right direction, that would be great. He's our only roo for our 11 hens and we've gotten kind of attached to him. I can send a short video of what he does if anyone wants to see his actions for more clarification.
