Rooster with severe coordination/balance issues

[Weeg]

Overdue update:
Since the last posts I have separated him and have been giving 1.5ml of liquid vitamin E I had on hand daily. I chose this dose based off the strength of Vitamin E listed on the bottle. Aiming for 400IU which is a dosage I saw on another thread. Plus 1ml of B12.

He was starting to do better, slowly but surely, but he got way worse in the last few days. To the point where I didn’t think he’d survive the day. He can’t stand at all, and scoots/flails around when he tries to move, but he does move around. I found him yesterday morning laying on his side and I thought he was dead. He wasn’t, but I almost euthanized him. He was sitting upright yesterday afternoon and hasn’t given up, so I’m holding out. I’ve tried to prop him upright in front of food and water and keep him comfortable.
He’s barely eating. I think he ate a little bit of egg with Vitamin E and B12 yesterday, but I’m not certain. He’s very thin.

I guess I’m wondering how I move forward at this point. What else can I do for him, and what is my next step? If he’s not eating, how should I address that. I am willing to try tube feeding if anyone thinks that’s worth trying. Do you think there’s still hope he may recover? I can get videos, weight, and anything else tomorrow, I’m out of town for the rest of the day. I feel so bad for the poor guy. He’s 11 now, and our favorite rooster. We’ve gotten attached to the sweet guy over the years.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[Coops Dad]

11 is quite a run. He is an elder among old roosters. Given his symptoms, his response (or lack of response) to vits E and B, and his age... I'd be leaning towards ushering him into that great goodnight.

 

[MarlaMac]

He is beautiful; 11 is quite the run. I know this must be very hard for you. It would be for me. I pray if his destiny is chicken heaven that he passes quietly while surrounded by your reassuring voice.

 

[azygous]

Tube feeding will answer the question of whether his worsening weakness is due to this lengthy illness causing weight loss and lack of appetite. Sometimes, a chicken stops eating during an illness and becomes weak from starvation even though the chicken may be getting better on the illness part. Starvation symptoms include weakness, inability to stand and move around normally, and these paticular symptoms often respond quickly to flooding the chicken's system with nourishment.

In my practice when dealing with a sick chicken, I try to rule out obvious causes for the symptoms I see so all that is left are those symptoms directly caused by the disease.

Once I know that the chicken is presenting mostly symptoms directly related to the illness, then I assess progress, whether there is any that promise to take the chicken in the direction of healing. If there is no progress and I've tried all the treatments, then I will arrive at the decision to euthanize.

 

[Weeg]

Tube feeding will answer the question of whether his worsening weakness is due to this lengthy illness causing weight loss and lack of appetite. Sometimes, a chicken stops eating during an illness and becomes weak from starvation even though the chicken may be getting better on the illness part. Starvation symptoms include weakness, inability to stand and move around normally, and these paticular symptoms often respond quickly to flooding the chicken's system with nourishment.

In my practice when dealing with a sick chicken, I try to rule out obvious causes for the symptoms I see so all that is left are those symptoms directly caused by the disease.

Once I know that the chicken is presenting mostly symptoms directly related to the illness, then I assess progress, whether there is any that promise to take the chicken in the direction of healing. If there is no progress and I've tried all the treatments, then I will arrive at the decision to euthanize.

Okay, understandable.
So do you think it’s worth it to try tube feeding? He is an old boy, but the fact that he was getting better and still wants to fight has me a bit hopeful. I can grab the supplies on the way home today if that’s the route I need to take. I’m willing to give it a try.

 

[Weeg]

@casportpony, do you have any advice for how to move forward in this situation? If tube feeding is the next step, other than your articles which I am reading, do you have any advice on how to go about doing that?

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony, do you have any advice for how to move forward in this situation? If tube feeding is the next step, other than your articles which I am reading, do you have any advice on how to go about doing that?

Thanks for the tag. One can assume that all sick birds are dehydrated. I suggest following the steps here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/

 

[azygous]

I would definitely give tube feeding a try before giving up on him. As I said, he could be getting better but it's not apparent because of starvation causing him to be weak.

Tube feeding is easy once you get the tube into the esophagus and crop. Go into the right side of his beak with the tube, and direct it slightly under the tongue, keeping to the right and into the esophagus, then into the crop. Go slowly, warm the food, keep it to half a cup max. Photo below shows where the esophagus is.

 

[Weeg]

Thanks so much for all the help!! I got warm fluids with nutridrench and brought him inside. Let him hang out and warm up for a second while I got everything ready.

Took me a couple tries to be confident, but he was really good about it. I tubed 15ml of fluids and am leaving for an hour so he can start pooping, per @casportpony’s article. I’m not sure if that’s enough fluids, but I wasn’t confident with the other amounts I was finding so I just stayed within the 23ml range which is for food, and on the low side. I figured I can always give more if that’s not enough.

I have Kaytee to give him in and hour, and I’ll put his Vitamin E and B12 in that mix as well.

Thanks so much for the help guys! I’m feeling really good about this right now.

 

[Weeg]

Question, if he hasn’t pooped by the hour and a half mark, is it okay to just go ahead and give super moistened Kaytee formula? I really want to get food in him tonight. I won’t be able to tube him again until 3:30 tomorrow, so I’d like to get food in him before then.