Sick roo

[brownysfp]

Speckled Sussex, approx 1 year old.

Symptoms: Head-shaking, loss of balance, sitting back on "haunches"; after handling, unable to get up for a while, lies on side but head up and looking around.

Bird is clear-eyed, alert and eating well; comb and wattles red and undamaged.
No discharges, nasal or otherwise; feathers are clean with no loss: no mites or ticks found.

Birds receive vitamins and have been wormed. Diet is cereal (wheat, corn), whatever they forage and occasional treats.
No other birds (another roo, four hens) affected.

 

[Eggcessive]

Head shaking can be a sign of a respiratory disease, an ear infection, or ear mites. I would look into the ears and use a QTip to see if there is any discharge. Was your chicken vaccinated for Mareks disease? Some of the symptoms sound neurological in nature, so I would continue vitamins, observe, and check the ears. Mareks disease can cause some of the symptoms, but it can only be diagnosed with a necropsy, or a blood test. Poisoning could also be considered as a possibility. Here are some links to read about Mareks:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Marek's_Disease

 

[brownysfp]

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll follow them up and post later.

 

[brownysfp]

OK, a bit of a delay in replying...
The only sign that anything was/could be wrong is a slight droop to the left wing. There is no loss of balance anymore, no head-shaking.
He continues to be very alert: eyes are bright, plumage is very clean, he has an appetite; he pays attention to the hens but has no mating rights being second roo. Repeated checks found no mites, ticks, fleas, wounds or discharge.
He lives in a mixed flock: aside from the five other chickens, there are a pair of peacocks, a trio of turkeys and a trio of alpine goats.
There is plenty of room and roosts are separated by species.The male goat isn't concerned with mere fowl but the girls are a pair of thugs.
Could he have sustained a blow to the head, a butt perhaps? You can see straws being grasped here and it's my least favourite option.
We did up the wheat ration in case it was a vitamin deficiency, that's the only change.