sick rooster, please help!

[busymama11]

not sure what is going on. He's a cuckoo maran, 16-18 weeks old. About a week ago my mother in law left me a note that he was acting funny, that is all it said. I checked on him and he was fine has been fine for days. She said he was stumbling around and couldn't keep his balance. Today he started stumbling again, but she didn't tell me. I went out a little wile ago and he's laying on the ground, kinda on his side with his legs sticking out and toes slightly curled. I pulled him out of the tractor and put him in a cage by himself with a pan of feed and water with apple cider vinegar in it. He is eating like crazy, he feels way too light to me like he's not getting enough to eat but he LOOKS huge. What could it be? Years ago when we had chickens I lost quite a few due to similar symptoms and we never knew what it was. Theirs was laying on their side, legs sticking out, paralysis of the legs and bluish/purple tinted combs, but they were probably 10-20 weeks older than these birds. We gave up for a few years after that and just got back into it again.

 

[Tilly's Nest]

So sorry to hear this. Sounds like it might be a neurological problem...

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm so sorry, I'm new to all this but I'm going to bump your thread in the hope that someone with some knowledge will see it.

 

[seminolewind]

If you lost quite a few to this a few years ago, the virus can still be in the ground. With the symptoms and history of your previous flock, you'll have to think of Marek's virus as a possibility. The chickens may seem a bit old for Marek's but there are no rules with this virus. You may want to try some vitamins, some people have chickens with a vitamin deficiency.

 

[leadwolf1]

I am thinking that what you are dealing with is Marek's Disease. The virus can stay alive in the soil for up to 7 years. How long ago did you have chickens on your property? I would suggest euthanizing and having a necropsy done so that you will know for sure what you are dealing with. You can contact your local government extension office and they will direct you to a state lab.

If you want, you can try this vitamin therapy. If it is a vitamin deficiency, this will help. If he doesn't show signs of improvement in 2 weeks or, gets worse then, please have a necropsy done.

.5 mls poly vi sol, without iron, once daily
400 ius vitamin E twice daily

Good luck with your rooster, I hope the vitamins do the trick!

 

[busymama11]

yes, marek's is definitely in the back of my mind. the thing is, where his tractor is located is not on the ground my other chickens were 4 years ago. what about botulism? it is another thing i've come across that could lead to paralysis of legs. i'm not really sure what either looks like though. currently he and his little flock are in a moveable tractor in our garden ontop of where the cucumber patch was.

 

[leadwolf1]

Marek's is in the dander of chickens. It blows around with the wind. I wouldn't think that any of your lawn would be safe. Since the symptoms are the same as your previous chickens, I would say that you are dealing with the same thing. Of course, this is just my best guess. I've never had a problem with botulism. Have they eaten anything moldy?

 

[busymama11]

If he got something moldy it would have to be from within the feeder that I cant see (i currently have them out for a good cleaning just in case) OR we missed an old cucumber or something on the ground. Today he has been up standing normally. We have him in a rabbit hutch away from everyone else. We have 35 chickens on the property and he is the only one exhibiting any symptoms. His temperment seems normal, another hen (one we can't keep in a fence for anything) did find her way up to his cage and they had an interesting "conversation", lol. this is frustrating to say the least.