Sick Rooster

[teamsunbelt]

I think I have a case of Mareks, but I am not sure. I have looked through the other posts, and it seems to add up. Another opinion or 12 would help.

I have a rooster, about 6-8 months old, large fowl, who has come down with something. He was fine last week, not good this week from about Thursday. He is limping, feathers drooping, loosing weight and generally not active. He is also pooping green water, no solids. He comes down from the coop, and then goes back. He has not crowed in a week. He has no interest in the hens. Little interest in treats.

The very bothersome thing is that this happened to another rooster, from the same line, about 2 months ago. They were the same age brood mates. I had to put him down. Once he got too week to stand, he did not get back up.

Very open coop. Free range. No other health issues in all the other chickens. I have given him a few days of anti-biotics and some Liquid Drench. I also gave him some Rooster Booster today.

My intent is to figure out what this may be, Mareks or not. Also, is there a cure? Is he a carrier? Should I put him down now?

 

[seminolewind]

Hi, sorry your roo is sick. Roos look so pathetic when they're sick.

It could be Marek's, possibly the wasting kind. When they poop green it's usually the end is near. And he could have been wasting over the past month or two, and it wasn't noticed because they look like they're eating..

The only way to know for sure is to send the dead body to a state animal lab.

Aside from symptoms, you need a flock history. Has any chicken in your flock been in contact with other chickens before coming to you, or bought as an adult, or any new chickens other than day old hatchery chicks or your own hatched chicks? Marek's needs to be carried in most likely by a chicken.

I lost a young adult every few months, wasting away. I traced it back to the only chicken I ever bought , at a swap. The rest of my chickens had been hatched right here at home. So I knew who brought it in.

If it is, then your flock is already exposed, and isolating the sick one is not going to do much good. And only several of mine died. Until I hatched eggs that I bought and they all died of Marek's one by one.

 

[TeamChaos]

This might be a long shot, but since the two roosters were related and the rest of your flock is healthy, I wonder if there's a genetic component to this- how is he doing?

 

[teamsunbelt]

It could very well be genetic.

He had one brood mate that had a bad leg, the breeder did not sell me that one. It died within a few months. I also hatched out a couple from some eggs I got from them. I had one of those develop a bad leg problem, had to cull it at about 2 months. The other rooster was out of the same hen and rooster, same hatch. Besides a little respiratory deal that I finally knocked out, no other chickens have been sick or unhealthy. I have bought some as chicks and some I hatched out.

My next concern would be the three hens that I have from the same stock.

As of tonight, he looks the same. I will give him until friday before I pull him out in this condition. If he gets worse I will cull him. I do not want to see him suffer. He will get some more Rooster Booster as well, to see if we can get him up.

 

[seminolewind]

It may be genetic, and maybe only the roos get it.

 

[Lacy Blues]

See if he'll eat some yogurt... plain and unsweetened. It will do wonders for him if its not too late.

Regarding the girls, I'd say breed them and really watch their sons. It seems that the girls pass to the sons and the boys pass to the daughters.

 

[teamsunbelt]

End of story...

Rooster lostI his fight. I tried a few different anti-biotics, some vitamins and treats. After discussions on here, I have decided that this must be Mareks, passed on from a hen that the breeder had. I know of 4 younger chicks who came down with some kind of leg disorder that lead to their death or being culled. I lost both Roosters from this batch. No hens have ever showed any signs. I let the other rooster go longer than this one. Once this one got to the point he would not stand, I had to cull him. Did not want to see him suffer knowing the outcome. My daughter was crushed, but understood. Now to find a different rooster.