Suddenly Lame Rooster

[onyx2011]

On 5/5, I returned from being out of the country for 10 days as I studied abroad! It was a fun time but I was excited to be back and to be honest, I was getting concerned as I'm the main chicken lady at home and was worried about my flock! They were all sleeping peacefully when I returned home, but the next day when I released them from the coop into the run, Sagittarius was laying on the floor. He got up and stumbled around, as if trying to use his wings like they were arms.

I instantly panicked and thought it might be Marek's but figured that if it was, there's not much I can do besides keep an eye out. I gave him electrolytes in an attempt to help, but I figured he'd be dead the next day. My first rooster died of Marek's, and he died quickly, within 48 hours. It's been over a week, and Sagittarius almost doesn't seem to notice his predicament.

He's eating and drinking every day at the same pace he always has, and he is moving around the run. Every time I go out, he's in a different spot, and every night he tucks himself in. His poop is regular. For some reason, the rest of the flock doesn't seem to care at all. They just walk around him and pretty much ignore him. The other day, the hens all laid next to him to dirt bathe. For some reason, whatever ailment he's suffering isn't harming his place in the social chain whatsoever. (He's the beta, my oldest hen is the alpha, I think)

He's 6 months old and he was crowing when I left, but now he just chirps, mostly at me. I checked his legs and feet... and they don't feel warm. Warmth would indicate trauma, right? A couple weeks before I left, he managed to chop off the tip of one of his toes, but I don't think that is the problem, as my oldest hen did the same thing 2 days after him(I've never had chickens lose toes, so it struck me really odd that I had 2 birds each lose a toe within a week)

I'm really confused as to what the problem may be, but I've only been doing this for 3 years! Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you have your first chicken who died with possible Mareks, confirmed with a necropsy? At his age, since you have had possible Mareks before, I would guess that he has it as well. The neural form usually occurs in one or both legs or wings, which become numb or paralyzed, and causes imbalance. Time will tell. Sometimes in rare cases, there can be paralaysis, followed by a complete recovery, then later in life, they may develop tumors in organs. Soory that you are dealing with this. I recently treated a hen who could not stay upright or balance without falling down for more than a month. She never lost leg strength, and eventually was able to regain her ability to balance and walk. I have never seen Mareks in my flock, and I don’t think that she has it either, but I wondered for awhile. I hope your cockerel gets better. Make sure that he can reach food and water.

 

[onyx2011]

Did you have your first chicken who died with possible Mareks, confirmed with a necropsy? At his age, since you have had possible Mareks before, I would guess that he has it as well. The neural form usually occurs in one or both legs or wings, which become numb or paralyzed, and causes imbalance. Time will tell. Sometimes in rare cases, there can be paralaysis, followed by a complete recovery, then later in life, they may develop tumors in organs. Soory that you are dealing with this. I recently treated a hen who could not stay upright or balance without falling down for more than a month. She never lost leg strength, and eventually was able to regain her ability to balance and walk. I have never seen Mareks in my flock, and I don’t think that she has it either, but I wondered for awhile. I hope your cockerel gets better. Make sure that he can reach food and water.

No, it wasn't confirmed, but he did go lame and then deteriorated rapidly. I just find it peculiar that he already was walking into his grave once he went lame, but this dude is just rocking it. I know he's getting up and walking around for sure, but he spends probably 80% of his day laying on the ground. After I posted here, I went outside and he was next to the run door, I left for 3 minutes and he was on the opposite side of the run, all settled as if he'd been there all day! He is sleeping on the floor of the coop rather than roosting. What did you do the entire month with your hen? Any special treatment? How do you know she still had leg strength?

Thanks for the help and support, I really don't want to lose Sagittarius! He's a real sweet heart and the hens seem to love him.

 

[onyx2011]

It's been a month since I returned from studying abroad, and Sagittarius doesn't seem to be getting better or worse. I've moved him into a dog crate inside the run so he can still socialize but eat and drink without having to move. He's still pooping regularly, and seems alert and talkative, but has given up on the idea of crowing. He's lost weight, and I am starting to lose hope. It feels like the poor guy is never going to recover and that I'm dragging out the inevitable, but he still seems to be lively and I just don't know what the more humane action is. He occasionally stands up or stumbles around, but I really don't know if he's going to recover. I checked for bumble foot and legmites, and nothing. There doesn't seem to be heat anywhere along his legs that'd indicate inflammation. His toes don't curl like a healthy bird when you bend his leg.

 

[Eggcessive]

My lame hen spent 5 weeks in a basket on the floor of the coop. I treated her with B complex vitamins, and fed her watery food 3 times a day. When she started to stand up and get out of the basket to go out of the coop with the others, they started jumping on her and pecking her comb badly. I then would pick her up and place her outside the chicken yard, separated by poultry netting. She started walking pretty well, but wabbled ocasionally. She spent several nights in a dog crate, and later I moved her into her own coop at night. She is pretty independent, spending her whole day walking around, pecking, dust bathing, and avoiding our dogs and cats.

Sorry your rooster is not better. Have you used vitamins? If you decide to cull him, I would get a necropsy to check for Mareks.