Unbalanced Rooster

[Bellabob]

I have a Brahma Rooster (6 months old), he walks a few steps then sits down, and repeats a couple steps then sits but then loses balance most of the time. He eats and drinks on his own, his color is beautiful red, feathers are nice and glossy, poop is formed, no parasites. Some of the articles suggest stress, dog food, or even Marek's disease, but my Hen is not sick. Some articles suggest it's just growth spurts and he will get over it. Please see the video...

 

[Mvan42]

@aart @Cyprus @Texas Kiki @sourland

 

[aart]

How long has he been doing this?
Did it come on all of a sudden?
Does he ever get on his feet instead of hocks?
Have you checked inside his ears?
Free range? Could have eaten something toxic.
Other males? Fighting injury.
Could be Mareks, not all bird will succumb, or some other neurological issue.
Just some thoughts.

 

[Cyprus]

This doesn't have the presentation of Marek's.

What are you feeding him?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a Brahma Rooster (6 months old), he walks a few steps then sits down, and repeats a couple steps then sits but then loses balance most of the time. He eats and drinks on his own, his color is beautiful red, feathers are nice and glossy, poop is formed, no parasites. Some of the articles suggest stress, dog food, or even Marek's disease, but my Hen is not sick. Some articles suggest it's just growth spurts and he will get over it. Please see the video...

Welcome To BYC!
What do you feed him?
Any of the food get wet or moldy?
Any swelling of the joints?

The hock sitting and moving backward could be nutritional, neurological or symptoms of Marek's. Hard to know unless you lose him and have testing.

If he were mine, I would start with vitamin therapy. 400 IU Vitamin E daily and with his age/size, I would give him 1/2 tablet of B-Complex daily. Give him a scrambled egg daily too, this will help with the uptake of vitamin E.

Let us know how he's doing.

 

[Bellabob]

How long has he been doing this?
Did it come on all of a sudden?
Does he ever get on his feet instead of hocks?
Have you checked inside his ears?
Free range? Could have eaten something toxic.
Other males? Fighting injury.
Could be Mareks, not all bird will succumb, or some other neurological issue.
Just some thoughts.

He's been doing this for the last two or three weeks. I have not checked his ears. Yes he is free range and I only have him and one hen.

 

[Bellabob]

Welcome To BYC!
What do you feed him?
Any of the food get wet or moldy?
Any swelling of the joints?

The hock sitting and moving backward could be nutritional, neurological or symptoms of Marek's. Hard to know unless you lose him and have testing.

If he were mine, I would start with vitamin therapy. 400 IU Vitamin E daily and with his age/size, I would give him 1/2 tablet of B-Complex daily. Give him a scrambled egg daily too, this will help with the uptake of vitamin E.

Let us know how he's doing.

I feed him the packets of chicken feed I get at the supermarket (corn and seed mix) morning and late afternoon, and mid-afternoon I give them either an apple to share or some fresh grapes with oats. They are free also free range and the property is quite big, with all kinds of terrain such as grass, bush, sand, etc. The food is stored in a sealed container so it's dry, no mold. There is no visible swelling of the joints.

 

[Bellabob]

He does walk around and he can run, especially when I call them for food. But it seems that he choses to sit like that whenever he is eating or just chilling.

Thank you all for the replies... I will start giving him scrambled eggs this afternoon. Where would I find these vitamin tablets?

 

[aart]

the packets of chicken feed I get at the supermarket (corn and seed mix)

What are the nutritional percentages...can you take a pic of them on the package?
Just noticed you are in SA...not sure what is available there, my have to order online.

 

[Cyprus]

Corn and seed mix is not enough nutrients for a chicken.