[mercury]

One of the lads down the lottie has a lovely r.i.r. cockerel, running with eleven hens, he has suddenly started walking like he is drunk, ie - staggering from side to side, he looks very well, and he's eating ok, he even keeps trying to tread the hens, but keeps falling off, has anyone any ideas, i've never seen it before.

[Axe Victim]

Sounds knackered to me...isn't that a good sign?

 

[muntjac]

ok this is a  viral problem with the cockerals brain  in my thinking( dont take this as gospel without seeing the bird i can only guess) one treatment i can positivly suggest  is chopped dandelion leaves fed ad lib to all the birds , this has been found to help with many problems including coccidous. i suggest you get the cockerel taken home and feed it normally watching for any other signs and feed the leaves as suggested

[MontyTom]

I'm no expert but agree with Karl that it sounds neurological in nature (providing you have ruled out physical damage to legs).  Does the bird have access to many/any 'greens'?

[mercury]

montytom, it dos'nt have access to greens at all, and all the hens seem healthy.

[Aunt Sally]

Was the cockerel innoculated for Merek's Disease.  Sounds like it could be that.  It's quite a common virus which causes paralysis among other things

[muntjac]

well then mate if it aint got any acces to greens , get it some that will probably sort it out chickens they need greens for mineral intake , this may be a riboflavin defiency , think that is one the sumptoms , cant remember , perhaps someone else can

[mercury]

Thanks for the advice folks, i'll pass it on to the lad in the morning  

[Barry J Scott]

Vitamin B deficiancy

Signs
These may be summarised:

Perosis
Curled Toe Paralysis
Paralysis/'Stargazing'
Dermatitis/Scaly Skin
Mouth Lesions
Conjunctivitis
Anaemia
Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome
Poor Feathering
Loose feathers
Hatchability problems
Embryo with clubbed down



Marek's Disease

Signs

Paralysis of legs, wings and neck.
Loss of weight.
Grey iris or irregular pupil.
Vision impairment.
Skin around feather follicles raised and roughened.



You can see a list of poultry diseases here

[mercury]

thanks for that barry, very interesting.

[mercury]

the cockerel is worse than ever today, can hardly keep on his feet, if he's still the same in morning, it's bye bye.  

[muntjac]

how old is the bird? and has he got cider vinegar in the water? if not make sure he does for the others  

[Aunt Sally]

Still sounds like Merek's to me  :cry:  Is it isolated from the other birds to prevent any possible infection spreading  :?:

[mercury]

no, he has'nt got cider vinegar, muntjac, yes he's isolated aunt sally.
he's twelve months old muntjac.

[muntjac]

not mareks for me sally it doesnt have enough pointers ..  id plump for feeding a small piece of bread with a drop cider vinegar  and then make sure it has it in the water feeding dandelions as well , both used for intestinal probs  can help clear worms and also anti bacterial n viral probs  if its mareks the other birds wil show as well in my thinking if that dont bring a turn around in 24 hours . cull it then clear the coop out contain the birds some place at home wash all equipment with baby sterilising fluid , clean the shed out completly  ,scrub down the perches nest boxes with jeyes , if you can move the coop to fresh ground do so .if not spray the soil and pen walls   with jeyes and then turn the soil over . then return the birds  24 hours later . check the birds for mites etc  .  if any more birds go sick take the bird to the vets / or in extreme circumstances cull the lot bag and freeze the dead bird/s and then contact defra informing them of the situation . redo all the preventative precautions as above . and wait 4 weeks to restock on advice from the vet or defra /..  oh na dhave you considered somebody feeding tem slug pellets , i have had one case of that many moons ago  from a incomer to the village who didnt like the crowing of the cocks .tried to take me to court and failed miserably as i am a registered poultry keeper  but worth thinking about