AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

our lil boy seems very unwell. I noticed the other week when i picked him up he has lost a drastic amount of weight. I thought maybe the girls were giving him a hard time, so i gave him some extra food. I noticed he was pecking at the food but not quite reaching it, but then that was every other peck so i put it down to cautiousness. He had a good feed and i assumed it was just the girls had been preventing him from feeding. anyway yesterday i noticed the poor thing was trying to grab some scraps. He would run to the food and peck at it but it was like he has no depth perception, he was pecking at air. I put him in the pen and gave him some food as well as some wet cat food i had from a sample bag, He sure was hungry but had alot of trouble connecting with the food, it was heart breaking, he tilts his head to the side as he tries as well. we noticed the eye that looks to the ground when when he tilts his head appeared to have a bit of sawdust in it, so i flushed with saline, it didn't improve his problem. Hubby tried holding the food higher but he still struggled which makes us wonder if its an eye sight problem or something wrong with his neck.

Also about a mth ago he started attempting to crow, he crowed all be it distorted as they start for 5 or 6 days, we haven't heard a crow nor attempt since. He sleeps alot, and is not interested in the girls. He does have a bit of a dirty butt, his poops are a lil softish but otherwise seem normal, they were wormed 10wks ago, re wormed last night, no signs of dead worms in poo. They free range during the day and go to their coop at night, this is off the ground, out of the weather and is warm.

any thoughts?

update... Just spoke to a local vet on ph, He said it sounds like Mareks, said its likely his neck is semi paralyzed, he has no respitory symptoms but the girls have had and some have the snuffles. he suggested to keep him seperate and see if any changes happen in next few days, said others well and truly already exposed and prob all have it.

2nd update... Took to another vet that could examine him, he thinks he is going blind and prob a retina issue thats degenerative had since he was born well hatched lol. He also has him on an antibiotic as he thinks he has some kind of tummy infection (he did give it a name which i forget too much to remember) which the others could also have so need to monitor them. He thinks the others having the sneezes is just a separate issue. He said lack of crow is most likely from malnutrition and all going well he should be crowing in no time. were hopeful but still worried about the whole flock

Will watch and see i guess, any thoughts and advice welcome











Thanks!

How is the little boy doing...any improvement


Speks

First thing I would ask is how big is his pom? Can you carefully trim it right back to make sure his vision is not being affected by it?

I would keep him separated and make sure his food is in one place so he knows exactly where it is. I would also be inclined to put some vitamins in his water to give him a boost and the rickets diet is also a good pick me up.

Is there a chance he is actually blind?