Cock with potential broken back - cull?

[QueenMisha]

My Naked Neck X Polish cock JJ came up with some unusual symptoms about three days ago. When he attempts to walk, he stumbles forward until his legs are behind him and he falls on his breast and face. He has been eating very little, only defacated a few times, and has been gasping the past 24 hours (though I think this may be related to my mother's attempts to syringe him Gatorade). I've given him a few days of cage rest and electrolytes with no improvements. Right now I'm operating under the assumption he sustained spinal trauma, and I think I am going to have to cull. However, first I'd like to see if anyone has had a similar case before and witnessed improvement in the bird.

- He is about a year old

- Not vaccinated for Marek's, but this isn't paralysis - he has full control and reaction in his legs

- Like all my other birds, he eats a 20% Flock Raiser ration from a high quality brand.

- He gets very upset and appears to be in pain when I touch the part of his spine between his wings and above his ribs.

I'd very much like to help him as he is a pleasant cockbird and I got him from a friend. However, I don't see this having a good outcome.

 

[cavemanrich]

Sorry to hear this.

Sometimes you just have to make unpleasant decisions.

 

[redsoxs]

Hey, QM....looks like you've done everything you can - further than a lot of folks would have gone. It's a tough call but it sounds like it might be time.

Any idea how the injury occurred?

 

[QueenMisha]

Sorry to hear this. 
Sometimes you just have to make unpleasant decisions.

Thank you. Sadly that is true.

Hey, QM....looks like you've done everything you can - further than a lot of folks would have gone.  It's a tough call but it sounds like it might be time.     Any idea how the injury occurred?  

I'm thinking so too. I'm not sure exactly what happened. I found him like that on, oh I think Thursday morning. It's a mixed pen with 100+ birds of several species so it's possible he got too rowdy and one of the other cocks or one of the turkeys gave him a good whack on the spine. He's also one of the birds who likes to sleep on the floor of the coop, so someone may have jumped down on him by accident.

 

[centrarchid]

Breaking a bird's back is very tough to do. Very rare in my games even when they were armed. Turkey might be able to do it although other injuries likely to be with it as well. I have seen Mareks that did like you describe with birds that ultimately regained ability to walk for at least a short amount of time.