10 week old cockerel with possible sprain/fracture

[Buffalowingz]

Aspirin - for pain relief. Dosage is approximately 25 mg per pound of chicken's body weight each day – (A standard baby Aspirin is 80 mg, and a standard adult Aspirin pill is 325 mg). This information is from the Poultry Podiatry website. Warning: aspirin thins the blood and should not be used if internal bleeding is suspected or in cases where a wound will not stop bleeding.

Thanks so much. I actually got the low dose 81mg adult aspirin.

 

[Eggcessive]

For anyone else reading, 4 baby 81mg aspirin equal one adult 325mg, cutting the adult aspirin into quarters would be equal to the baby aspirin.

Caution with using the chicken sling. He may not cooperate or tolerate it at first or ever. The sling needs to be deep enough so he cannot touch the ground for one who can walk. A good type of sling for a big chicken would be a large rubbermaid container and 2 inch binder clips (4 of them.) Use a piece of material, such as an old towel, T shirt, or mesh, and cut 3 holes to match his legs with the third hole in back (or just leave the back open) for a poop hole. That design and others are in this thread, plus where to find the binder clips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Buffalowingz]

So after everyone's advice and help I came up with a comfortable hammock for my cockerel "copper". I also am administering 81 mg of aspirin shortly. He is sitting with all of his hens in the coop and they are watching him carefully while surrounding him. They actually seem concerned about him, I've never seen them act like that it's pretty interesting. I'll post a picture of the covered hammock or chair, I just think I will keep him in there immobile for at least a couple days and pick him up for physical therapy only. Thanks y'all I appreciate your help.

 

[azygous]

That's very resourceful. It appears it will do the job if it holds his weight. I hope he's a mellow guy and doesn't fight it. If he can keep weight off the limb while it heals, he should be good as new.

I've recently had two hens injure their legs and although they didn't need chicken chairs like this, they benefited from my helping them down from their perches so they wouldn't put additional stress on the legs. They were significantly healed in a week, though it took a few more weeks for complete healing.

 

[Buffalowingz]

That's very resourceful. It appears it will do the job if it holds his weight. I hope he's a mellow guy and doesn't fight it. If he can keep weight off the limb while it heals, he should be good as new.

I've recently had two hens injure their legs and although they didn't need chicken chairs like this, they benefited from my helping them down from their perches so they wouldn't put additional stress on the legs. They were significantly healed in a week, though it took a few more weeks for complete healing.

Sorry to hear about your hens. I was doing the same thing with copper in the morning, picking him up and putting him right on the ground so he didn't have to strain getting down the ramp to the coop. He still got worse and was falling over on his bad leg. I just gave him half of an 81mg aspirin to see how he metabolizes it before full dosage. He so far is not fighting the chair and was falling asleep. I will post a pic of him in it. He looks quite comfortable.

 

[azygous]

Love it! It appears he thinks it's just the thing!

 

[Buffalowingz]

Update on copper: he has improved a little bit. He is left in his chicken chair overnights. He is in a small area in the garage during the day as he will not tolerate the chair constantly, fights, and wont eat or drink unless I take him out. Will keep trying but it's going to be an uphill battle.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Is he able to walk on that sore leg better now?

 

[Buffalowingz]

Is he able to walk on that sore leg better now?

He is, before he would fall over on his side, and now he can stand but Is very shaky. Very slow progress, he does better when he gets his aspirin

 

[chrissynemetz]

Well at least he does seem to be improving. Hang in there, it looks like you're doing a great job taking care of the little guy