Advice Needed: New chicken owner with a loved rooster with a hurt leg

[lilli86]

As i am in the process of building the chicken coop, my chckens are being kept in the garage. For their perch, i have been using an old wooden ladder.
Monday morning when i went to care for them, i found my rooster (who was supposed to be a hen) Roger, hanging by a leg from where a v joint where the X at the back of the ladder meets the leg. I have no clue how long he has been there. I immediately removed him from there.
I quickly realized he wouldnt use that leg and kept it straight and behind him while standing or laying. I seperated him and gave it the day while i was at work in hopes he would be bearing weight by the time i got home that night. He wasnt though. By then i believe it is his hock was swollen.
I debated taking him to the vet but i have not. Im worried that it will be something that i willnot be able to justify doing for a chicken because i wss raised that they are food. They have become pets though.

So, what do i do? Is there something i do for him from home? Should i take him to the vet? My worry is i will need to put him down and i feel like I should be the one to do that but i don't think i can. I kmow he is in pain and hating not being able tk move around. How long do i give him before i make THAT decision? Ugh! Help!!!

 

[TheFoxyChicken]

Sorry that you never received an answer on this. There are so many threads and not enough people to answer.
I am sorry for your little guy

.
I am wondering what you ended up doing. My experience in these matters have been the same as how you grew up. We did not take chickens to the vet. But, I know many that do. I do not know of anything to do for him. I just could not read this and leave it unanswered. That's a great picture of you and your little guy.

 

[lilli86]

I ended up taking him to the vet that night. The vet said that she did not believe the leg was not broken and to give it until that weekend to see if he was using it more. She gave him some light pain meds and sent us on our way. The next step if it hadnt gotten better would have been xrays which would cost 100+. By that Sunday his leg was officially broken in the join if it wasnt prior. I ended up putting Roger down that night because he just kept getting worse. I knew the whole process. I have done it mutltiple times before when i was young. The struggle after when the brain wasn't dead but he was is still killing me. I was not prepared for it. Roger is buried on a little hill that will over look the run of his girls when i am done with it. I miss him still. **** cuddly rooster.

 

[TheFoxyChicken]

I am sorry for your loss. You did the best thing for him.

 

[microchick]

I lost a much loved rooster about a month ago so I share your grief. They have a way of leaving claw prints on your heart don't they?

Sometimes the last gift of love we can give a pet is to say goodbye to them.