All about that rooster walk ......

[darkbrahmamama]

So, my one dark brahma rooster (Aragorn) that is a year old this year has an unusual stance & walk. Since he was maybe around 6 months he hasn't moved normal. When he'd run, he was a "high stepper". Walking he seemed fine. I don't really have any other explanation for it. It's like he'd lift his legs a lot higher than needed. I thought it was just because being a dark brahma he was growing slowly & he'd eventually, well, walk out of it! That hasn't been the case though. As time has gone on he's been walking slower, more stiff like. His movement doesn't seem easy. Plus, about a week ago, I noticed that he was laying down a good amount in the middle of the day. Behavior that I thought was unusual. I don't see him laying down every day, in fact, I haven't seen him lay down a good amount since that one day last week. He can get on & off the roosting bars. He's been able to do his "rooster job" with the ladies, & he can run away when my main rooster (Peter), chases him away from doing his "rooster job". They all get fed layer feed (Southern States Layer/Breeder crumbles & Agway's Hearty Hen Pellets), both dry as well as fermented (I just started fermented a couple of weeks ago, & they all got a chick starter/grower until they were 16 weeks old). For snacks they only get a little black oil sunflower meaties mixed with scratch (2:1) at night to help get them in their stall. Now & again they'll get a little fruit & veggies, but not often. My other 2 roosters were also raised on the same feed without any issues (both grew up beautifully, but Popeye needed to be re-homed when Aragorn found out what the ladies were all about & Popeye decided he wanted to go from low man to top dog). I can try to get a video tonight, but I don't know how good it will be as it's very muddy right now. I don't know of any injuires that he has gotten, but he was an accidental rooster in a group of sexed hatchery chicks that I had gotten. Could something have happened during the sexing?

Any opinions would be helpful!

 

[Eggcessive]

Do his legs and feet look normal in proportion, or is there any swelling? Was he vaccinated for Mareks disease?

 

[darkbrahmamama]

No swelling, no bumblefoot, his legs may seems a little on the long side? I really need to get a picture tonight. They weren't vaccinated for Marek's.

This is him when he was just a little guy. He always stood very upright.

 

[darkbrahmamama]

Current pictures.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had brahmas and many other feather-footed breeds, and is unfortunate that we can't see what the legs and feet look like, such as swelling of the feet or the legs. Sorry that I'm not a lot of help to you, but I would think about Mareks, gout, or something like mycoplasma symovitis as possible causes. Of course he just may have hurt himself or has a funny gait.

 

[darkbrahmamama]

I know there's no swelling or heat in his legs, joints, or feet. There aren't really any signs of mareks. He's been like this a while, so any injuries would have happened while he was young & caused permanent damage. I had really wanted to use him for breeding my flock, but without knowing what the issue is I don't dare hatch out any of his eggs in the future. Hopefully this video link works.

 

[darkbrahmamama]

Balance seems perfectly fine. I'd hate for whatever it is to be hereditary ..... but I guess I won't know unless I hatch eggs from hens he's bred. :-\