Arthritic rooster

[aberdale]

I have an old "pet" rooster who is about 7 years old. This past summer he has walked with a hitch on one side. Sometimes it seemed like his hip joint would lock or something and he could not bend it. The past week with the cooler damp weather coming in he is moving very stiffly and with the winter weather coming I am not sure if there is something I can do for him to help alleviate some of his discomfort. He still has his girls but has been avoiding my other roos even though he's still the top man on the totum pole. If I have to I can move him into my dog kennel building which is slightly heated but that would knock him out of his status position with the other roos and he would have a much harder time going back in the spring. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[LynneP]

You could certainly offer the equivalent of a low-dose aspirin (81mg) crushed in 1 quart of his drinking water when he is segregated from the others. It may assist with the inflammation in the joints. Offering a draft-free environment is critical at this stage of his life, too. You must be very fond of the old guy!

Um, does he have to go back with the other roos in the spring? Sounds like he may have earned a break in his old age...

 

[aberdale]

This ole man was near death from a fight from his offspring when he was younger and I had to go hunt for him and found him in a pool of blood having given up and rescsued him, coddled him by keeping him in the house for a bit then in my warm horse barn and his sons promptly "left". I won't tolerate nasty roos. Last year he would come and sit in the grass beside me me in the morning while I went out and had a cup of coffee. He's a pretty docile boy and has never picked a fight even with other roos but has defended his girls when needed. Yes I am very fond of this old boy. I had an attack of coyotes early last spring just after I had moved into my present place before I got my fence up and I found feathers his color and went to check out the carcass and was sooooooo terrified it was him. I was happy to find that it was in fact his son (not that I was happy to see that happen but was glad it wasn't my ole pet). He has been through alot in his years and he is the only one left that comes from my original hens and is the only surviving one from my first batch. I would love to be able to hatch out some of his kids in the spring. So yes I would love to try and give him something to help him. Maybe I will move him and a couple of his girls into a dog pen in my kennel building where its warmer and draft free. They are my oldest three, him and his two girls. Although the girls are only 3 years old. thanks for the suggestion.

 

[LynneP]

He sounds like a sweetie, Heather. He'sll probably have a grand winter now with a couple of his girls. A fitting situation for the grand old guy.