Badly infected leg on rooster, please help!

[WindingRoad]

Hi,

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I am housesitting and don’t have a lot of chicken caring experience. I don’t know the age of the chickens or much about their health background.

The rooster has a badly infected leg and is swelling by the day and the foot and leg are noticeably hotter than the non injured leg. He is still walking but limps.

Two young roosters were removed nearly a month ago and my guess is that he got injured fighting them and his wounds went undetected for some days. He also has scabs on his comb and a healing puncture wound on his thigh.

I noticed lots of scabbing around the foreleg a couple of weeks ago. I have been applying warm compresses, cleaning with hibaclense, then applying iodine and polysporin under nonstick gauze and vet wrap. He’s not getting better!

I can’t afford a vet, they’re not my birds. I can’t get in touch with the owner who is on a boat in the Caribbean. I read about using fish antibiotics, is this possible? Are there any pain meds I can give?

I feel overwhelmed! Help!

Thank you,
Paulé

Skip the iodine. I am an RN and we stopped using Iodine years ago. Iodine kills good skin. We don't use it to start IV's or insert dialysis needles. We don't use it to prep per operative sites either. We don't use it to dress central lines either. All are invasive procedures and iodine could get onto open skin. We stopped shaving op sites too. Studies showed more likely wound infection from micro nicks. Those razor with probably a dime a dozen or less.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't have any, I was going to order but apparently that's not possible without a prescription. Oh well, I hope the rooster can make it without.

What state are you in?
Some states I think have restrictions, but hopefully you can order online.
https://fishmoxfishflex.com/collections/amoxicillin-fish-antibiotics

 

[Eggcessive]

The cat nail clippers might work, but dog nail clippers can work on chickens. You just want to clip off the point of the spurs and make it more dull. Some Tractor Supply stores have Fish Mox on the shelves, but it varies. Call ahead and ask.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Skip the iodine. I am an RN and we stopped using Iodine years ago. Iodine kills good skin. We don't use it to start IV's or insert dialysis needles. We don't use it to prep per operative sites either. We don't use it to dress central lines either. All are invasive procedures and iodine could get onto open skin. We stopped shaving op sites too. Studies showed more likely wound infection from micro nicks. Those razor with probably a dime a dozen or less.

Before stitching a crop area injury I had to pluck a few feathers quickly using a tweezer. Agree with no shaving though.

 

[Eggcessive]

Betadine (povidone iodine) was used for decades (since 1955, and earlier since the 1800’s with simple iodine) in hospitals all over the world in prepping for surgery, flushing out surgical incisions, in handwashing, and treatment of wounds. It is useful to treat newborn’s eyes to help prevent gonorrhea being passed from infected mothers. Yes, nowadays it is not used as much, and chlorhexidene or plain normal saline are preferred. It has been found that betadine (and hydrogen peroxide) do in fact possibly cause damage tissue and prevent healing. But it did work well as a disinfectant, and if that is all you have to use until you can get something better, I would use it. Lots of people lived through the use of betadine. As in many things we do research and learn that there are better ways to treat wounds.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povidone-iodine

 

[Paule]

Fish Mox is usually Amoxicillin. Do you have the bottle so we can see what you have?
Amoxicillin dose is 57mg per pound of weight given orally twice a day for 7-10 days.

The link you found is good, but the information is also 8 years old. As BYC has grown over the years, we have gotten new/better/updated information about dosing for certain medications.

@Wyorp Rock I was able to source Aqua-Mox, 250mg
(https://www.lambertvetsupply.com/Aqua-Mox-250mg-x-100-Capsules_p_4992.html)

I am assuming that he is a 6-pound (2.72 kg) leghorn based on his color, even though his feet are more white than yellow. I can weigh him with my luggage scale tomorrow for a more accurate weight.

According to poultrydvm.com I should give him 125-250 mg/kg by mouth every 8-12 hours, so I will dissolve 2 capsules in water and give orally with a needle-less syringe. That means he's going to get ~220 mg per dose.
(http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/amoxicillin)

Is this correct? TIA!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Fish Mox is usually Amoxicillin. Do you have the bottle so we can see what you have?
Amoxicillin dose is 57mg per pound of weight given orally twice a day for 7-10 days.

The link you found is good, but the information is also 8 years old. As BYC has grown over the years, we have gotten new/better/updated information about dosing for certain medications.

@Wyorp Rock I was able to source Aqua-Mox, 250mg
(https://www.lambertvetsupply.com/Aqua-Mox-250mg-x-100-Capsules_p_4992.html)

I am assuming that he is a 6-pound (2.72 kg) leghorn based on his color, even though his feet are more white than yellow. I can weigh him with my luggage scale tomorrow for a more accurate weight.

According to poultrydvm.com I should give him 125-250 mg/kg by mouth every 8-12 hours, so I will dissolve 2 capsules in water and give orally with a needle-less syringe. That means he's going to get ~220 mg per dose.
(http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/amoxicillin)

Is this correct? TIA!

Dose for a 6 pound bird 342mg twice day. (125mg/kg)
The powder in those capsules does not dissolve very well in water.

Here's what I would do. For one days dose I would open 4 capsules - that's 1000mg.
Mix with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Mix well. Divide that the oil into 6 "pills" put those pills into the fridge to harden them. He would get 2 of those coconut pills twice a day. Each pill would be approx. 166 mg so two of those would be 332+/- which is closer to the 342.
Does that make sense?
Just pop the hardened coconut "pill" inside his beak, he should swallow it.

 

[Paule]

Dose for a 6 pound bird 342mg twice day. (125mg/kg)
The powder in those capsules does not dissolve very well in water.

Here's what I would do. For one days dose I would open 4 capsules - that's 1000mg.
Mix with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Mix well. Divide that the oil into 6 "pills" put those pills into the fridge to harden them. He would get 2 of those coconut pills twice a day. Each pill would be approx. 166 mg so two of those would be 332+/- which is closer to the 342.
Does that make sense?
Just pop the hardened coconut "pill" inside his beak, he should swallow it.

This is great @Wyorp Rock I completely follow you. Thank you for the detailed instructions! I assume I give it to him until the infection clears?

 

[Carolyn22]

Hi,

View attachment 2464411View attachment 2464412View attachment 2464413View attachment 2464414View attachment 2464415

I am housesitting and don’t have a lot of chicken caring experience. I don’t know the age of the chickens or much about their health background.

The rooster has a badly infected leg and is swelling by the day and the foot and leg are noticeably hotter than the non injured leg. He is still walking but limps.

Two young roosters were removed nearly a month ago and my guess is that he got injured fighting them and his wounds went undetected for some days. He also has scabs on his comb and a healing puncture wound on his thigh.

I noticed lots of scabbing around the foreleg a couple of weeks ago. I have been applying warm compresses, cleaning with hibaclense, then applying iodine and polysporin under nonstick gauze and vet wrap. He’s not getting better!

I can’t afford a vet, they’re not my birds. I can’t get in touch with the owner who is on a boat in the Caribbean. I read about using fish antibiotics, is this possible? Are there any pain meds I can give?

I feel overwhelmed! Help!

Thank you,
Paulé

Paul'e,
You've done a good job so far. In my experience, a shot of a simple antibiotic would be the best next step. I had a chicken a few years ago that developed Bumble Foot, a huge boil on her foot, and we gave her a shot of amoxicillin. She cleared up in a couple of days. Be sure to separate him from the other chickens, so he doesn't get picked on.
I wish you the best,
Carolyn ~

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This is great @Wyorp Rock I completely follow you. Thank you for the detailed instructions! I assume I give it to him until the infection clears?

Great!
You can give 7-10 days. I would go with 10 if you have enough medication.
Hopefully you will see some improvement soon!