Brahma roo with hurt leg

[azygous]

Penrod my 12 pound Brahma has hurt his right leg somehow. I noticed last night he was lying on the ground, but he made it into the coop. I didn't check on him to see if he made it onto the perch, but this morning I found him lying on the floor. Yesterday, he was in his run all day, so I don't know what could have happened to hurt his leg.

I took him out to the pen, set him down, and he had trouble standing. He favored his right leg when trying to walk, which he quickly gave up on and lied down again.

It's not snake bite since he isn't acting sick. He eats if I hold it under his beak, but he doesn't want to stand at the feeder.

I don't think it's broken because the leg holds his weight when he tries to walk. It hurts him because he bends over and taps his beak on the top of his right foot. It doesn't look like there's swelling on the pad of his foot. There doesn't appear to be any swelling when I feel both legs for any asymmetry. I don't know what else to do. Maybe put him in a crate with a heating pad?

Any ideas?

 

[WillowChick]

I would put him in a crate (no heating pad unless it's really cold where you are?) and leave food and water within his reach if he's laying down. If he doesn't improve in 2-3 days, you may want to seek medical advice. Make sure to give him a good once-over though, he may have some injury higher up or elsewhere that's bothering him.

How do his eyes look and how is his breathing?

Willow

 

[azygous]

Willow, thanks for responding. Penrod seems perfectly healthy in every other respect. I'm no expert, but I couldn't detect any swelling when I felt his two legs. They both felt the same. If his leg was broken, he wouldn't be able to stand on it, and he can take a few steps before it hurts so bad he has to lie down.

His eyes are clear, nor bubbling, no discharge from his nostrils. I had a hen with wasting disease five years back, and that isn't what Penrod has. His coordination is fine. He just has a very sore leg that he doesn't want to use. I also had a hen die from insecticide poisoning, so I also know he isn't suffering from that, either.

I wish I could figure out what happened, but he probably injured it "dismounting" from his perch yesterday.

 

[WillowChick]

Maybe a spiral fracture if he got his foot stuck somewhere? My mom broke her leg once and still walked on it (for a few steps). It could be just a smaller (hairline) break? I have no idea what I would do for that... wrap a freezie around his leg and tape it there? LOL!

I hope he feels better VERY soon!

Willow

 

[WillowChick]

Just a thought... what about his hips?

 

[azygous]

His hips are normal-feeling. No swelling or dislocation that I can detect. My vet doesn't do chickens, and the nearest chicken vet is 100 miles away, so that's out of the equation.

I have him still in his run with food and water in front of him on the ground. He seems content to just lie there. I gave him some spinach leaves from the garden, and he ate some, so his appetite is okay.

Maybe time is all he needs to heal whatever is wrong.

 

[WillowChick]

I sure hope so. Well, if it's a mechanical injury, and if he's still eating and drinking, you're probably ok for a good while. Please keep us posted. I would love to hear how he's doing!

Willow

 

[azygous]

Thanks for the support, Willow. I'll check back in tomorrow with a progress report, sooner if he looks like he's feeling like walking again.

 

[WillowChick]

I'll stay tuned!

 

[Mathew544]

This happened to one of my Brahma roosters at 20 weeks old. I went out one night to close up the barn and they were all roosting. The next morning he was on the floor and could only stand up slightly and then got back down. This was during a heat wave. I gave him a week to try and recover in a cage but he ended up getting pressure ulcers on his legs from not being able to move around and he was getting so dirty from soiling himself. He was crying constantly like they do when they are alone and would settle down when I would go visit him. The others would peck at him if I let them near him. He would only eat and drink if I held it up to his head. It became too time consuming and I felt like I was prolonging his suffering. I thought maybe it was heat stroke but he could have just dismounted and injured his leg. It's so hard to know. I think just like humans it can take a while for them to heal. I hope that yours feels better soon!