Brahma Rooster hopping on one leg / looks Painful!

[MattH]

I noticed my roo hopping on one leg when I let the flock out to free roam after work today. He uses he wing to balance on the bad leg side.. Also when he stand to take a break he hold his bag leg up. I got a hold of him and looked under his feet.. They both look the same with no obvious sores. They have been locked in the coop for 2 hours and he is just laying on he coop floor and breathing a bit heavy. He is usually on the roosting poles. Not sure what to do.. Any help? Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How old is he?
Any photos of how he is laying down?
Any coughing, sneezing, wheezing, eye/nose discharge?
Was he vaccinated for Marek's?

Separate him and place him in a crate/kennel on clean bedding with food and water so you can monitor him.

It's possible he may have a leg injury, but the heavy breathing is concerning. Offer some poultry vitamins in his water and see if he will eat his food.

Let us know how he is doing.

 

[MattH]

How old is he?
Any photos of how he is laying down?
Any coughing, sneezing, wheezing, eye/nose discharge?
Was he vaccinated for Marek's?

Separate him and place him in a crate/kennel on clean bedding with food and water so you can monitor him.

It's possible he may have a leg injury, but the heavy breathing is concerning.  Offer some poultry vitamins in his water and see if he will eat his food.

Let us know how he is doing.

He is a year and half old. No photos yet, but he has been sitting flat both feet on floor, sometimes lifting the hurt leg, almost to let me know he's in pain it seems like.i haven't noticed and coughing or discharges. I just learned about Mareks last night looking through the Internet trying to figure out what is wrong with him. I would assume not vaccinated. I got him from a local co-op. He was crowing this morning which makes me feel alittle better, he is acting normal, still sitting in the same spot on the coop floor when I closed them up last night.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He is a year and half old. No photos yet, but he has been sitting flat both feet on floor, sometimes lifting the hurt leg, almost to let me know he's in pain it seems like.i haven't noticed and coughing or discharges. I just learned about Mareks last night looking through the Internet trying to figure out what is wrong with him. I would assume not vaccinated. I got him from a local co-op. He was crowing this morning which makes me feel alittle better, he is acting normal, still sitting in the same spot on the coop floor when I closed them up last night.

Any new chickens added to your flock recently?

If no new chickens, them let's look for something else besides Marek's. While you can't rule that out, at 1 1/2yrs old, it's most likely something else.

Is his breathing better?
Has be been drinking?

Check him over for any injuries, not just to the legs, but also to the body, sometimes wounds or signs of attack can be hidden beneath feathers.

If he is limping and unable to move around, then he will get dehydrated quickly, so make sure he has access to water. Caging them with water and food makes it easier on them and keeps them safe from pecking by the other chickens. You can set up the cage outside in the run or in a shady area if you have warm weather.

 

[MattH]

5 new hens were added to my flock of 6. I joined them together 3 months ago. I didn't notice him breathing heavily this morning. I will monitor his drinking after work today. They have 2 water jugs to drink from in the run. I will try to look him over better tonight. Yesterday was my first time ever getting ahold of him, so I'm quite new at handling a rooster.

Any new chickens added to your flock recently?

If no new chickens, them let's look for something else besides Marek's. While you can't rule that out, at 1 1/2yrs old, it's most likely something else.

Is his breathing better?
Has be been drinking?

Check him over for any injuries, not just to the legs, but also to the body, sometimes wounds or signs of attack can be hidden beneath feathers.

If he is limping and unable to move around, then he will get dehydrated quickly, so make sure he has access to water. Caging them with water and food makes it easier on them and keeps them safe from pecking by the other chickens.  You can set up the cage outside in the run or in a shady area if you have warm weather.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

5 new hens were added to my flock of 6. I joined them together 3 months ago. I didn't notice him breathing heavily this morning. I will monitor his drinking after work today. They have 2 water jugs to drink from in the run. I will try to look him over better tonight. Yesterday was my first time ever getting ahold of him, so I'm quite new at handling a rooster.

That one made me smile. There's just something about picking up a rooster and carrying them around, not sure what, but different than a hen for sure.

Good to hear no heavy breathing this morning. He may have been distressed or in pain.

 

[MattH]

I checked him over a lot better today. The only thing I could see was some blood in between his toes in one spot. Almost looks like a small hole where a feather used to be. Not bleeding a lot but I noticed blood on my fingers after checking him the first time. He definitely isn't interacting with the hens like usual, he is laying in the same spot I left him after inspection.. Probably tired running from me and possibly just hurts to walk. I would love for this bloody spot to be the issue, as it seems easy to treat, but for some reason I'm thinking it's something else.

Here is a pic of the bottom of his foot. Looks the same as the other foot as well


Here is a picture of the hole I saw and blood. I sprayed peroxide of this area and he almost seemed to walk a bit better afterwards.. But still hopping and looked weird and painful

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I checked him over a lot better today. The only thing I could see was some blood in between his toes in one spot. Almost looks like a small hole where a feather used to be. Not bleeding a lot but I noticed blood on my fingers after checking him the first time. He definitely isn't interacting with the hens like usual, he is laying in the same spot I left him after inspection.. Probably tired running from me and possibly just hurts to walk. I would love for this bloody spot to be the issue, as it seems easy to treat, but for some reason I'm thinking it's something else.

Here is a pic of the bottom of his foot. Looks the same as the other foot as well


Here is a picture of the hole I saw and blood. I sprayed peroxide of this area and he almost seemed to walk a bit better afterwards.. But still hopping and looked weird and painful

The foot looks like it may be getting infected and possibly some scaly leg mites going on, hard to tell.
Soak his feet in warm epsom salts bath and gently clean the feet/legs. Apply some Vetericyn or triple antibiotic ointment on the feet. Try to soak the feet and apply ointment at least once a day.

If you have a place to separate him for a few days on clean dry bedding, this may be helpful. This keeps him inactive and you from having to chase him down.



Keep us posted.

 

[MattH]

He is walking on it today.. Not 100% and when approached he hops again to get away fast. But the walking around with a slight limp is promising. I might ride this out and keep monitoring him. If he seems to get worse or more obvious signs of mites I will try the soaking and Vaseline. I added new dust for their bath today.

I locked the coop up tonight and noticed my Roo was up on the roosting poles where he usually sleeps. For the past 3 nights he has been on the coop floor. I also saw him drinking earlier in the day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He is walking on it today.. Not 100% and when approached he hops again to get away fast. But the walking around with a slight limp is promising. I might ride this out and keep monitoring him. If he seems to get worse or more obvious signs of mites I will try the soaking and Vaseline. I added new dust for their bath today.

I locked the coop up tonight and noticed my Roo was up on the roosting poles where he usually sleeps. For the past 3 nights he has been on the coop floor. I also saw him drinking earlier in the day.

Glad to hear he is moving about.
Keep us posted