Oh no! Poor Bubba.I think it is time I give an update on Bubba. It will also explain why I am not opposed to having a rooster in this group of chicks. It has been about 3 weeks ago now we had our vet out for a farm call for yearly vaccines for the horses. When he finished I brought him Bubba to get a look at his feet. He looked him over and then looked at me and said, "you are thinking tumors right?". Yes, yes I was because while it also looked like it could be bumblefoot I never found an open source for the infection. My boy has bumblefoot, he called it closed bumblefoot which is why I never found the point of origin and it was easy to misdiagnose. I asked him if he was his rooster what would he do and he was honest with me. He told me to watch him, as long as he is getting around ok, roosting no problems and breeding the hens leave him alone. He said it was so deep that he would have to be under anesthesia to remove and the openings so big that he would do more harm to him trying to cure it. So that is what I am doing, I am monitoring my boy daily. He can still get on and off the big roost no problem, he still breeds the hens and he is moving around ok and he is holding his weight. His feet look bad, and the minute they look worse or he shows signs they are bothering him I will make the call. My vet told me he could go a couple months more as he is or he could get worse in a few days. He did tell me if he were his he would not wait until winter. He thinks the cold and wet snow will be detrimental to his feet. I am hoping for a few more months with him. If there is a young roo in this group of chicks I would like it to learn a bit from both him and Branch if possible.
I know you will do the right thing by him.
