HELP! I think my Silkie has broken his leg?!

[shiv]

Hello people! ) Im really stuck and hope someone out there can help me!
Night before last 'Monty', our 2 year old cuckoo silkie cockerel, went to bed as normal, but when he came out the next day he was limping really badly.
It seems like his foot is sticking out forwards instead of being underneath him. He has also lost any control of the foot - he doesnt grip my finger when I touch his foot like he does with his good foot. He wont put weight on the bad leg, and when I put him down he flaps like crazy even though he's on the deck... I assume he is trying to balance himself. Today he didnt bother coming out at all, though I fed and watered him. He's spending more time with his wing out, as per the pics. Iv checked his feet and theres nothing stuck in them.

Could he have broken it? Or could he have had a stroke or a mental problem? Some kind of disease I dont know about? Any help would be greatly received - he's our favourite of course!! I will try to add pics if I can so its clearer what Im on about!!
Many many thanks

 

[chickbea]

The trouble could be the hip and not the leg - I'd have a good feel around that area and see if he has dislocated it.

 

[mikarod]

Have you ever heard of Marek's?

Wikipedia isn't my favorite site for this, but it is a good general starting point. It could also be that he slipped a tendon in his leg...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek's_disease

 

[shiv]

Mmm... I dont think its Mareks, but I dont know a lot about it other than what I have read.
Would Mareks result in sudden (overnight) paralysis of one leg? His eyes look ok but Il keep chcking them.
Iv had a good feel of his hip and leg and nothing seems out of place, though with it pointing the other way its difficult to compare exactly - I think Il let the vet decide. In the meantime Il bring him in, keep him snug and pampered and monitor any changes.
Can anyone who has experienced Mareks give me an idea of timescale? For example, would it be days or weeks before his other foot or a wing went the same way?? Many many thanks

 

[mikarod]

Yes, the leg could be paralyzed overnight. Wings could go next.

Marek's is a very "unusual" disease in that it can and cannot have a timescale. The bird could ONLY have one leg go down, one wing, or one eye.

Usually the bird dies because it cannot reach food or water (the leg being paralyzed).

It could be the next day, several weeks, or even a year before more symptoms show up...if EVER they show up.

The only true way to discover it's Marek's is by throat swab (hopefully your vet will do this) or by dispatching the bird and having a necropsy done. The main focal point in the necropsy is the sciatic nerve in the afflicted leg. It will be MUCH larger than the leg that was not afflicted.

 

[danielle3625]

Mmm... I dont think its Mareks, but I dont know a lot about it other than what I have read.
Would Mareks result in sudden (overnight) paralysis of one leg? His eyes look ok but Il keep chcking them.
Iv had a good feel of his hip and leg and nothing seems out of place, though with it pointing the other way its difficult to compare exactly - I think Il let the vet decide. In the meantime Il bring him in, keep him snug and pampered and monitor any changes.
Can anyone who has experienced Mareks give me an idea of timescale? For example, would it be days or weeks before his other foot or a wing went the same way?? Many many thanks

Were you able to find what happened? I have a silkie/wyandotte (mixed breed) rooster exhibiting similar issues. We have popped his hip in multiple times but it keeps popping back out