HELP! Roosters Legs Badly Injured... graphic photos - BEWARE!

[strawberryfields]

I am going to try to keep this as brief as possible. I have included photos below. I have kept chickens for many years but I am not sure what is going on with my roosters legs or if there is something more I can do to help him, short of visiting the vet. I cannot afford a visit to the vet now, so it will be either that he heals with some help from me or I will have to have him put down.

Just before Christmas I came home one night to see that my old (nine years old) rooster was hanging upside down from the horses and goats fencing - his legs were caught in the fencing. This is the second time this year that he has gotten himself tangled up this way - the first time was really uneventful, I undid him and he was fine.

I also noticed this past summer that he is beginning to slow down, and I believe this is due to his advanced age.

I did not think he was going to make it that first night... he was in pretty bad shape. He must have been hanging upside down for quite a while. I put him under a heat lamp and kept him comfortable. I got water in him, too.

The next day he was poking his head up and trying to move around... only... he couldn't walk.

I brought him inside and have allowed him to rest and have also been encouraging him to use those legs again.

At first, one leg would be out in front of him and the other leg would be hanging out behind him. The leg I thought he would not use again is coming around. It was curled up and useless at first... but now he is beginning to use it to stand up.

The other leg, the one he kept pushing forward, had blisters all over it and now, to this day, it seems like that leg is still peeling skin. I have included photos of that leg that has peeling skin.

My deepest concern, however, at this point, is that peeling leg seems to have a really unpleasant odor coming from it. You can check the photos below... it is not pretty.

Today the bird is beginning to get around. He has been more active than previously, he seems to be doing much better... He uses one leg to stand on but he still cannot put weight on the leg that has been peeling. As I said, much improvement, but he still has a long way to go.

Because he is an older bird, hopping around on one leg may be more difficult for him.

Please let me know if anyone else has seen anything like this and if there is anything I can do for him.

 

[strawberryfields]

 

[Orphy]

go to uploads at the top of the page, upload the photo. copy the img link and paste it in the posting.

 

[Orphy]

whre do you live? could it be frost bite, or is that just from loss of circulation? I would just try to make him as comfortable as possible. have you tried soaking his feet in warm water? maybe give him some vitamins, baby vitamins. Polyvisol without iron would help to make sure he is getting good nutrients. maybe someone else will come up with some more ideas

 

[Paganbird]

To me, that foot looks like it's got a lot of necrotic (dead) tissue. Either he lost circulation to that foot, or he suffered frostbite. If the areas are black & shrivelled, there's no saving them. The smell is probably related to decomposition.
The best thing you can do for him is make sure it doesn't get infected. Keep it clean. Chances are, he isn't feeling pain (or anything else) at that area.

 

[strawberryfields]

It does seem to me very likely that he lost circulation in that foot. It is not frost bite... but dead tissue makes sense to me. Best case scenario, he might have been hanging upside down like that for three hours. I wasn't really home at all that day but came home about three hours after they normally roost. Worst case scenario is that he would have been hanging upside down like that all day. I don't think that was the case, though (I hope not). I think he flew up to roost and lost his grip and got caught up in the fencing.

If all of that is dead tissue... which makes sense. I wonder if he will be able to use the leg again. Today he seems to be hobbling around with it but not really putting weight on it.

 

[Terri O]

It definitely looks like when my rooster lost his feet and lower legs. Some of the toes look OK though...he might only lose a toe or two. I say give him a chance. He might become a house chicken like Charlie though...be forewarned! Terri O in WI

 

[strawberryfields]

Thanks for all the help. I am very much relieved that it seems he will be OK... though he is probably not entirely out of danger yet. From others who have gone through similar situations... How long does the healing process take, approximately?

He has already been in the house here since just before Christmas. I have him set up on clean towels and I took his cage down last night, since he wasn't using it anyway (that gives us a lot more space to work in, too). I would say he seems pretty comfortable, even though he must wonder where he is... misses those hens I am sure

.

He eats heartily and drinks well.

What signs will I see that indicate the wounds are healed and no longer prone to infection?

What sources do you use for diapers for when he becomes more active? I mean, do most people let their birds free range the house or do you keep them in a small room? I am all for him having as much exercise as he is comfortable with.

 

[Terri O]

After the toes fall off then he will be clear--except he will be prone to recurrence as CHarlie is. We are battling a very swollen stump right now. I dont let him move areound the house when he is in. I do let him out to clump around the LR when the dogs are out or in their kennels. You may have a different case though--yours probably will be to move around more. No idea about diapers for birds....Terri O

 

[chickenzoo]

There are a few people on here that make chicken diapers..... I make my own and have a sample of how on my website under helpful info. Mine have a cage they stay in and when out of it wear a diaper.

Here is a chair I made for my disabled goose.....