injured rooster - what to do?

[member 446101]

Hi All

I have an injured rooster (about 10 weeks old) and I'm not sure if I should do something.
It happened overnight so I suspect that he got into a fight with another chook (likely to be the main rooster) and got a beating! His leg is hanging and he won't put any weight on it. I have looked at the forums for ideas and we've tried to feel is there is a dislocation or a break but I couldn't feel anything. It's entirely possible that I missed the obvious, so I want to ask for some advice.

He seems healthy enough (still trying to jump on chooks), he's eating and drinking. It's been a week now but there hasn't been any progress and apart from looking very uncomfortable, he doesn't look like he's in pain.
I'm wondering if it could be a damaged ligament or nerve ?

Is it best left alone? I don't want to make more damage accidentaly, or cull him unless it's the only way

Here is a video of the poor guy

Cheers
jon

 

[CuckooOrpington]

Hi, sorry about your rooster... if the leg isn't swelling/purple and you can't feel anything abnormal then I don't think it is serious. I have a Sussex rooster that was acting the same for about 4 weeks but eventually made a recovery. I suggest you keep him in a smaller pen so he doesn't have to stand on his leg so much and give him a soluble Vitamin B medication in his water/food (or any sort of vitamin for poultry). Also take out his perches so he sleeps on the floor at night. Hopefully someone else with more info will answer.

 

[member 446101]

thanks for the reply! That's very good news. We'll keep him in the small pen like you suggest and block the mezzanine since he likes to perch there.
I'm so glad to hear that he could still recover, I was pretty upset about it.

As far as not feeling anything abnormal, I could have missed it. I tried feeling around the joints but I wasn't too sure what to look for. We basically held him with a cloth over the head and he wasn't reacting too much when we manipulated him. I could even stretch the leg almost straight and he didn't seem in pain. he was reacting as much for both leg.

Thanks!