So, my flock lives at a friend's home and she called me 2 weeks ago to let me know that one of my roosters was limping pretty badly. I went out to look at him and he let me catch him pretty easily (unusual) and was walking with one of his legs held mostly out in front of him. I brought him back to my house with strict instructions that he was not to crow (LOL) and put him in a dog crate wrapped in hardware cloth and raised off the ground on top of a pallate. He has plenty of fresh bedding, is eating and drinking well and eliminating well. He will get up to walk around a little, but not much. He prefers laying down. I initially thought the leg was sprained and that some cage rest would be best, but I'm really starting to worry that it's broken since it doesn't seem better 2 weeks later.
Yesterday, my friend called me to let me know that one of my barred rock hens is experiencing the same issue, but mostly laying down. When she gets up, she is limping on one of her legs.
My friend sat the hen in a warm water bath in case the hen might have been egg bound and isolated her from the rest of the flock with her own food and water. I went out to look at her today and can't find any injury or problem with the foot. No bumble foot on either chicken, no obvious wounds, etc. My friend said she thinks the hen seems a little better today. She seems pretty comfortable and the other chickens aren't picking on her, so I've left her where she is for now. My friend will continue warm water baths once or twice a day and add some oregano to her food in case it's some sort of infection.
I just don't know what could be causing the problem. I'm starting to wonder if maybe they've both gotten bitten by spiders, but the rooster isn't improving (or getting any worse) after 2 weeks of rest.
Any helpful comments will be appreciated. Neither of them will be culled because that's not why I keep chickens. If push comes to shove, I will send the rooster and possibly the hen off to a rescue who can either help them get better or make the decision to humanely cull them (please, no judgement, I just don't have the guts to cull them and I'm terrified I would do it wrong anyway!)
Yesterday, my friend called me to let me know that one of my barred rock hens is experiencing the same issue, but mostly laying down. When she gets up, she is limping on one of her legs.
My friend sat the hen in a warm water bath in case the hen might have been egg bound and isolated her from the rest of the flock with her own food and water. I went out to look at her today and can't find any injury or problem with the foot. No bumble foot on either chicken, no obvious wounds, etc. My friend said she thinks the hen seems a little better today. She seems pretty comfortable and the other chickens aren't picking on her, so I've left her where she is for now. My friend will continue warm water baths once or twice a day and add some oregano to her food in case it's some sort of infection.
I just don't know what could be causing the problem. I'm starting to wonder if maybe they've both gotten bitten by spiders, but the rooster isn't improving (or getting any worse) after 2 weeks of rest.
Any helpful comments will be appreciated. Neither of them will be culled because that's not why I keep chickens. If push comes to shove, I will send the rooster and possibly the hen off to a rescue who can either help them get better or make the decision to humanely cull them (please, no judgement, I just don't have the guts to cull them and I'm terrified I would do it wrong anyway!)
