Limp Leg! Broken? Dislocated? Bumblefoot?

[ElizaChick]

About a week ago, Roosta-Roo started limping.

The vet who saw him on Monday thought it was his leg instead of his foot. She suggested keeping his movement limited & that he should heal on his own in about a week. (He's no better and maybe a little worse & we're on Day 7.)

He does look like he has Bumblefoot, BUT his scales have started turning black and there's NO redness or swelling - just that little circle scab.

When I manipulated his legs tonight, he seems to have control of one but NO power over the other. When I touched his good leg, he contracted his hock & claw; when I touched the other one, it was all limp, like it wasn't connected - the joints were super loose.

It doesn't seem to be dislocated and I didn't feel a break. Any suggestions on what to do? Should we put him down?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your rooster. Do you think that he may have broken or dislocated his leg? Did the vet xray it or suggest splinting? He does appear to have some foot pad dermatitis (bumblefoot,) which can be treated with some Epsom salts soaks to his foot and leg daily. Is he putting any weight on his leg, holding it up, or does it just seem paralyzed? Injury is more common, but Mareks disease might be a possibility. Hopefully not, but I would give it a few weeks of rest to decide what to do.

 

[ElizaChick]

Sorry about your rooster. Do you think that he may have broken or dislocated his leg? Did the vet xray it or suggest splinting? He does appear to have some foot pad dermatitis (bumblefoot,) which can be treated with some Epsom salts soaks to his foot and leg daily. Is he putting any weight on his leg, holding it up, or does it just seem paralyzed? Injury is more common, but Mareks disease might be a possibility. Hopefully not, but I would give it a few weeks of rest to decide what to do.

He was using his bad leg/foot to balance, but now he mostly sits down. Or he stands with it barely touching the floor. I soaked him in epsom salts for 15 minutes this morning, & when I set him down, this was how he looked (see pic). He seems to have very little control over that leg.

The vet just did a quick look-over of him (she was here to see our cows), so we don't have x-rays or anything. I've felt both legs in comparison to each other, and they feel about the same except the un-used one is thinner. Is there anything that I can do for him? Is it cruel to keep him alive in a small cage for a couple of weeks?

 

[Eggcessive]

He is a handsome rooster. Do you have another rooster? What caused the dark spots on his legs? Pecking? Xrays would be helpful to know if it is an injury that he could recover from. It can take several weeks to recover from a broken leg, and a sprain can take a long time as well. You can give aspirin 81 mg twice a day for pain, and vitamins might be helpful. If he does seem to be suffering, and you chose to put him down, I would get a necropsy done by the state vet to confirm an injury, and to test for Mareks. Here is a list of state vets:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[ElizaChick]

He is a handsome rooster. Do you have another rooster? What caused the dark spots on his legs? Pecking? Xrays would be helpful to know if it is an injury that he could recover from. It can take several weeks to recover from a broken leg, and a sprain can take a long time as well. You can give aspirin 81 mg twice a day for pain, and vitamins might be helpful. If he does seem to be suffering, and you chose to put him down, I would get a necropsy done by the state vet to confirm an injury, and to test for Mareks. Here is a list of state vets:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Isn't he handsome!? ♥ He's the only other rooster, and no body picks on him. I cannot find anything online about the dark spots on his legs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He is handsome!
Can you get some clearer photos of the side of the leg/foot and those black areas?
Are the dark spots on both legs?
How old is he?
No other lumps, bumps (bumpy skin), lesions, tumors, etc., on the body, under the wings, neck, etc.?

 

[ElizaChick]

He is handsome!
Can you get some clearer photos of the side of the leg/foot and those black areas?
Are the dark spots on both legs?
How old is he?
No other lumps, bumps (bumpy skin), lesions, tumors, etc., on the body, under the wings, neck, etc.?
View attachment 1921144

I have some more photos in the original post that show the black spots/scales better (one isn't showing up in the thumbnail but is there in the post). The spots are on both legs and are new within the last 2 weeks. He's 2-4 years old (got him from a friend a while back). No other issues on his body except this leg that seems to be loose in his body (but I can't feel that it's dislocated).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have some more photos in the original post that show the black spots/scales better (one isn't showing up in the thumbnail but is there in the post). The spots are on both legs and are new within the last 2 weeks. He's 2-4 years old (got him from a friend a while back). No other issues on his body except this leg that seems to be loose in his body (but I can't feel that it's dislocated).

Yes, I saw those.

 

[ElizaChick]

UPDATE: NOT BUMBLEFOOT - TEAR INJURY
I took the rooster to a chiropractor. His leg is dislocated from his hip joint and won't stay in. The muscle/tendon/ligament that is supposed to hold his leg in that joint is torn, so his leg just can't stay in place.

I haven't been able to find any good videos about splinting it in place. Suggestions?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You may need to reconsult your doctor. Here's a splinting manual that may be helpful.
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf