Limping chicken?!

[Abbkayx]

Can you put him in his crate and keep him with the other birds where he can enjoy being close to them without being picked on? Provide his own food and water. I would continue to limit his activity. If he sprained his leg, it can take weeks to heal. Hopefully, it is not Mareks.

I hope so too!

He’s in a little box I made up (all chicken wire surround) inside the coop. My birds free range all day though, so they only see each other at night and in the morning.

 

[Abbkayx]

Here’s some more photos at videos.

First video is just him walking.
Second video is his little foot and leg trembling / shaking (which happens after he takes a couple steps). Excuse my annoying dog barking in the background lol.

I did notice a little tiny brown speck on the underside of his foot, not sure if that could be anything.

 

[Abbkayx]

I hit post too quickly, here’s the pics.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to know if the scab or the brown scrape on the middle toe second picture might be causing pain. Neither looks infected. Does either one seem sensitive to touch?

 

[azygous]

Have you ever been to the doctor with a sore limb and they send you for x-rays and you get zapped at every angle this side of getting stood on your head? That's what we need you to do with his foot.

Photograph his left foot from the top with toes flat and spread. Then do it from the bottom, with his toes spread so we can see clearly the webbed tissue between the toes. We need to see as much of that left foot as possible.

I have a hunch, from the way he lifts the foot and pecks at the toes, that he's badly bruised the base of one or more toes. You will likely see greenish discoloration. I had a young hen fly feet first into the window of the run when some marauding dogs attacked my flock this past winter. At the time, I couldn't see any injuries.

After a day or so, she was limping badly, and standing with the foot held close to her belly. That's when I looked closely and saw the greenish bruising between her toes. It took two weeks of aspirin twice a day, and she was healed.

I let her stay with the flock as she was self limiting her activity, and to be honest, her being temporarily crippled gave the flock a respite from her wicked, naughty, bullying.

 

[Abbkayx]

It is hard to know if the scab or the brown scrape on the middle toe second picture might be causing pain. Neither looks infected. Does either one seem sensitive to touch?

No, neither seemed sensitive. In fact none of his leg or toes did. I took each of his little toes made sure they all bent properly, bent his leg out and in -- no flinches or any sign of distress when I did any of this.

 

[Abbkayx]

Have you ever been to the doctor with a sore limb and they send you for x-rays and you get zapped at every angle this side of getting stood on your head? That's what we need you to do with his foot.

Photograph his left foot from the top with toes flat and spread. Then do it from the bottom, with his toes spread so we can see clearly the webbed tissue between the toes. We need to see as much of that left foot as possible.

I have a hunch, from the way he lifts the foot and pecks at the toes, that he's badly bruised the base of one or more toes. You will likely see greenish discoloration. I had a young hen fly feet first into the window of the run when some marauding dogs attacked my flock this past winter. At the time, I couldn't see any injuries.

After a day or so, she was limping badly, and standing with the foot held close to her belly. That's when I looked closely and saw the greenish bruising between her toes. It took two weeks of aspirin twice a day, and she was healed.

I let her stay with the flock as she was self limiting her activity, and to be honest, her being temporarily crippled gave the flock a respite from her wicked, naughty, bullying.

I've got conflicting information on the aspirin. I gave it for the first two days - then someone else recommended to not give it. So confusing! I trust this forum a bit more than my other groups that recommended not to give aspirin though, so I will continue with that as well.

I will get some more photos here in just a bit. That definitely sounds like it could be it. He sounds like he is doing pretty much the same as your hen was. Definitely has been self-limiting. He takes it really really slow, and doesn't go too far from the coop. Just enough to get some good snacks / bugs. Last night I let him out with the flock for about 3 hours, tonight only 2 hours. I put him back in his box at night and he stays there throughout the day.

 

[azygous]

The only animals I know of that can't tolerate aspirin are cats. The only real risk with short term use of aspirin is if active bleeding is involved. It's a natural anti inflammatory, but also is an anticoagulant so it would make bleeding worse.

I would not recommend long term use of aspirin for a chicken with lameness because of the risks of corroding the digestive track over a long period of use.

 

[Kathy Golla]

He seems worse than before. When you crated him, was he on something soft, or was he standing on the bottom of a wire cage? Sorry, I know that seems obvious, have to ask. If it was wire on the bottom and he was in there for four days, he could have bruised the bottoms of his feet badly.
Based on what Ive experienced, he's hurt himself. I think the bruising theory is as good a theory as any. Also, it could be something not very serious, but his pain tolerance is low, then combine it with him being energetic and he thinks its all not good. I have a hen with a small bumble on her foot, she's been to the vet about it, its incredibly superficial, but by god you would think her toenails were torn out. The vet gave the hen hen ibuprofen to make her happier, ugh.
I would think about keeping him on a really soft surface if you havent already and see if it improves. Another option is to wrap his foot up with a big bunch of padded cotton on the bottom and see if he decides its more comfortable to walk on. Although that could be problematic in itself if there is something else on the foot compromised.
Have you been giving him aspirin?

 

[Abbkayx]

He seems worse than before. When you crated him, was he on something soft, or was he standing on the bottom of a wire cage? Sorry, I know that seems obvious, have to ask. If it was wire on the bottom and he was in there for four days, he could have bruised the bottoms of his feet badly.
Based on what Ive experienced, he's hurt himself. I think the bruising theory is as good a theory as any. Also, it could be something not very serious, but his pain tolerance is low, then combine it with him being energetic and he thinks its all not good. I have a hen with a small bumble on her foot, she's been to the vet about it, its incredibly superficial, but by god you would think her toenails were torn out. The vet gave the hen hen ibuprofen to make her happier, ugh.
I would think about keeping him on a really soft surface if you havent already and see if it improves. Another option is to wrap his foot up with a big bunch of padded cotton on the bottom and see if he decides its more comfortable to walk on. Although that could be problematic in itself if there is something else on the foot compromised.
Have you been giving him aspirin?

He's on about 5" of pine shavings, so I'd say it's pretty soft. I could definitely try something a bit softer though. He has a little roost for sleeping about 3-4" up, as well. He spends the majority of the day just laying in the shavings, but super alert. Just chillin' out I guess lol.

I did give him aspirin for the first two days, then stopped. I'm going to start it up again tonight.