Limping roo...

[spookychick]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Black Copper Marans, 3 months old, not sure on his weight

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Noticed him limping today, and biting at one of his toes on the foot that he doesn't seem to want to put much weight on, although I examined him twice over and don't see any visible injury.

3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None I can see.

4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Don't know of any situation that might have caused an injury. He's the biggest bird in the coop, so no one has picked on him.

5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Eating and drinking normally as far as I can see. Morning mash, including extra protein, grow rations, corn and other grains.

6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
There was some running poop in the pen the other day, but I have about 25 young birds in that pen, and can't be certain whose it was.

7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Nothing yet. I just noticed the problem today.

8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to treat him myself if possible.

10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
New 10 x 12 coop with 3 big windows for lots of fresh air. Deep pine shavings for bedding. We haven't finished the outdoor run yet, so the young birds haven't been outside at all. The Marans trio has preferred to roost on the ground since we got them two months ago.


Okay, I'm terrified after reading so many threads about Marek's and limping birds. I have about sixty young chickens under two months old, and now I'm scared I've introduced a disease to my flock. I had the Marans trio quarantined for over two month before letting them mix with the rest of my birds. Please tell me this isn't necessarily the worst case scenario. What should I do? I'm panicked.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Is there a possibility he might have flown up on a perch and possibly injured his foot when he jumped down? Large Fowl chickens can injure feet that way, and it's recommended to only have perches on a couple feet (definitely under 4 feet) off the ground.
But it sounds like your roo doesn't usually use roosts, and he has soft bedding to land in...

 

[spookychick]

We haven't built the roosts yet, so just have a few small pieces of wood low to the ground for the young birds to perch on. He could have climbed a small ladder to look out the window, but I haven't noticed him attempting this like the other birds will do. He really prefers to dig into the pine bedding and snuggle up with his girls.

 

[spookychick]

Also would like to add that the roo's leg and foot do not appear to be paralyzed in any way. Just seems like it hurts him to put weight on it. And since I witnessed him biting at one particular toe several times on the affected foot, I'm hoping that means it's an injury or irritation of some kind, and not - God forbid - the dreaded Marek's.

I'm afraid to go out to the coop and check on him tomorrow. Should I quarantine him? Or is it already too late to have any hope of protecting my other birds? Do I just watch him and wait to see if other symptoms develop? There is only one vet in my area that sees chickens, and I haven't been impressed with her expertise thus far.

 

[Judy]

Have you checked for bumblefoot? Only thing I can think of.... Hopefully it is some minor sprain or injury that you can't see, and will resolve itself. Maybe he has an ingrown toenail??!!!

Really, I have no idea. Am subscribing to this thread to see how it turns out. Does not sound like there is any paralysis, so hopefully this is not Marek's. I know very little about Marek's.

 

[Judy]

I was writing when you posted last. Frankly I doubt if isolation would make any difference at this point, though as I said, I don't know much about Marek's, although I know it is neurological, so absence of paralysis sounds like a positive sign.

I would not spend money on vets for chickens, but that is a personal viewpoint, obviously.

Let's hope it is something minor that you just can't see!

 

[spookychick]

No signs of bumblefoot that I can detect. I examined his feet twice this afternoon, and didn't see any swollen areas, or redness. He is able to flex and use both feet, just doesn't like to put much weight on the one.