Limping roster

[Molnut]

My Welsummer rooster, Mr. K (as it is the Kellogg's rooster after all), has been keeping his right leg up when standing for a few days. Yesterday, he would not roost so I took him in for a closer look.
His right leg is warmer than his left and the joint at the tibia is warm and seems a little swollen. I decided to put him in a large crate, by himself, in the garage.
Now the fine prints :
1) Based on the above, would you diagnose something else than a sprain?
2) I am giving him a baby aspirin 2x/day. Any other suggestions?
3) I read that it is better to keep the hens with their flock while they recover, is it the same for roosters? He is in a flock of 55 hens. There is another young rooster born in July last year Oliver (you guessed, he is an Olive Egger). Mr. K is 2 1/2 and there doesn't seem to be much bickering between the two of them, except for the usual "reminder" of who is in charge, but it is very brief and never amounts to a fight, that I have seen.
I am still new at this and will be grateful for your feedback.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

His right leg is warmer than his left and the joint at the tibia is warm and seems a little swollen.

1) Based on the above, would you diagnose something else than a sprain?
2) I am giving him a baby aspirin 2x/day. Any other suggestions?
3) I read that it is better to keep the hens with their flock while they recover, is it the same for roosters? He is in a flock of 55 hens. There is another young rooster born in July last year Oliver (you guessed, he is an Olive Egger). Mr. K is 2 1/2 and there doesn't seem to be much bickering between the two of them, except for the usual "reminder" of who is in charge, but it is very brief and never amounts to a fight, that I have seen.

Can you post some photos of Mr K?
Any discoloration of the leg to indicate bruising?

Is he alert, wanting to eat/drink on his own?

The baby aspirin won't hurt for a few days. I do like to keep birds with or close to the flock if at all possible. Since you do have a cockerel that could take advantage of an injured rooster, you may need to kennel Mr. K within the coop/run - you just don't know - they may be fine without caging. Mr. K will be happier near the hens.

Anything like bumblefoot on the bottom of the feet?

As for a diagnosis - we are not vets - an xray would reveal a break.

 

[Molnut]

Thank you for the reply Wyorp Rock. I can try to take a pic, but Mr K was far less cooperative last evening when I took him out of his kennel to clean him up and add some straw. Maybe it was the aspirin that took effect, or, more likely, the site of the two arms coming at him while he was at the end of his cage. It's a big cage so he has time to see me coming! I would prefer to leave him in peace, as last night turned into a rodeo, me trying to catch him, Mr K running around in the garage as if his life depended on it. I'm concerned this is going to hurt him more.
As far as I can tell, there was no difference in appearance in the legs, besides the warmth and a little swelling which was barely noticeable.
I will bring him back to the coop today. His crate is about 4 by two and a half feet and two and a half feet tall at least. I think it's a good size he has plenty of room but not too much so that he can spare his leg.
What would you recommend as the best dose and length of time to give him the aspirin?
Advice much appreciated!
Michele

 

[Molnut]

I forgot to answer regarding the bumblefoot. That was my first idea as he was walking on his toes. I checked very carefully both of his feet and couldn't find anything that would look like bumblefoot or any abrasions.
I gave him some scratch and scrambled eggs where I spread the aspirin. He eat that!
Do you think I should put vitamins in his water? I usually do that when they're not feeling feeling well are underweight.
Thanks again.
Michele

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can give him a baby aspirin 2 times a day for a couple of days.
If he will eat it on his own, well and good! If not, just pop the aspirin in his beak, he should swallow it.

Vitamins in the water for a couple of days won't hurt. Hopefully what you have on hand contains B2 (Riboflavin). B vitamins in general give a boost, but B2 promotes leg health too.

 

[Shadrach]

My Welsummer rooster, Mr. K (as it is the Kellogg's rooster after all), has been keeping his right leg up when standing for a few days. Yesterday, he would not roost so I took him in for a closer look.
His right leg is warmer than his left and the joint at the tibia is warm and seems a little swollen. I decided to put him in a large crate, by himself, in the garage.
Now the fine prints :
1) Based on the above, would you diagnose something else than a sprain?
2) I am giving him a baby aspirin 2x/day. Any other suggestions?
3) I read that it is better to keep the hens with their flock while they recover, is it the same for roosters? He is in a flock of 55 hens. There is another young rooster born in July last year Oliver (you guessed, he is an Olive Egger). Mr. K is 2 1/2 and there doesn't seem to be much bickering between the two of them, except for the usual "reminder" of who is in charge, but it is very brief and never amounts to a fight, that I have seen.
I am still new at this and will be grateful for your feedback.

Well done you. All the important stuff sorted.
If you can feel a difference in temperature between one leg and another then a sprain or dislocation is a strong possibility. Congratulations on have the sense to feel his legs for the temperature change.
If he's cooperative and will stand still you may be able to tell (I read you think it may be his knee joint) with some exactness where the problem is. Check his hip joint if you can for swelling.
Yes, he would be much happier with his hens and for many injuries you are absolutely correct; they heal faster in the company of their flock.
I get a few limps and strains here. The chickens free range.
Strains are one of the complaints I will isolate a bird for if they are limping badly; they couldn't keep up with the flock and separated with a limp is predator bait.
I have a small plastic per carrier in which I place a couple of towels on the bottom for grip and comfort and confine the bird in this in my house where it is warm and I can keep an eye on them.
Aspirin is okay but there is an analgesic and anti inflammatory called Metacam which is much better for such injuries. I think your aspirin dose is a bit high. I give half a junior aspirin with food twice a day.
The game fowl keepers here will for some knee injuries used elasticated bandage. It's getting it at the right tension so as to support but not restrict that is the art.
I feed my strain injured birds cooked sardines (drain oils and waters) in addition to their normal feed.
If after a couple of days, the swelling isn't going down then it's a vet job and it will need to be an avian vet.

 

[Molnut]

You can give him a baby aspirin 2 times a day for a couple of days.
If he will eat it on his own, well and good! If not, just pop the aspirin in his beak, he should swallow it.

Vitamins in the water for a couple of days won't hurt. Hopefully what you have on hand contains B2 (Riboflavin). B vitamins in general give a boost, but B2 promotes leg health too.

Thanks for the reply. I have the standard durvet vitamins & electrolytes. It only has the B-12 vitamin. Should I get him some B-2?
I spent some time with him in the garage, but he is still leary about me and is throwing me some worried looks when I get too close to him. I guess last night's rodeo really traumatized him. I have used crushed aspirin on his scambled eggs to get the dirty deed done. Can't be sure he gets it all, but it's better than none.

 

[Molnut]

Thank you Shadrach. I will try to get him out of the crate and examine his limbs better, however I'm concerned that he may be over-reacting in fear and hurt himself more. If you read my post Wyorp Rock he is already quite leery of me. He was born here, but with a hundred and thirty chickens I didn't get to interact with him too much. They are on pasture year-long which does not promote closeness either. I will look for that medication as it is not the first time that I've had a sprain here either. I would love to keep him inside where it's nice and warm rather than heating up the garage. We did that with another rooster who was injured after a fight. The waking up at 3 a.m. by a bellowing rooster got old very quickly! I will put him back with his flock in the big crate and everybody will be happier.
Thanks
Michele

 

[Folly's place]

At night, in the dark, with a small flashlight, get him out and then when you have him, turn on a better light. Chicken rodeo time won't help him!
Darkness is your friend when catching chickens!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Also, if you cover his head, so he's 'in the dark' it will help.
Mary