So Saturday I noticed that one of my roosters was missing the talon on one of this toes and barely limping. Sunday my husband tells me "one of your roosters is limping" and I tell him "I know, I noticed it yesterday, he's fine." Then I go check and his limp is worse. So I pick him up and check his foot and leg out and, other than the missing talon, I don't see a thing. The pad of his foot looks fine, there is no inflamation, no sores, no redness. So I figure maybe it's just sore and leave him alone. Yesterday it got a little worse and he laid down a lot, so I checked it again and still nothing. Today he won't bear any weight on the leg.
Otherwise he seems totally healthy- he's still trying to do all his rooster-y duties, but on one leg, so I'm worried he's going to hurt himself worse. But he's eating and drinking and looks bright and healthy otherwise. He even managed to get onto his roost last night. After dark I went into the coop and moved him from his high roost to a roost about a foot off the floor so he wouldn't have to jump so far to get down this morning.
Does anyone have any ideas about what could be wrong or what I should do? I'm pretty sure that if I don't see improvement by the end of today I'm going to put him in a dark crate to MAKE him rest his poor leg, but I hate isolating chickens.
Other possibly helpful info: He's a Buff Orp, 1 year old. Deep litter in a permanant coop, free ranges, lives with one other rooster who he sometimes gets into disagreements with but mostly coexists peacfully with.
Otherwise he seems totally healthy- he's still trying to do all his rooster-y duties, but on one leg, so I'm worried he's going to hurt himself worse. But he's eating and drinking and looks bright and healthy otherwise. He even managed to get onto his roost last night. After dark I went into the coop and moved him from his high roost to a roost about a foot off the floor so he wouldn't have to jump so far to get down this morning.
Does anyone have any ideas about what could be wrong or what I should do? I'm pretty sure that if I don't see improvement by the end of today I'm going to put him in a dark crate to MAKE him rest his poor leg, but I hate isolating chickens.
Other possibly helpful info: He's a Buff Orp, 1 year old. Deep litter in a permanant coop, free ranges, lives with one other rooster who he sometimes gets into disagreements with but mostly coexists peacfully with.
