Not an Emergency, but it is an unknown injury

[LalaBuckholtz]

I tried to search information about roosters injuring themselves, but couldn't find anything...

I trimmed my little bantam rooster's spurs today. It was overdue, but didn't seem too bad. He's been holding up one leg lately and I thought while I had him held down to trim his spurs I would check his feet and legs.

I found these two strange wounds on his leg. Seems an odd place for him to spur himself, but he's the only rooster along with 3 hens and no other farm animals. I suppose he could have run up on something in the yard.

It seems pretty scabbed over so I didn't apply anything external at the moment. I did give him an antibiotic in case of infection (he's a little snotty at the moment so probably wasn't a bad idea anyway). Tonight when he's docile after bed I'll sneak in the coop and Vaseline his legs.

Anyway, haven't been able to find a photo of a similar wound to his, so has anyone else seen something similar?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Ridgerunner? Does this look like he might have kicked himself with his spurs?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would not think so. The kind of spur damage I'd expect would be where the spur grows long enough and curls around where it actually grows into the leg. That does not look like what has happened. I would not expect spurs to jab the back of the leg like that. It looks more like a jab and not a rub.

That is not scaly leg mites. I don't know what would cause a wound like that. Sorry, no help.

 

[LalaBuckholtz]

I would not think so. The kind of spur damage I'd expect would be where the spur grows long enough and curls around where it actually grows into the leg. That does not look like what has happened. I would not expect spurs to jab the back of the leg like that. It looks more like a jab and not a rub.

That is not scaly leg mites. I don't know what would cause a wound like that. Sorry, no help.

No worries, thanks for the input!
Took another look at him since he's defiantly standing on the deck after visiting the inside of the mother ship (what we refer to as "indoors"), and it's actually on the outside of his left leg, so there's no way it could have been his own spurs unless he got seriously tripped up on his own feet.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks, @Ridgerunner. It's really a mystery! Wonder if he got tangled up in something?

 

[LalaBuckholtz]

Thanks, @Ridgerunner. It's really a mystery! Wonder if he got tangled up in something?

I suppose it's possible, but we have a blind dog, so I try to keep anything pokey off the ground or flipped over so that it won't hurt the dog or the chickens.
Tomorrow I'll try to inspect his thighs and body a little better. I didn't feel anything today, but if he has more I wonder if he had a run in with a hawk or a cat. We do have raccoons, opossums, and rats, but the coop is raccoon and opossum proof and I can't imagine the rats would gnaw him.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I suppose it's possible, but we have a blind dog, so I try to keep anything pokey off the ground or flipped over so that it won't hurt the dog or the chickens.
Tomorrow I'll try to inspect his thighs and body a little better. I didn't feel anything today, but if he has more I wonder if he had a run in with a hawk or a cat. We do have raccoons, opossums, and rats, but the coop is raccoon and opossum proof and I can't imagine the rats would gnaw him.

Humm. I imagine the rats would start on his toes...

 

[Egger Anna]

Looks like bumble foot to me

 

[LalaBuckholtz]

Looks like bumble foot to me

On the side of his leg near his ankle?

 

[Egger Anna]

Yep, I've seen it on my friends chickens before, put some Vaseline on it. Check this reddit page for the cure:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BackYardChickens/comments/180uj20/bumble_foot_treatment