paralyzed legs from freak accident

[chicknmania]

This is horrible.

Our cockerel Ice got a piece of cotton string wrapped around his foot. I have no idea where it came from we have never seen string like it, it's like braided soft cotton. Anyway, we didn't know he had it on his foot, and he somehow got it caught on something on his roost, a nail, splinter, or something. I found him hanging upside down from his roost this morning, suspended by the string. I have no idea how long he was like that, if I had to guess I would say he got caught early this morning when he tried to jump down, and I found him about 10:30AM. A full grown rooster would have been able to break the string, but Ice is just four months old and he doesn't weigh much yet. I got him down and he was not good, but I held him in my lap for a long time and warmed him up, and later coaxed him to eat, and he finally did eat on his own, and ate well after a while. But his legs are paralyzed. We got the string off (it was not wound that tightly) and I thought his legs from the hocks down felt cold, so I massaged his legs a bit. He seems to have feeling in them cause he closed his eyes when I did that. And he seems to be able to move them sometimes as he sometimes can get them under him but other times not. I put him in a dog crate with a soft rug so he would have some traction, and a little straw on top, and he had a heat light on him all afternoon. He is stronger, but still can't walk. He has an extra toe and seems to have a problem with getting things caught on his feel.

I have been reading on here that B vitamin helps with paralyzed legs, so I thought maybe i should try that? I also have hypericum. I used that once with huge success on a pullet with paralyzed legs (I don't know how she got paralyzed)...the hypericum helped her and she made a full recovery, that was a year ago. Should I try the Hypericum, or wait for a while? It makes me nervous to try it when I'm not sure exactly what is going on. And the B Vitamin? And is there anything else we could try?

 

[Angiebubs]

Ugh So sorry! I wonder if it will just take a while for the circulation to get flowing again and maybe he will be fine by tomorrow morning? Please give us an update! I have had this happen as well...the stupid string off the top of the feed bags and somehow one ended up inside the coop. Found a hen hanging with it from a ladder. Fortunately I think I found her pretty quick and after some limping she recovered fully.

 

[chicknmania]

Oh, I'm glad to know this has happened to someone else! It might have been feedbag string, I try to be careful to throw away all string, but i don't know how careful others are. He seems a little better today, he struggled to stand up, but couldn't quite make it. So at least I know his legs work to a point. I'm gonna take him outside for some sunshine later. I just wish I knew how MUCH B vitamin to give him...I'm thinking probably around 50 mg but that's just a guess....I guess I could try some Polyvisol for starters. I have poultry vitamins in his water, but I don't know how much of that he's getting. I'm reluctant to use the hypericum for a while, although I know it works well for neuro issues,

 

[chicknmania]

We think that he might have had some temporary nerve swelling from hanging upside down. Have been treating with baby aspirin three times a day and vitamins, as well as making sure he eats and drinks well, which he is. And some time in the sun, too. He is making a very slow improvement, can stand for a few seconds now. Hopefully he keeps on.

Just for the record, in case anyone else encounters this problem.

 

[rahbeen]

How awful, so sorry this happened. Hope he gets better soon. Keep us updated.

 

[TiaRC]

I too have went through this. My rooster was hanging from my porch rail by a string. He had been hanging for a while cause of his cold feet and no currulation. He couldn't walk for a week but did make a full recovery. He may have damaged some nerves or even dislocated his legs. My roo did. Stay hopeful and keep him eating and drinking.

 

[chicknmania]

Thank you! He is doing well, so far.. Glad to hear from others who have experienced this!

 

[Angiebubs]

Updates?

 

[chicknmania]

Hi thank you. He's doing better, can walk and run but still limping. I only know he can run because when I open the door of his crate in the morning to feed or water him, he tries to make a flying charge at the door to get past me.

He's sick and tired of being confined. He goes in a bigger cage during the day and can be outside in the sun, but he's not getting much chance to walk a lot. He's getting baby aspirin 1 to 3 x a day and usually 1/4 b complex tab in the evenings. He shakes his leg and looks at it like it's annoying. His sibs come and sit with him outside his jail cell

usually part of every day, but they're drifing away from him. Being a cockerel, he needs to go out soon, or the others are going to start seriously picking on him.

 

[Angiebubs]

awww! So glad to hear hes doing so much better! Good work!