Red Ranger Rooster Lays Down A Lot

[msisco389]

Hi everyone!
My red ranger rooster is about 9 weeks old seems to be sitting or laying around a lot. When he sits he sometimes puts his legs out in front of him and rocks back holding his feet up. He does get up occasionally to follow the rest of the flock or to chase a bug but usually sits right back down. He also seems to be developing callouses on the back of his legs, I'm thinking caused by his sitting habit. I'm thinking this is all caused by his size since he grew fast and is rather large already. Has anyone experience this before? Is this something I should be worried about?

 

[msisco389]

He does also lay down "normal" sometimes but mostly he usually holds his legs in front of him.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like your rooster has a problem with pain in his legs. This has been my experience that a rooster that has pain in one or both legs will sit down every chance he gets.

Have you examined the legs very carefully for swelling or bruising? Bruises appear greenish. Also look at the bottoms of his feet for signs of bumblefoot. This can be an extremely painful condition.

If there are no outward signs of injury, then you are probably right to assume his rapid weight gain is causing strain on his legs. You might give him a baby aspirin once or twice a day and see if that relieves any possible pain and it's possible he'll be on his feet more.

I have a hen with arthritis in her leg, and she has benefited greatly from a half a baby aspirin and a quarter tab of glucosamine twice a day. Chickens experience chronic pain sometimes and a little anti-inflammatory will improve their lives just as it does with humans.

 

[msisco389]

It sounds like your rooster has a problem with pain in his legs. This has been my experience that a rooster that has pain in one or both legs will sit down every chance he gets.

Have you examined the legs very carefully for swelling or bruising? Bruises appear greenish. Also look at the bottoms of his feet for signs of bumblefoot. This can be an extremely painful condition.

If there are no outward signs of injury, then you are probably right to assume his rapid weight gain is causing strain on his legs. You might give him a baby aspirin once or twice a day and see if that relieves any possible pain and it's possible he'll be on his feet more.

I have a hen with arthritis in her leg, and she has benefited greatly from a half a baby aspirin and a quarter tab of glucosamine twice a day. Chickens experience chronic pain sometimes and a little anti-inflammatory will improve their lives just as it does with humans.

Thank you very much for your input! This was my first chicken raising experience and it was my fear he might be in some sort of pain. I read horror stories of bumble foot so I have been checking all their feet daily and definitely no bumble foot and no bruising either. The only thing I have noticed on his legs is the callous spots I have pictured above.
Baby aspirin is definitely safe for chickens? I may try that and see if it helps I just want to make sure I'm not poisoning him.

 

[maddog3355]

He is a meat bird. He is getting to heavy for his feet. Are you gong to butcher him?

 

[Folly's place]

He'll need to go in the freezer earlier rather than later, before he's really miserable. I did have a couple of ranger cockrels develop heart failure, and one with joint issues, although way fewer than the Cornishx birds. Mary

 

[msisco389]

He'll need to go in the freezer earlier rather than later, before he's really miserable.  I did have a couple of ranger cockrels develop heart failure, and one with joint issues, although way fewer than the Cornishx birds.  Mary

Well I do not plan on eating him, he was in a mix of breeds I got from TSC for our hobby farm, there are two others of his breed that are not having leg issues but he is a bit bigger than them. If it comes down to it and he is unhappy I will do what I have to but we will not be eating him. Was just hoping there was something I could do for him.

 

[azygous]

I guess my hen would have been long dead if baby aspirin and glucosamine were poisonous to chickens. You can trust me or not, but I've given it to a rooster for pain from a broken leg, and my hen has been on this regimen for over a year and it has been visibly helpful.

The only animal I know of that aspirin is toxic to is cats.

 

[msisco389]

I guess my hen would have been long dead if baby aspirin and glucosamine were poisonous to chickens. You can trust me or not, but I've given it to a rooster for pain from a broken leg, and my hen has been on this regimen for over a year and it has been visibly helpful.

The only animal I know of that aspirin is toxic to is cats.

okay thank you! I am going to pick some up in the morning and try it out.

 

[deeruth]

thank God for this post! I went to my local feed store and bought my first "Flock" of my life. What a big mistake. They where first suppose to be all pullets. Ya right! What I eventually found out I had was 3 roosters, (1 Red Ranger (told he was a pullet red star, 1 crevecouer rooster and 1 White Rock Rooster) 2 pullets turned out to be 1 ranger and 1 mix pullet. 20 weeks later my rangers are struggling. My Rooster is as large as a full grown male turkey with curly toe. My Pullet has really bad hip problems. What was the baby aspirin and Glucosomine regimen dosage to help them along. My girl is getting ready to lay and I want to give her every chance in the world to do so. Otherwise, I am going to have to put her down. My Rooster is soooo big that the curly toe makes him move very slow and hard for him to protect himself among much more smaller rooster. Let this be a lesson to everyone. Never give your business to a feed store and their seconds. I feel so badly for being so green and not knowing what I was doing. They are my responsibility and It is in Gods hands .