Rescued rooster with severe leg injury...

[Cr8zysweet]

Thanks! Will figure out a new place to house him and a friend, trim his spurs, and try to get a picture of the injury tomorrow (too dark now..). His feet feel warm...but the bottom of his foot is hard like knotted up muscles..
Kari you said you've seen injuries like this before...what was the outcome with the birds?? Did they heal enough to have use of their legs??

 

[Cr8zysweet]

I just seen pictures of the baked potato way of trimming a spur online....I believe it was on the poultry podiatry site, they had pictures too. The "spur" or quick looked awfully raw afterwards...that kind of put me off doing this to big boy. Hey how do you guys put quotes into your replies? Yes I am a true newbie to all of this

 

[kari_dawn]

you can click the quote button in the bottom right of the post you wish to quote, or you can put {quote=name of whoever] stuff you want to quote
[/quote} but replace these thingies {} with these thingies [ ]

then it will look like this:

Quote:
Well, unfortunately, working for a municipality that does not allow roosters, many of those birds got put to sleep. I have seen one or two recover though

Then again, I have seen several that have come through there that got around just fine on the one good leg.

I have heard iodine has some healing properties...dunno if it would help more than the skin healing though.

If the bottom of his bad foot is hard, it may be too far gone for him to regain full use of it, but then again, he may suprise us. maybe try chicken foot massage...to help stimulate blood flow to the foot of course.

 

[Cr8zysweet]

Thanks! Yeah I've been doing the foot massage, i'm glad that had a purpose....I was just doing it since his muscles seemed so tight...instinctive I guess. I'm really hoping he surprises us, but prepared to have a one (good) legged rooster too if that is how it turns out. Will get some iodine too... So the betadine is better than the antibiotic also?

 

[kari_dawn]

for an injury like that, I would rather keep it drier rather than moist, so yes. Betadine/iodine basically serves the same purpose as a topical antibiotic, and in my oppinion is a better choice.

for the foot massage, as the skin heals, try to do a gentle but firm motion down the leg, to the pad of the foot, and out to the toes to simulate the direction of blood flow to the foot...at least, thats what I would do

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

Beautiful roo! Sounds like you're doing great. There's a lot on the forum about massage. I haven't done it on chickens - haven't had to yet - but it seems like it's really beneficial.
Sounds like he - and the rest of the flock - are in good hands. How did you come to rescue an entire flock?

 

[Cr8zysweet]

Thanks..I needed to hear that! Still feel like a newbie to raising farm animals.. I'm a cook and I'm always talking about my chickens so one of my patrons said he was going to cull his chickens instead of housing them through winter. Said I would be interested in a few...just no more roosters (I have two permanent ones and two babies that I hatched, they'll be going to their new homes soon), well when i saw them I knew I could make room for them on our 2 acres. Good thing my honey had just finished building me a new big coop...the new additions are currently in the old coop.

 

[kari_dawn]

what a perfect quarantine solution!

Keep us updated on your guy!

 

[Cr8zysweet]

That's his leg as of today...it's looking much better than it was. Sorry the picture isn't the greatest...

Here's Big Boy thanking you for caring enough to help with your advice

....

 

[kari_dawn]

aw man that tissue looks pretty swollen...I would start warm water epsom salt soaks for the affected leg. Good thing is it appears as if it may still have good blood flow.

I say 30 minute epsom salt soaks if you can get him to put up with it, and massage daily

Definately trim that spur! That is one serious spur!