Roo limping for 2 weeks, suddenly worse

[Deltabwa]

I have 3 - 7 1/2 mo old chickens, 1 roo, 2 hens. They recently started free ranging. One day about 2 weeks ago I noticed, while out, the roo was limping so I put him back in, checked him out, nothing obviously wrong. Thought maybe he landed wrong and sprained it so I put them back in. He continued to limp but got a bit better every day. I checked him again and still no sign of bumblefoot or anything. He would stand on it but sometimes stand on the curled toes.

I have 18 - 8 week old chicks that I put in with them. Spent 3 weeks integrating them and they are now all together. The roo would chase them if they got too close but they all mostly got along great. I had let the bigger 3 free range again for part of a day, then back in the next to rest then out again for part of a day, etc. Just so he wouldnt over exert himself. I did give him 1/2 baby aspirin 1 day and noticed he didn't limp as bad so figured I was correct with a sprain assessment.

Yesterday I put them out to free range again and about 45 min later i went to check on them and noticed he started to limp really bad. worse than he ever had. So I put them back in. Last night he did go to his roost, and came down just fine this morning. However, today. He can hardly even put any weight on it at all. I do have a small video but don't think i can load it here so doesnt help. I thought I saw him try to stretch his leg out behind him, like they do, but only seemed to do it half way. He doesnt let me get too close to him, when I checked him before I had to have my husband get him first thing in the morning before he came out of the coop but today when I went back out he was laying and i could get right next to him without him moving and all the chicks where running all around him and he didn't even bother to try to chase them.

When he finally stood, he stands flamingo style. only when he has to move does him foot go down and he's very hesitant about having it touch the ground. When I took the video, I was able to get right behind him and touch his tail and he still didnt move but when I tried to grab him, he jumped and hopped away from me.

He uses a wing, sometimes both, some times alternating, when he stands to balance himself.

I havent been able to catch him yet today, will very soon, but the last 2 times I touched it, it wasnt warm. I do have a few pics if they would be helpful as well as video but they just show him standing with a wing touching the ground and foot up or partially back.

It almost looks like his thigh is bigger than the other side but that's probably just from the way he's holding it. I also haven't really seen him eat very much today.

Any thoughts?

 

[PeepersMama]

Since he doesn't have a disease, if you have room in your coop set up a wire dog kennel so he can still be with the flock, but be seperate. This way he won't have to move far to get to his food and water.
I had a similar situation with our RIR boy last year. We think that he tried to jump the chain-link fence (as he had done many times before) but caught his spur in it or something and maybe dislocated his hip. For a while he was in a wire dog kennel to rest, but he lived alot of his life limping pretty badly. Sometimes he would have bad days where he woulnd't even chase his beloved laides (

) but he lived his life. It never got as bad as you are describing with your roo, though.
If you think he is isn't getting any better and he avoids moving if he doesn't have to (i.e., not roosting, etc.), then I would consider putting him down. If he'll still get up and is holding his place in the pecking order and stuff, then he could stick around awhile longer. Chickens are very resilient, so as long as he drinks, he will live

I hope he improves!

 

[casportpony]

Can you post a video?

-Kathy

 

[Deltabwa]

Since he doesn't have a disease, if you have room in your coop set up a wire dog kennel so he can still be with the flock, but be seperate. This way he won't have to move far to get to his food and water.
I had a similar situation with our RIR boy last year. We think that he tried to jump the chain-link fence (as he had done many times before) but caught his spur in it or something and maybe dislocated his hip. For a while he was in a wire dog kennel to rest, but he lived alot of his life limping pretty badly. Sometimes he would have bad days where he woulnd't even chase his beloved laides (

) but he lived his life. It never got as bad as you are describing with your roo, though.
If you think he is isn't getting any better and he avoids moving if he doesn't have to (i.e., not roosting, etc.), then I would consider putting him down. If he'll still get up and is holding his place in the pecking order and stuff, then he could stick around awhile longer. Chickens are very resilient, so as long as he drinks, he will live

I hope he improves!

Thank you. I don't really have the room for that and the temp is supposed to drop to the teens for highs this week so already worried about the little chicks. I have separated a space in the coop for the chicks, I'm just not sure the 2 hens are going to be tolerant enough for them. Plus this roo is the boss. and with only 2 girls, he gets very upset if he can't get to his girls.I had tried keeping him in the run while the hens free ranged after the initial injury but all he did wa hop back and forth down the run's fenceline so I would be worried he would injury himself more if he had to actually sleep without his girls even tho he can see them.

I did go out and thoroughly check him. Nothing feels broke, scales are all tight, no heat anywhere and no marks on the bottom of his foot. I wonder if he stepped on a cactus and got a splinter, he does peck at the bottom of his foot occasionally, but I couldn't see or feel anything on his foot either and he never flinch whenever i toughed anywhere on his body. I was able to straighten his leg and the only time he tightened against me is when i tried to do something on the left (good foot) to match what I had done on the right (bad).

So maybe he just ran to fast or stepped wrong yesterday and aggravated it making it hurt more than before and it is a sprain?? Think I'll try a whole baby aspirin instead of half? He's a big boy! twice the size of my hens

 

[Deltabwa]

Can you post a video?

-Kathy

Oh can I? I didn't think I could but if I can, I will. I'll try now thanks

 

[casportpony]

Quote: All you need to do is upload to youtube of vimeo and embed that link.

-Kathy

 

[Deltabwa]

All you need to do is upload to youtube of vimeo and embed that link.

-Kathy

thank you! I am trying that now. I don't typically use youtube but am uploading now

 

[Deltabwa]

ok, here are 2 vid's. 1 is about minute long and I couldn't figure out how to edit it to cut out a few sec's where he stops so it's in whole.

The 2nd is only 9 seconds and it shows the bad side.

 

[casportpony]

Check the bottom of his foot for scabs, swelling, redness, etc.

-Kathy

 

[Deltabwa]

I did. there is nothing. and everything is soft, no hard spots, no swelling, no scabs, nothing. Like I said previously, i went over ever bit of his foot even checking to see if he maybe stepped on a cactus and got a splinter but nothing. its soft, looks identical to the other. I thought of taking a pic but didn't.