Rooster Injured Foot ~ Your Thoughts?

[Cotton Hill Chick]

Hello BYC Friends!

Yesterday afternoon I found Jasper, my cochin rooster, resting in the chicken yard. He allowed me to pick him up an handle him (usually he squirms). His left eye was partially closed and watery, and his right foot looked floppy. I kept him inside overnight to rest. Today his eye is recovered (it was windy yesterday, likely it dusty or debris). However, he is favoring his right foot, limping, keeping his right foot up as much as possible. Otherwise, his behavior is normal. He wants to move around, jump on hens, he's eating and drinking. No one is picking on him.

On examination last night, his injured right foot looked the same as his uninjured left one. No breaks in the skin, his toes looked fine, no visible wounds on his feet. Yet, his injuries foot seemed "floppier" than it should be.

My question for those of you with foot injury experience:

* If his foot was broken, wouldn't he be in pain and show signs of pain?
* Wouldn't his behavior change if it was broken?
* Should I make a vet appointment now, and take him in?
* Or should I wait and see: give him some time at home to recover, in case it's a sprain?
* Do you think he can he be with the flock, as long as he's moving around okay, if slowly?

* Is there anything else, those of you with foot injury experience, that I should know or look for?

Thanks kindly dear all!

 

[azygous]

An injury would manifest by greenish bruising on leg and foot scales, or even on the soft tissue between the toes. A broken toe nail can cause pain. I just noticed the other day one of my roosters favoring one foot. I discovered he had a "hang nail" made of overgrown callous material on a toe tip just behind the nail, much like a hang nail we get when the cuticle pulls away due to dryness. Small thing, but it hurts quite a lot. After trimming it, he was walking normally again.

Swelling is another sign of injury, and scales lifting up due to mites mining them can hurt quite a bit.

Then there is the category of lameness caused by brain damage. It can come on suddenly from exposure to a toxin such as insecticides or mold or botulism toxin. Picking up a few pieces of grit coated with hydraulic fluid or paint thinner can make a chicken go lame if it isn't enough to kill them outright.

If you suspect an injury, keeping him off his feet will help heal it faster. Baby aspirin can help with the pain and reduce inflammation. And be sure his roosting perch isn't so high he's injuring himself dismounting. If there isn't enough cushioning under the perch, it can cause bruising to the foot pads followed by infection called bumblefoot. For chickens over seven or eight pounds, you want to supply them with a roost no higher than six to eight inches.

 

[Cotton Hill Chick]

Thanks for your reply! Lots of information there. I ended up taking him to the vet. Most likely it was a sprain. The vet put him on 5-days of medicine and I secluded him for rest. He did well, he's back with the flock and walking well again!