Rooster limping

[beetandsteet]

I have a 30 week old cockerel with a very bad limp. He has been limping for a couple days now. There is no swelling to any parts of his foot or leg. Checked the bottom of the foot for any injuries, and found 2 VERY small cuts there (nothing major that would seem to cause any serious pain). I bandaged his foot and sprayed a little poultry remedy spray on it to ward off any infection. I noticed this morning that the toes on the foot he is favoring are slightly redder than the other foot. Also he has an ear infection that I am trying to cure. Could these two be related? Is there anything I'm missing here that could cause him to limp? He's a very lightweight and young rooster---and in a whole lot of distress right now. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Eggcessive]

It is possible that he could have mycoplasma synovitis (worst case scenario) which is a respiratory disease that may cause respiratory symptoms or not, but infects the joints, and can cause swelling of the legs. Or, he may just have injured his foot, gotten infected with staphylococcus, enterococcus, or E.coli, and he needs to have his foot soaked in betadine or another disinfectant and water daily. Check to see if he is developing an abscess in the foot pad, and clean it out if so. Keep his foot clean and bandaged. Procaine Penicillin G injectable may help treat staph infection, but a vet has better antibiotics. To treat mycoplasma if it is that causing his ear infection, Tylan 50 injectable can be used orally or as a shot--1 ml twice daily for 5 days. Oxytetracycline and Gallimycin are 2 other antibiotics that can be put in his water instead for 7 days. What are you doing for his ear infection? Mites or bacteria can cause those, but also a respiratory infection can.

 

[beetandsteet]

I am cleansing his ear with hydrogen peroxide several times daily. I believe the ear infection is bacterial (yellow cheese-like substance coming out of his ear) I tried an antibiotic ointment with no success. I've had problems with bumblefoot in my flock, but i definitely know this cockerel does not have it. He is still eating, drinking, crowing, etc. normally. No weight loss or watery stools

 

[emmaie892000]

Inner ear infections can cause balance problems, does it seem like the limping definitely stems from his leg, or is he kind of drunk acting?

 

[beetandsteet]

He is definitely favoring one leg @emmaie892000
I was wondering too if the ear infection could cause some of the limping problems

 

[Eggcessive]

The best thing to do for his leg right now would be to force him to rest it by placing him in a pen or crate with food and water for a week or two. Here are some good threads about ear infections and treatment, especially posts by Dawg53:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/630778/gunky-ears
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/767500/ear-infection
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/919235/ear-infection-in-rooster
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831156/really-nasty-ear-infection-in-a-silkie-hen-graphic-pics