Rooster was attacked….leg seems paralyzed. Maybe a broken hip?

[Cegreene511]

My 8 month old, super sweet Barred Rock/Easter egger mix rooster was attacked 4 days ago. Not sure if it was a hawk or our other much older rooster. I found a pile of feathers, then found him in our field unable to use his right leg. The leg is just dangling, he has not moved any part of it, and it seems like he has no feeling in it. I brought him inside to keep him safe, did my best to examine it, and found there’s some sort of wound at the hip area. I cleaned it, but I’m unable to get a really good look at it through all the feathers. He still seems to have no function of the leg, so I made him a sling chair to strengthen his good leg. I have been putting him in it for 20 minutes at a time a few times a day. Just wondering if he can live a decent life with one functional leg? I can build an area just for him outside where he can’t be hurt by other chickens if needed. I just don’t know if he can’t fully recover from this. He is very healthy otherwise, and doesn’t seem to be in much pain unless I mess with the leg too much.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, and so sorry about your cockerel. He's a beauty!

You can cut the feathers around the wound to get a better look at it and clean it better. Put some triple antibiotic ointment on it, like Neosporin or generic, just make sure it doesn't have pain killer in it.

Chickens are resiliant and can come back from things that amaze us, so do not lose hope! You've already done so many good things for him.

Until you know what all you're dealing with, I'd get him on some B-Complex. If you have the adult pills, he could have about 1/2 of one of those. If you get the drops, 1/2 of a dropper full. Once a day for as long as he's laid up.