rooster with elephantiasis!

[afinchamq]

At 2 months of age this bird suddenly couldn't really stand. When it did it would droop one wing then the other and then sink to the ground. I isolated it. It ate and drank fine, but couldn't really walk much, though it managed to get into its coop at night. It took about a month and it recovered enough to rejoin the flock, but then its legs began to swell. It's been 6 months since the initial episode. I am planning on culling it as it turned out to be a rooster, but I'm very curious about what disease it got. No one at the feed stores knows what it could be. Here are some photos I took today.

 

[pineapple416]

I have never seen anything like this but I think maybe I have heard of it a couple times before. That really is bizarre.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are his legs hard? It looks like marble leg disease, also called osteopetrosis. You can try Googling that for more info. Osteopetrosis is thought to be a type of lymphoid leukosis, a viral disease in poultry.

 

[afinchamq]

Are his legs hard? It looks like marble leg disease, also called osteopetrosis. You can try Googling that for more info. Osteopetrosis is thought to be a type of lymphoid leukosis, a viral disease in poultry.

yes, his legs are hard (like marble) and he goose steps. I'll google osteopetrosis.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Have had Chickens for 30 + years, have never had this, and had never even heard of it. at first thought seeing the picture I thought of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). To me this is very sad. If it is bone cancer, I doubt you will be able to do anything for him. Hoping it is a vitamin deficiency instead. My best to you.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Wow. That's something. The first thing that comes to mind is right heart failure. I didn't think that happened to chickens though!

 

[1cock2hens]

ever see a "Dong Tao"? you could selectively breed it for bigger legs like a dong tao maybe, those are worth big bucks

 

[Eggcessive]

yes, his legs are hard (like marble) and he goose steps. I'll google osteopetrosis.

I would be surprised if osteopetrosis is not what he has. Lymphoid leukosis is a common virus in some flocks. It may not affect all chickens since it is slow spreading. Tumors and poor immunity to diseases are more common signs, but the osteopetrosis type seems to be more rare. A few years ago, a woman who was a vet or pHd contacted me to refer any possible cases to her, but I have since lost her email address when BYC changed to the new forum.