Rooster with limp, now swelling and yellow skin

[Dmatiyasic]

Hello. First time poster and new chicken owner. I have a rooster about 1.5 years old. He began limping a couple weeks ago. Assumed he jumped from too high and he would improve. He seemed to begin to improve and then took a drastic step for the worse. His thigh is swollen and the skin is now yellow where it's swollen. I also found lice which I sprayed for but they don't seem to care so I'm searching for some elector psp as that seems to be the best treatment. My question is, why is the skin yellow and can I do anything from home or do we need a vet visit? I also soaked him in an Epsom salt bath today and he seemed very happy about that so I'll do that again tonight. He also has aspirin in his water and is inside in a dog crate right now. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[azygous]

It would help to flesh out your narative if we could see a photo of this bird with the areas in question visible and focused. what color are his comb and wattles? Not as red as before? A dusky grey-red perhaps?

I have a hunch this rooster has more than just an injured leg. The yellowing could be a symptom of a failing liver. Feel his abdomen just in front of his legs. Is it ballooned and soft and squishy? Do his legs appear farther apart than usual?

Is he lethargic? Is he eating?

A photo of his poop would also help us gain more clues.

And what is your location, not your address, just general geographic.

 

[Dmatiyasic]

It would help to flesh out your narative if we could see a photo of this bird with the areas in question visible and focused. what color are his comb and wattles? Not as red as before? A dusky grey-red perhaps?

I have a hunch this rooster has more than just an injured leg. The yellowing could be a symptom of a failing liver. Feel his abdomen just in front of his legs. Is it ballooned and soft and squishy? Do his legs appear farther apart than usual?

Is he lethargic? Is he eating?

A photo of his poop would also help us gain more clues.

And what is your location, not your address, just general geographic.

 

[Dmatiyasic]

It would help to flesh out your narative if we could see a photo of this bird with the areas in question visible and focused. what color are his comb and wattles? Not as red as before? A dusky grey-red perhaps?

I have a hunch this rooster has more than just an injured leg. The yellowing could be a symptom of a failing liver. Feel his abdomen just in front of his legs. Is it ballooned and soft and squishy? Do his legs appear farther apart than usual?

Is he lethargic? Is he eating?

A photo of his poop would also help us gain more clues.

And what is your location, not your address, just general geographic.

His poop is normal. He's eating and drinking. Not crowing. It's only yellow where the swelling is. The thigh is swollen. Not the leg. It's not squishy swollen, it's firm. I am in Utah. His comb and everything is normal color. Just the leg is showing a symptom.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like an injury rather than a pathological issue. Bruising on chicken skin appears as a slightly greenish yellow color.

Try giving him an 81 grain chewable aspirin twice a day for pain and to decrease inflammation of tissues. You might also add a B-complex tablet to that as it can repair any injury to nerve connections.

It might be a good idea to search for a probably cause for this injury. Perhaps his roosting perch is too high or the distance between a wall and the perch is too narrow and causes him to hit the wall sometimes when hopping down.

 

[Dmatiyasic]

I'm almost certain it's his perch. I am planning to redesign it and will be sure to make enough room. Also the perch won't be as high.



So just rest and the aspirin and b-complex? How do I know if he won't recover?

Thank you for the responses!

 

[azygous]

Keep him separate from the hens so he will be quiet and rest and allow the injury to heal. Do the aspirin and B-complex every day until he's walking completely normally again.

It will be easy to know he isn't getting better if, instead of improving, he goes the other way and declines.

I had a rooster sustain just this sort of injury. It was ten years ago. He kept getting worse, stopped eating, lost weight, became weak, and eventually lost all ability to stand or walk.

I had a hen just recently with a similar lameness. I treated her with aspirin and B-complex and she has fully recovered.

There is no way to predict the outcome for your rooster. Do the treatment and hope for the best.

 

[Dmatiyasic]

Thank you! He is still in good spirits and tried standing today so I think he is fighting. He is loving his baths which is awesome. Thanks again for the help and I'll get back on to update what happens to him.

 

[Dmatiyasic]

Keep him separate from the hens so he will be quiet and rest and allow the injury to heal. Do the aspirin and B-complex every day until he's walking completely normally again.

It will be easy to know he isn't getting better if, instead of improving, he goes the other way and declines.

I had a rooster sustain just this sort of injury. It was ten years ago. He kept getting worse, stopped eating, lost weight, became weak, and eventually lost all ability to stand or walk.

I had a hen just recently with a similar lameness. I treated her with aspirin and B-complex and she has fully recovered.

There is no way to predict the outcome for your rooster. Do the treatment and hope for the best.

Is there a special b-complex? Whatever I gave him seemed to make it very bad overnight. I don't think I'm going to keep making him suffer.

 

[azygous]

If he's declining , it's not because of the vitamins. They wouldn't cause that. What did you give him? I use people vitamins. B-100 from Walmart. One tablet per day right in the beak.