I have a nine pound Orpington rooster who wr discovered today was limping. He only limps when he runs, however, and he doesn't do so every time. I inspected his feet and one of the pads is swollen. It's hard and there is no scab or anything, so I'm not thinking bumblefoot. He does have a fairly high roost, however... or at least I think so. His roost is around 5'5". Probably higher, actually. Any ideas on what to do?
He may have a sprain or broken foot. Other problems could be gout or an infectious disease such as mycoplasma synoviae (MS.) I would place him in a cage with food and vitamin water in his coop or run with the other chickens, for at least a week, and possibly two. Then evaluate him with his swelling and ability to walk. High roosts can really cause a lot of injuries to heavy birds, and can be a cause of bumblefoot. I would keep checking the footpad, in case the bumblefoot scab has not yet formed. Here are some links to read on gout: http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-i.../avian-gout-causes-treatment-t1246/165-p0.htm http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/232/gout
Thank you so much. My stepdad pinched the foot and he didn't react, but I'm still thinking (and hoping) that's it's something that simple. We'll definitely be separating him tonight so that we can at least keep a better eye on him.
