Swollen ankle in rooster

[Abriana]

Ok sorry this took so long! Here are the pictures. Just bought more Epsom salts today. I’ll probably start tonight and definitely will do tomorrow.

By the way the spur on his injured leg is dirty because I usually duct tape them because he hurts the hens during mating. Some of it came off and dirt is sticking to the remaining stickiness.

 

[MissChick@dee]

One of his spurs is necrotic. The black is dead tissue. Both feet look red and swollen and irritated.
Do not wrap those feet.
To me it looks like he has raised leg scales. Possibly leg mites.
I’d soak in Epsom salts and apply triple antibiotic ointment.
When done with the soak take off the tape on his spur. Most likely it’ll be necrotic too. Necrotic tissue can cause swelling and infection.

 

[Abriana]

One of his spurs is necrotic. The black is dead tissue. Both feet look red and swollen and irritated.
Do not wrap those feet.
To me it looks like he has raised leg scales. Possibly leg mites.
I’d soak in Epsom salts and apply triple antibiotic ointment.
When done with the soak take off the tape on his spur. Most likely it’ll be necrotic too. Necrotic tissue can cause swelling and infection.

Are you positive that it’s not just the dirt sticking to the rest of the duct tape? His foot has been swollen since before the duct tape, but I will treat as suggested. I can put Vaseline on them tonight, and will do soak and the triple antibiotic ointment in the morning

 

[MissChick@dee]

The one without the tape is dead/necrotic. I can’t tell what’s under the tape. When you soak them the black tip may come off. Don’t know for sure if his legs has mites. Looks like infection. A soak either way will help.
His feet are very swollen and red. That says infection to me. Antibiotics would be helpful.

 

[Abriana]

The one without the tape is dead/necrotic. I can’t tell what’s under the tape. When you soak them the black tip may come off. Don’t know for sure if his legs has mites. Looks like infection. A soak either way will help.
His feet are very swollen and red. That says infection to me. Antibiotics would be helpful.

Ok thank you! I will soak and text pictures to my vet as well to see if I need a prescription antibiotic.

 

[Eggcessive]

The one spur may just look necrotic because it has dirt stuck to the adhesive where the duct tape came off. I think that you can tell better if it is just dirty or what when it is clean. The right foot looks swollen in the ankle, but since it is in the back of the left foot in the picture, it is hard to tell that it is much bigger. With the history of an injury, it may just be arthritic and swollen, but it would be hard to know if there could be infection, or if antibiotics would help or not. It might be worth a vet visit.

I usually trim my rooster’s spurs to dull them. One year he injured each one separately and turn them off. They bled a bit, but dried up by the time I saw them. The next year they grew into the backs of his legs, and while trying to trim them, the clippers would not fit. So I easily twisted them off with pliers. They take a long time to grow back that way.

 

[Abriana]

The one spur may just look necrotic because it has dirt stuck to the adhesive where the duct tape came off. I think that you can tell better if it is just dirty or what when it is clean. The right foot looks swollen in the ankle, but since it is in the back of the left foot in the picture, it is hard to tell that it is much bigger. With the history of an injury, it may just be arthritic and swollen, but it would be hard to know if there could be infection, or if antibiotics would help or not. It might be worth a vet visit.

I usually trim my rooster’s spurs to dull them. One year he injured each one separately and turn them off. They bled a bit, but dried up by the time I saw them. The next year they grew into the backs of his legs, and while trying to trim them, the clippers would not fit. So I easily twisted them off with pliers. They take a long time to grow back that way.

That is really what I have a feeling it is. It's happened before and I can just peel it off usually. This one is a thinner layer so it might just take a few soaks to get it off.

I will be texting my vet who has experience with chickens.

I tried to trim, but they bled and I've read that bleeding in that area is very hard to stop. I have hesitations about taking them off, because he is the defender of the flock and has attacked hawks before in defense of the hens. I also don't like leaving them unprotected because he tears into the hens' sides during mating. What do you think would be the best option?

 

[Eggcessive]

Dulling them by filling them with a Dremel or trimming with dog nail clippers to blunt them is what I prefer to do.

 

[Abriana]

Dulling them by filling them with a Dremel or trimming with dog nail clippers to blunt them is what I prefer to do.

I have some nice dog nail clippers that will probably work (not butcher the end of the spur but make a clean cut), as well as blood stop powder if needed. I will try trimming when I do his soak tomorrow!

 

[MissChick@dee]

The one spur may just look necrotic because it has dirt stuck to the adhesive where the duct tape came off. I think that you can tell better if it is just dirty or what when it is clean. The right foot looks swollen in the ankle, but since it is in the back of the left foot in the picture, it is hard to tell that it is much bigger. With the history of an injury, it may just be arthritic and swollen, but it would be hard to know if there could be infection, or if antibiotics would help or not. It might be worth a vet visit.

I usually trim my rooster’s spurs to dull them. One year he injured each one separately and turn them off. They bled a bit, but dried up by the time I saw them. The next year they grew into the backs of his legs, and while trying to trim them, the clippers would not fit. So I easily twisted them off with pliers. They take a long time to grow back that way.

Just one more reason I don’t keep roosters. Lol