update-Rudy's gone...Anyone here ever given their chicken glucosamine?

[Pine Grove]

Dlunicorn, my apologies

 

[nccatnip]

I used glucosamine for years in horses before it was popular or even approved for human use. We always had positive results with our rescue (old) horses. All it does is simply help the body replace missing synovial fluid in the joints, lubricating them and reducing friction and pain. In horses, dogs and humans it is excreted in urine so there is no danger of build up and overdose. I have no idea if it can be dangerous in poultry but I would continue it's use if your vet feels it is safe.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

He's feet look just like my ducks very thick could he be a .... chicken duck?

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

Looks like gout to me...Don't know about duck legs...

 

[TJ]

Thank you once again to all of you! I've been doing some reading with all of the info. that dlhunicorn gave me (thank you by the way!

) ... I am gonna continue the glucosamine once a day and give him a 1/4 of an aspirin and see how that goes until I can find out more. I read in one of the links...


Experimental diets containing ammonium
chloride, ammonium sulfate, DL-methionine, and
methionine hydroxy analogue (Alimet) all
successfully acidify the urine. For flocks
experiencing gout mortality, ammonium sulfate or
ammonium chloride are recommended as shown in
the following table:
Treatment with
Ammonium Sulfate or Ammonium Chloride
% Lbs./ton Kg/ton
1st week 0.25 5 2.5
2nd week 0.50 10 5.0
3rd week 0.75 15 7.5
4th week 1.00 20 10.0and beyond
Wet droppings may be a side effect of
ammonium chloride usage, but not with ammonium
sulfate. After 4-6 weeks of the maximum treatment
level, if the desired results have been obtained,
gradual reductions may be made. However, some
level of treatment (around 0.5%) will likely be
needed for the flock’s life. Both DL-methionine
and Alimet can be used at up to 6 Kg/ton (12 Lbs./
ton) of the diet.

...

I'm not sure what Ammonium Sulfate or Ammonium Chloride or any of that other stuff is or where to get it or how much to administer to one chicken per their table above... I'll just have to keep researching.

And SpottedCrow, if I'm not mistaken the bag of feed that I have says 16% protein and it is the standard feed for laying hens. I'm still trying to find out how much protein is to much and what the ratio is for a chicken that has this...This is becoming like rocket science to me (*sigh*)...

And I read about the mortality rate and the pain I wonder if I'm just prolonging his suffering?... I dunno, when do you stop trying?

I wouldn't go thru this if it weren't for the fact that this rooster is a dear... He was the first to crow, a sweetheart to me and his hens (unlike the other two that I have)... He hasn't crowed since his legs got worse but he still manages to stumble over to me when I come into the chicken house. He doesn't roost, he sleeps on the floor at nite and he has 4 polish hens that sleep in a circle around him every nite...it's the sweetest thing you ever did see!

If ya'll find out any more or have any suggestions please let me know as I am always checking this post. I honestly can't thank you enough for being here! Sorry for the long post!

I'll let you know how this goes...

TJ

 

[dlhunicorn]

TJ... 16 % is not an excessive level of protein under normal circumstances however if your boy has been penned and only had access to layer this may have exacerbated things /set things off (IF it is gout )...
ROOS SHOULD NOT HAVE LAYER > TOO MUCH CALCIUM
...I am not a vet ... and I must say that tho gout is very common it might also be one of those other conditions (or even a combination )
get the bird off layer (offer him a grower feed in a separate dish)\\
,,,I also read that an acidifier would help (ACV is an acidifier)
...I would suggest AviaCharge 2000 (online to order from McmURRY OR sTROMBERGS) or FAILING THAT one of the Rooster Booster vitamins over the redcell (redcell is a protein concentrate)
.... If you can get to an avian vet for a definite diagnosis then do so... none of us here (to my knowledge) are vets.

 

[SpottedCrow]

My bag of Blue Seal says 16% also.
I went a Googlin' and got this:
http://www.fulopep.com/poultry.html#elgallo
This has a lower protein than layer feed. Only 12%!
http://www.fulopep.com/1209.html
This one has only 9.5%
The place is out of TX.

 

[TJ]

Hello, just a note to let all of you know that Rudy the Rooster is gone... I took him to an avian vet and the vet said he has never seen anything like it (the legs swollen) and upon examining him further whatever it was had spread into his wings. The doctor said it was definitely bone related, definitely not gout and that he speculated that Rudy was in pain... Rudy was also underweight. The vet said he could do a x-ray and talk to a specialist to find out what type of bone disorder Rudy had but that the most they could do for him would be pain medication... That basically even with a x-ray and a positive diagnosis there was no cure, just a medication that would possibly slow or stop the progression and then pain medication for comfort. I cried.

I have never in all of my chickens ever had a rooster as sweet as this one... He was pet material if ever I've seen it. I chose euthanization and I was present as they put Rudy to sleep. The vet could sense that I was uneasy, that I was uneasy because I was bringing a chicken in to see the vet... Folks in the waiting room had cockatoo's and parrots and they chuckled when I walked in with our pet carrier holding Rudy... The vet reassured me that more and more people are bringing poultry in for him to diagnose, that I wasn't alone and that I had nothing to be ashamed of... I wasn't really ashamed, I just felt like I had to keep making excuses, coming up with reasons as to why on God's green earth I was bringing in a chicken...Well, I brought Rudy home to bury...Rudy will get a grave.

Anyway, the vet was approx. 60 miles away so I had a good cry on the drive home... I'm still crying as I'm typing this to you all. I've never had a chicken capture my heart like Rudy...

And I want to "thank you" to those of you who responded and offered your advice and well wishes - that meant more to me than you will ever know...

I really wanted to return and post good news but I can't. Once again, thank you for being here and for reading and sharing - You all are the best!

I meant for this to be 'just a note'...sorry for the long post...
Warm regards,
TJ

 

[Wolfpacker]

Sorry about Rudy.

 

[buckbeak]

Oh, how sad. I'm so sorry. I'm crying too.