What color is a chicken bruise??

[TexasVet]

First the rant... someone had three white leghorn roosters that he wanted to give away, and I needed a new breeding roo, so I said I'd take 'em. When I got there, all three were in a dog carrier. The owner transferred them to my carrier, and never said a word about anything being wrong. When I got home and took them out, one was limping. I checked it out, and it had a broken leg, right above the foot!

My best guess is that the stupid owner chased them around to catch them, instead of plucking them off the roost the night before (as I had suggested), and stepped on its leg.

So I had my girls hold him upside down while I applied a bandage and a really thick layer of tape (as a cast) over the wound. Then we put him back in the carrier, in the cool house, so he could rest.

Now the question... this morning the roo's foot is still swollen, which is to be expected, but it's also turning green. It seems to early to be gangreen, so I'm wondering if blood from the wound is pooling in the foot.

Second question... will he be better off in the brooder/cage, where he can't walk much, or better off outside in a larger area, where he can move about? This is a severe break; bad enough that the foot dangles if it isn't taped.

I've never had a chicken or duck with a broken leg before, so any recommendations would be appreciated.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www. CountryChickens.com

 

[TexasVet]

The foot is still green, so I'm about to give him some antibiotics. Any other treatment ideas? Or should I just put him down?

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

I think your fighting a losing battle
it would be kinder to the injured rooster to cull him
you do not need that many roosters

it will no doubt get infection and due to poor cirulation may lose the use of the leg and foot
so in the end culling the hurt rooster is the best in all cases

any questions email me

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

PS a bruise is always black

 

[goldenluver]

it is possible that you have out the tape around it to tight.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

If you are splinting the foot/leg, you need something sturdy to brace the bone in the corrrect position, not just bandaging. Popcicle sticks would be a pretty standard splint, and as the previous poster said, not so tight it cuts off circulation.

 

[threehorses]

Greenish back, more often just black, or blue.

You have to align the bones perfectly and then they have to be kept together. In addition to splints on each side, you have to somehow push the two ends together - tape so that they stay connected.

For splints, you first wrap the leg in many layers of airy wrap gauze to pad the leg. Then apply the splints - use tiny custom cut strips of duct tape to hope them in place against the gauze. Then you wrap that in vetWrap, which you will also use to hold the two bones together.

Let's say the break is in the middle of the bottom part of the leg. THe splints will be vertical, the holding-together wrap would go from the hock to beneath the foot.

Each case is different.

Black means that the circulation isn't going or there's a bruise. If the black or green is cool, then that's the body dying. If it's hot, then it's either bruise or (if very green) gangrene.

Systemic infections are very common with broken bones. I would highly recommend starting the RIGHT antibiotics correctly. Anything that's not a 'cillin from the feedstore is the wrong antibiotic. Penicillin, amoxicillins, and then Baytril from your vet are what you can use at home effectively to treat wounds. Always include a 'cillin if there's a cat bite to counteract Pastuerella, even if you're using Baytril.

You should give injectable unless you get one from the vet. I'd HIGHLY recommend at least calling a vet for this and asking specifically for Baytril or a penicillin.

If you get Penicillin (pen-g-procaine, etc) from the feed store (their refrigerator - you have to ask for it) get 3 cc syringes and 18 gauge needles. 25 gauge is too small for the thick pen solution.

If there's continued swelling, there might be fluid or air from the bone. Bones leak air when broken and will make the area swell.

 

[TexasVet]

The wrap is not too tight, and we've changed it periodically to adjust the tightness. The green is just on one toe and running up the leg. The foot itself is hot, but not getting any bigger.

I always keep amoxicillian on hand, so just gave him a dose. He's out with the chicks, sitting on the ground, eating and drinking. From time to time he gets up and hops around. He can still curl his toes, and doesn't seem to be in distress, so I'm going to give him another 24 hours and then make a judgment call.

Normally I'd just cull him. But when the kids are begging you to "save him," you give it your best shot.

Thanks for the advice!

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

PS: I just culled 5 roosters, many are still teens, and I've got more than 50 hens, so I'm OK on the rooster ratio for now.

 

[tstefanick]

What about an injured wing that's green?

 

[TexasVet]

I suspect your wing situation is gangrene, like my rooster's foot. I ended up having to put him down, by the way. And then a month later, I put down his brother.

I don't know if they had a genetic problem, or if they weren't fed properly when they were small, but they had brittle bones. The second rooster started limping and when I checked his feet, he was missing the last digit from all of his toes except one, which was broken. So I put him out of his misery.

Good luck with that wing, but it doesn't sound good.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com