Wing Injury?

RMo2

Songster
7 Years
Apr 22, 2012
564
47
148
Ohio
5/8/15: My cockerel chick has a droopy wing. All day today he has been holding his wing down much lower than the other side. He is able to flap his wings and move it normally. I palpated the wing and do not feel anything obviously broken. If anything, the affected side seems a bit more "boney" over the joint, but nothing else feels out of the ordinary. Poor baby! Any suggestions?
He acts fine otherwise. I moved them out into the big girl coop this week as they have been slowly getting to know eachother through free range time. I am wondering if one of the big girls got him or if my husband accidentally hurt him a little when catching him yesterday while I was away during bed time lock down. He said its possible he held him a little tight because he was fighting him catching him. Ugh- worried chicky Mama!


5/9/15: He is still the same today. Acts fine but holds his wing out and down. His coordination is normal. No abnormal poop. He keeps trying to mount all his friends. I am wondering if he tried that with one of the big girls and got hurt? He seemed more "tender" when examined and pulled his wing away from me. He can fly and move the wing.





 
His wing may be injured or the drooping wing could be something neurological. Was he vaccinated for Mareks disease? Mareks can cause paralysis of a wing or leg. You may want to watch him for awhile, or try wrapping his wing in a figure 8 bandage in case it is broken. I would think the wing would be useless or have some swelling at the joint if it were broken, though. Hopefully, the wing will get better. Here is a good link to read about wrapping the wing:
http://www.starlingtalk.com/fractures.htm
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your reply.

He was not vaccinated agains Marek's disease, just came from Rural King's chick days. He seems fine otherwise, so really just hoping its a strain/sprain.

Anything else I should watch out for?
 
Injuries can be very common. With Mareks disease, there can be a lack of immunity against common diseases that otherwise would not be a problem. Mareks can have many symptoms including lameness or paralysis of a leg, wing, or the neck, discolored eyes, misshapen pupils or blindness, or wasting. I wouldn't worry about him having Mareks until I watched him for awhile.
 
Just wanted to share that he is all better now. I just tried to get him to take it easy. Thank goodness it wasn't anything more serious!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom