I've posted about my little Yumi over the summer because he hatched with splay leg. and now even with all our efforts he keeps getting worse, mostly because he's a rooster so he's bigger than if he where a hen and our other rooster is always trying to mate him. like what? we either have a gay rooster or it's just Yumi's position. anyway with that and the litter substrate they have living indoor because it gets to cold outside for them. so now he's completely doing the splits, has discharge from his nose that we think our other chickens might get living with him and his vent is caked with droppings that we have to keep cleaning. we have tried many things including rubber grip mats and taking him outside in the grass but it's to cold for that now. so even though I don't believe in euthanizeing animals where going to take him to the bird vet asap and see if theirs anything that can be don and if not that we'll say goodbye forever
Yumi is sick, in pain, and cannot get around by himself? But you don't believe in euthanizing an animal? You believe in allowing an animal to suffer? If all of your efforts to heal the bird have not helped, I would relieve him of his suffering. As the caretaker of an animal I feel it is my responsibility to help that animal in any way it needs, including if it needs to die. I know this is difficult. Maybe the vet can help Yumi. I hope so.
It does not sound like it will get better. As he puts on more weight and fills out the leg issue will just become worse. I don't see the point of keeping a sick crippled roo. You don't want him breeding (if he could) and passing along any tendancy to deformity. He is just suffering, eating feed and being an infection risk. I would not waste the money on a vet in this situation if it could be fixed I would think it would need surgery and rehab = $$$ and for what, save the money to for yourself/rest of your flock.
He has no suitable quality of life the way he is now, from what you are saying. I would cull him. You have tried to resolve the issue and not had any marked success. There comes a time when you must concede defeat. You tried, and sometimes that's all you can do. So sorry for your tough decision. Good luck.
