# Rooster in need of help



## Hideaway Pines (Dec 29, 2020)

Please give me some advice on my rooster. His feet are swollen at the bottom and red, but when examined they have no wounds so not bumble foot. There is a red stripe down his leg too, but also at the top of the leg around the feathers the skin is inflamed and red. At first I though mites and treated him and the whole coop for this (even though none of the other chicks are showing any signs of issues) but after a week, he is not improving. I have soaked his feet in Epsom salt and some flea shampoo (just a few drops) and then applied an antibiotic as well as a comfrey salve I use. He is in a cage in our garage for now, but looking for advice if you have any.

he seems mostly okay otherwise, but he is walking very oddly, he high steps if that makes sense and he tries to keep his left foot up as much as possible. But he is still a sweet guy despite this. I am so unsure what has caused this. and I kept him at the house for about 4 days before Christmas, soaking and treating it, he seemed to improve some, so I put him back in the coop. But he seemed in pain so I brought him back up yesterday. I hand raised this guy, he is the best rooster, I am really hoping we can resolve this. I am going to treat him with some essential oils in the morning, and see if this helps. but was hoping someone might have an idea what this is. I might also try to find some oral meds I give him.


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## Beekissed (Dec 29, 2020)

I can't really see any swelling in these pics and the redness is usually hormones or exposure to heat or cold, but if he's limping or favoring the foot, then he's got some inflammation going on and it could be dietary....what level of protein are you feeding right now?  High protein diets in birds can cause gout that leads to bumblefoot...doesn't have to have a wound on the feet to get bumble foot.   

To ease that pain and inflammation, I'd rub some castor oil into it and cover with vet wrap for now.  Castor oil is odorless, tasteless, and easily had at any drug store and even at Dollar General.   You'll find it in the laxative aisle.  It's been used for centuries for inflamed joints on race horses and work horses.  It's an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal agent that can work some really seeable miracles, so it will not hurt the bird to try it.   It's also a great miticide, so if you have leg mites, it can help with all of that.


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 29, 2020)

thanks, interesting on the protein level, we have not changed up their food, but I was giving them scrambled eggs, since I had so many extra eggs over the past few weeks.. I guess that it might have led to this. But he normally lets the girls eat most the treats, he is very generous that way.  I have not given them eggs now for about a week, and will refrain from it for now... But I have examined his feet carefully and no wounds at all, just swollen and red. 

but I did treat his feet today and I add castor oil to the comfrey salve I have and I added in Frankincense and hellichrysum and melaleuca quinquenervia all of which have healing properties. I am keeping a close eye on him, have him up at the house in a cage, we will see... if you get any more ideas please send them my way.  TJhanks for your help.


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## Baymule (Dec 29, 2020)

We take turmeric for inflammation. I mix it with coconut oil to make a paste. We can actually feel it working in about 30 minutes. Maybe you could offer your rooster turmeric? What’s his name?


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## rachels.haven (Dec 29, 2020)

Curious, is it cold where you live?


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 29, 2020)

Baymule said:


> We take turmeric for inflammation. I mix it with coconut oil to make a paste. We can actually feel it working in about 30 minutes. Maybe you could offer your rooster turmeric? What’s his name?


Thanks for the great idea, I will try it. His name is Rizzo,


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 29, 2020)

rachels.haven said:


> Curious, is it cold where you live?


no, we are in Texas today is in the 60's tomorrow it turns a bit cooler, but we do not have tons of cold here. Why?


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## Baymule (Dec 29, 2020)

Hideaway Pines said:


> no, we are in Texas today is in the 60's tomorrow it turns a bit cooler, but we do not have tons of cold here. Why?


FROSTBITE!!! She's in Massachusetts!


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## ButtonHerder (Dec 30, 2020)

You should maybe consider trying on backyardchickens.com there's probably more chicken people there


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## rachels.haven (Dec 30, 2020)

Baymule is right. That looks like legs of chickens who spend the day out in the snow. Something's going on. You have to wait and see. Chickens are tough birds.


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## Beekissed (Dec 30, 2020)

It also just looks like a rooster that is sexually mature...that redness in the legs is usually due to increased hormones.  What's the age of this rooster?


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 31, 2020)

Well update, 🐓I decided to talk to my vet, she is so great to give me advice over the phone. She agreed though that he needed antibiotics since we were looking at over two weeks of dealing with this... so I took him in for her to see. She was also puzzled at the cause of his condition. He was not showing sigs of mites, (but out of concern a week ago I treated the coop and him for them) and she agreed it was not bumblefoot. So no answers on the cause behind the infection. She gave me antibiotics and treated him with a dewormer as a precaution. I have to keep him separate for a 10 day period before putting him back with the girls. But he is happy in the garage in his cage for now.

I will say though, I was treating his legs with the salve I mixed up, and it was less red yesterday than the previous day - but with the swelling and red line down his leg, she did not want to play around with the infection. She did not charge me much, love country vets. And I already see his swelling has gone down this morning. So very good news. 😁


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 31, 2020)

Beekissed said:


> It also just looks like a rooster that is sexually mature...that redness in the legs is usually due to increased hormones.  What's the age of this rooster?


he is about 2 years now


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 31, 2020)

ButtonHerder said:


> You should maybe consider trying on backyardchickens.com there's probably more chicken people there


I will look into there site too - for future reference, but hoping that he will begin to improve.


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2020)

Good news! I hope he continues to improve. Having been flogged by mean rooosters, giving rise to the epicurean delight of MEAN ROOSTER SOUP, having a nice rooster is worth a trip to the vet, all the care and love you can give him!


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## Hideaway Pines (Dec 31, 2020)

He is worth it, I hand raised him, he was an offspring of my old roo (who was meaner than a bull) and my favorite hen. He luckily got the hens disposition not his dads 🤣 But even the vet was amazed at his gentle behavior despite being in pain. I am a sucker for almost any animal, but the old roo, Rufio, went bye bye as soon as this one was big enough to take on the chickens..


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