# Chicken with possible broken ankle



## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

I posted a thread just over a week ago about a rooster that's around 4 months old that started limping. After 3 or 4 days, the toes on his left foot were completely curled under and he walked on the backs of his toes. We could see nothing wrong with the foot (no swelling or discoloration, etc.). My husband and I cleaned it, soaked it in epsom salts with frankincense and lavender oil, then taped it to a piece of cardboard. When we inspected it again later, the 2 joints on his middle toe appeared knobby compared to the same toe on the other foot. We took the splint off yesterday evening, and his foot is no better. And now we can see a lump over his ankle, so I'm guessing that is where the problem is -- quite possibly broken. I know of no way to splint his ankle so it will heal. I sure hate to put him down, so I thought I'd see if any of you have suggestions. I've attached some photos for you. Thanks!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Could be the computer but I'm not sure that it fits what you're thinking. If the ankle was broken or if there was any break there I would expect to see way more swelling and the presence of some red skin from heat being put off in the injured area. The only way to know for certain is an x-ray. Some vets are willing to do that.

I would put him on aspirin to see if that relieves his pain any. You can see by his body position he is not feeling well, it might be pain it might be something else. 

You can dissolve a 325mg aspirin in a gallon of water. Keep doing what you're doing in keeping him from jumping from anything.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Look in the 2nd picture, Robin. Could it be bumble foot?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Hard to say since the fat pad on the bottom of the foot will look bigger when the toes are drawn together like that. But that's a good question.

Is there a dark spot on the foot pad? If there is, then Patsy hit on it, it's probably bumble.


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## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

No, there's no dark spot. The pads on both feet look exactly the same. I know the photos don't show the swelling on his ankle very good, nor the slightly bulging joints on the middle toe. Thanks for your input!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

It may be just a deep "stone bruise then. Just watch and keep doing what you are. Hopefully it will heal with time.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

If the ankle is broken he wouldn't be walking on it. If he broke some toes, I don't think he'd be able to move them. Maybe you should try antibiotics
Put him on your lap and turn him over and pull on both legs holding above his ankle and see if you can stretch them and feel the same resistance. Then take your thumb and for finger on his foot below the ankle and see if you feel a difference in resistance. I don't know if works with toes but it will narrow it down. Is the one leg warmer than the other?


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## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

I appreciate your suggestions. His feet, legs, and toes all seem to have the same resistance. To my great surprise, the foot doesn't feel warm, either. :/ I don't know if taping his foot to the cardboard shoe helped him any or not. It doesn't appear to have helped the ankle heal, and it was just as hard for him to walk. The difference is that he looked better when he walked because his toes weren't curled under. I'll transfer his carrier to the garage tomorrow for a couple of days to get him acclimated to the cold and then put him in the coop. I think he'll be much happier out there, even though it's as frigid as can be right now.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I would wait reintroducing him to your flock for whatever amount of time it takes for everything to heal properly. If you introduce him too soon, I guarantee you that he will re-injure his foot worse causing more damage. It takes more time for these types of injuries to heal in roosters, simply because they are more active than a hen with the same type of injury. If you dont, you'll end up having to cull him.


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## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

Thank you, Dawg. I will keep him in the carrier in the coop until it heals (IF it heals!).


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Teal said:


> Thank you, Dawg. I will keep him in the carrier in the coop until it heals (IF it heals!).


Time is the only thing that heals these types of injuries and patience on your part. I've had very good success with hens, not so good with roosters. I limit myself to about a month and a half keeping birds caged for these types of injuries. Anything longer than that, they wont heal. I add vitamin B complex to their feed to help speed up the healing process...it may or may not work. If the injury hasnt healed in a month in a half, particularly with roosters I've owned, I cull them due to their degraded quality of life and pain.
To prevent these types of injuries, lower roosts and eliminate high places where birds can jump down and injure themselves.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Teal, how's your rooster doing?


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## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

*Update on rooster with hurt foot*

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE ON LITTLE ROO: I'm trying not to be too hopeful, but he may be putting more weight on the foot, and it even looks like the ankle is starting to bend instead of being straight with his leg. AND, just now, he got tired of me ignoring him and he flew up onto the table where I'm working to prepare for an essential oil class I'm giving tomorrow. Lol! Speaking of oils, that may be partly what's helping him, as for the last 4 days I've been soaking his foot in epsom salts mixed with lavender, tea tree, and frankincense oils.  I sure hope it's not my imagination. The next couple of days will tell, I guess.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just keep him as quiet as possible. I went through something similar with a young roo last year. I finally had him improving then had to go out of town for a family emergency, when I got back he had gone totally backwards. I don't blame the folks that were caring for my animals since they had no way of knowing the total care he was receiving from me. I ended up having to take him to my vet to be put down. Broke my heart to have to do it.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Teal, flying up to you is a good sign. Fingers crossed!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Robin is right, quiet time is best. Just for everybody's info: TIME is the healer when it comes leg/foot injuries. Medications, lotions, potions have no effect. I dont even recommend pain meds for these types of injuries. Obviously pain meds lessen or eliminate pain, instinctively a bird will try to walk or run normally, causing more extreme injury and a false sense of "mustve healed" by the owner. You WANT a bird to feel the pain as for it to NOT move around. Keeping a bird confined with less movement as possible enables the injury to heal. It is a long process.


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## Teal (Feb 6, 2016)

Thanks for your replies, everyone. Your advice is good, Dawg, to not give pain meds. I'll quit putting aspirin in his water.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Hmmm, if he seems more active after receiving the aspirin that can pretty well confirmed it's an injury that he can get better from. It's just going to take a while.


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