I am so very sorry you lost your sweet birdie (I too have lost one of my favorites from botulism)... bless you for not letting him suffer and getting proper advice ... snif ... :aww
TJ... 16 % is not an excessive level of protein under normal circumstances however if your boy has been penned and only had access to layer this may have exacerbated things /set things off (IF it is gout )...
ROOS SHOULD NOT HAVE LAYER > TOO MUCH CALCIUM
...I am not a vet ... and I must say...
I was sorting through my articles and editing as I found them...
from the second link above:
"...Articular gout is considered to be the chronic form of the disease and is less common. Lesions observed are urate deposition around joints, ligaments and tendon sheaths. There is a prediliction for...
Here are some articles which may help you with your questions:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/204606.htm&word=gout
http://www.vetcareindia.com/aviangout_bull.htm
http://www.hy-line.com/userdocs/library/0_Avian%20Urolithiasis%20Eng.pdf
http://www.asasea.com/po15_95.html
(excerpt)
"....Leg Weakness
Disorders involving leg weakness are a persistent problem in commercial poultry operations around the world. Leg problems in poultry are associated with many causes including nutrition, genetics, virus infection, environment. The...
can you please give details as to what is wrong with your lil roo and why you think glucosamine would "help" him...if it is a viral form of arthritis that birds get... then he would need other meds