Limping cockerel

[Kfults]

I went out of town and my chicken sitter said my cockerel was limping. When I got home, I noticed he had a bad limp. I checked my camera in the coup and didn’t see anything that could have caused a limp. My camera only records 30 sec every 5 minutes activated by motion ( free app). So he may have fallen trying to reach a roost too high for him. He occasionally tries for upper roost and falls. He tends to sleep on the lower roosting bar because of his size.
I caught him( for a limping chicken, he sure moved around the fenced yard pretty well trying to get away from me)
I inspected his feet- no bumblefoot, no swelling, no redness.... I felt his thighs, he didn’t seem in pain with my palpating. I let him back in his coup. Guessing a sprain of some kind.....
He is a very big meat bird. I thought I was getting a RIR pullet, surprise! He is now 21 weeks and past when he normally would have been butchered. Maybe he has gotten to heavy for his legs? Then again he is favoring one side.... will keep eye on him.
FYI- Finishing up this bag of grower feed and will be switching to flock raiser. I throw out 8 oz of bird seed or veggie scraps for 12 chickens to a day. They free range in a 40x40 fenced yard almost all day. He has always seemed to spend a lot of time sitting since around 15wks. I figured he got so big so fast. ( compared to my nonmeat birds)
He does lead the girls around and tries to mate with two of my laying pullets.
Thoughts?
Pics of him in yard and roosting attached

 

[Eggcessive]

Meat birds are meant to be butchered around 6-8 weeks old, so he may be showing signs that his legs sre getting weak. Some people can raise them to older ages by free ranging and limiting amount of feed. If he cannot move he may need to be put down.

 

[Kfults]

Meat birds are meant to be butchered around 6-8 weeks old, so he may be showing signs that his legs sre getting weak. Some people can raise them to older ages by free ranging and limiting amount of feed. If he cannot move he may need to be put down.

Thanks, so far he is getting around. Keeping him has been a debate- he goes after anyone in the yard but me. He is easily stopped if the person knows what to do and he is so slow cause of his size that it is easy to stop him before he gets close. He is a good flock leader and hens follow him around. They would be lost without him. I know they would adjust but I like hearing his crow.
Today I found his comb with a tear. Looks like he stuck his head thru fence and got it caught. Will treat that. Poor guy. He may need to just be put down.

 

[anna-newhampshire]

Do they have permanent access to food? Can't he be put on a restricted diet?

 

[Kfults]

I feed them every morning. He shares food and coup/run/yard with 11 layers. Can’t really restrict him. He was a surprise I did not realize he was a meat bird or even a Cockrell when I bought the chicks. thank you....Tractor supply today he has done worse than yesterday not wanting to walk around very much just sitting in the shade of the run I will see how he does this evening when it cools off he got so big so fast and has never seemed healthy he never has been able to reach the roost so we put in a low rooster bar for him he has always sat more than I thought He should my brother-in-law is willing and able to do the compassionate thing and cull him Saturday