signs of pain? injured roo in "rehab" making pathetic noises

[chimkentender]

I have a 10-week old Roo, he's 75% black australorp and 25% Rhode island red. His mom kicked him and his sister out of the nest as they were hatching and we noticed right away and took them into the house to raise them before introducing them to the flock. I noticed he walked kind of different but I didn't pay much attention to it initially. As he got bigger it became very obvious and he took lots of breaks where he would just plop down wherever he got tired. I don't know if this is a congenital deformity or if he broke his leg, but I can feel the deformity high up on his little hip. He lets me pet him and touch the area of interest. He does not like to be separate from his two sisters, but about 2 weeks ago I put him in a medium-sized dog crate to keep him separate to heal but in the coop so they can still see each other. He got special snacks and extra protein etc. I gave him aspirin water for the first 3-4 days and switched him to vitamin water. Well, today he wanted out of that thing. And when I opened the door he flew out. Its been 2 weeks so I figured its fine, he's had time to heal up. He was running and playing and having a great time it seemed like. Tonight when I shut them up in the coop he was on the floor of the coop. Even his sisters were up high. So I gave him extra straw and a towel to lay on and petted him a little. He was making these pathetic like squeaks, and now I'm wondering if I should put him back in the crate and give him more time.
Our coop is 64sq ft and 9ft tall with stairs going up to their roosts, we have 11 birds-one other roo (his father who has never been a problem) Outside they stay in a run that's 250sq ft and we've only had a few breaches during the day of predator birds.
Should he go back into the crate you think? more aspirin water? Does the squeak mean he's in pain? Is there more I can do? My vet doesn't say they deal with birds but I think I'll call them anyways.

 

[Chicalina]

I can't answer your question, but you could experiment by giving him painkillers and seeing if his behaviour changes i.e. he seems less distressed.

He may also have overdone it a bit.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures of him standing showing his legs clearly might help. Leg bone deformities, such as varus valgus or twisted tibia are common, as is a slipped tendon. If you can download the full text of this article it has pictures of some of the different deformities:
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

 

[chimkentender]

I can't answer your question, but you could experiment by giving him painkillers and seeing if his behaviour changes i.e. he seems less distressed.

He may also have overdone it a bit.

I think this is the most probable he was running this morning and playing with less of a limp. Should I worry about him not roosting with the others for now? or wait a bit?

 

[chimkentender]

Pictures of him standing showing his legs clearly might help. Leg bone deformities, such as varus valgus or twisted tibia are common, as is a slipped tendon. If you can download the full text of this article it has pictures of some of the different deformities:
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

I can feel the deformity high up on his hip area, it angles out like it was broken and didn't heal right. That leg is wider set than the other like he has wide hips, when he walks and runs its a quick hitch on that side but today he seems ok with it. I might call the vet and see if something other than aspirin water is good for him, I've heard conflicting things about it. I crush 4 baby aspirin (cherry or strawberry flavored only) in one gallon of water and shake it up and I was putting it in his crate with him so he could drink when he wanted. I am assuming he will have a hard life with trouble and soreness maybe I could build a little box for him to sleep inside the coop that has his water for when he gets sore.

 

[Chicalina]

you can also give ibuprofen to chickens if that helps to switch things up a bit

 

[Chicalina]

I wouldn't worry about him roosting or not. With a possible broken but healed hip, you just need to make him comfortable wherever he chooses to be