Help, greasy looking poults, dying.

[Romeacresfarm1]

My turkey poults started looking like they were soaking wet and are dying after they begin the heavy breathing as if they have pneumonia. My brooder is wire bottom. They are on medicated turkey starter, electrolytes and some probiotic (not a lot) and did have apple cider vinegar (but ran out a few days ago). They started doing this earlier this week and it's not just the turkey poults but a couple of chicks and keets too but I have only lost turkeys. I started putting a floor covering so I could change it up every couple of hours. Some of their poo is kind of light brown and pasty, just like the food. other's very dark. Oh and they are drinking a lot of water.

 

[GitaBooks]

I'm sorry to hear that. Is something wrong with the watering system maybe? Is it really humid out?

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

Very humid.

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

Maybe they got too warm?

 

[GitaBooks]

How hot is it there?

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

high 80's. I have the brooder unplugged and keeping floor changed out so they don't get wet from their own excrement but they still don't seem to be drying down. They really aren't wet, more like, feathers are plastered to them.

 

[GitaBooks]

Could they have gotten oil of some kind on them?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They seem a bit crowded, they look to be feathered well, maybe getting them out in some fresh air and sunshine, mine have been outside during the day since two weeks old. I think maybe the metal brooder box does not have enough air circulation, the moisture can't escape, just a guess from your picture.

 

[mymilliefleur]

They seem a bit crowded, they look to be feathered well, maybe getting them out in some fresh air and sunshine, mine have been outside during the day since two weeks old. I think maybe the metal brooder box does not have enough air circulation, the moisture can't escape, just a guess from your picture.

I agree. I hope your birds get better soon.

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

Thanks for your responses. They do have plenty of room as it is a very large brooder and they were all crowding around the window (with good reason) but, I did check the thermometer and it had slipped down and it was reading 80. It was probably more like 110. I moved them to an outside brooder house and they have perked up considerably. I do have one who is still droopy and breathing heavily and still may lose that one but the rest seem to be jumping for joy. The fact that they were piling in a corner had me thinking they were too cold but now I believe they were chilled from being too warm and then wet.
Thanks, was so worried I had a virus going on but it still is heartbreaking to know it was very avoidable....