Turkey health assistance. Older Tom not using his legs

jerseygirl1

Crowing
13 Years
14 Years
Jun 20, 2009
4,501
39
366
Orange County, NY
Ok, I would appreciate any input. I have a 5 year old blue slate turkey that no longer walks the way he used to. He only walks to eat and drink, and I lift him up and down to roost every day. Several months ago I made the mistake of changing his feed, and since then have changed it bavk. I'm wondering if any of this was caused by the change and what I can do to get him back on track.
Thanks
 
At five years old he's getting up there in age, he could certainly have some health issues, though his symptoms are non specific, I'm sure switching feed had nothing to do with it, my turkeys seem to be like my chickens as far as how long they live, 5-8 seems to be about how long before something goes wrong, I'm sure some live longer. Sorry I can't help with what's wrong, maybe someone will.
 
Jerseygirl1 I'm sorry to hear about your tom.
I have a similar story with my 3 year old Royal Palm.
We had awful snow during winter and I let them out when it started to thaw for a bit if outdoors after so many months stuck in the coop.
Breeding season was starting to get under way and Thomas was servicing 4 hens in rapid succession.
When I came home from work Thom's was limping and had lost all of his chest feathers.
I don't know for sure, but I can imagine he could have kung-fu'd the chickens or slipped whilst mating (it was icy), I still have no clue about the feathers!

He seemed in discomfort when I checked him over, but no swelling or breaks could be detected and the area in question seemed to be his hip.
I helped him off the roost each morning, he managed to get up there by himself until later in the summer when he chose to sleep on the floor of the coop.

I have read that round perches don't do the ligaments any favours and that wide square planks are better.
I don't know if that's true or not.
His stride is not that of a young turkey, he doesn't seem to rotate his hip properly. But is in no pain.

Thomas is now a proud dad as 2 of his hens produced flocks of poults. He spends all day with them walking miles and actively brooding the babies at night too.
 

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