My turkey is limping can someone with experience please help!!!

I cut between the toes where it was swollen, it looked like it was going to pop but i got nothing but blood out. i soaked her foot in warm epson saltand cleaned it real good before i cut.

tonight when i went out this one and my other white turkey‘s faces were swollen under their eyes. does anyone know what this could be?

chicgal said:

- but I just cannot bring myself to put it down.

I had another poult which wasn't eating for a couple of days and I tried to force feed it, but it put up such a fight that I ended up drowning it instead, and needless to say, it died - never have forgiven myself for that to this day.


Even though I keep telling myself such is life, put up, shut up and move on - but still ...

I have only been doing this for a year and I am getting used to this, little by little.

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I hadn't tought about the times I had force fed chicks to death until you mentioned it. It happens because you WERE trying your darndest! It has happened to me too. I sat up nights holding baby turkeys that bobbled their heads around and wouldn't eat trying to keep fluids in them. My first two years were miserable as it never seemed to "go right". But now I have come to realize farm life rarely does. It will toughen you up and you will learn to forgive yourself as you come across other difficulties that outweigh what you have already been through. The best advise I can give you is "just don't think about it."
Don't dote on your failures and focus your successes. I find it amazing you had a turkey hatch it's own eggs. I have done birds for quite a few years and have never seen a turkey be broody enough to hatch it's own eggs. I simply assumed my birds were too stupid.
Keep your chin up and try not to think about the sad parts. Even hatcheries send extra chicks in the order because they expect you to lose a few. I only had one year that I had 100% success and was heart broken as I felt like a failure my first year not noticing ONE chick not eating... but it happens.
You will grow with your farm and the good parts will always outweigh the bad and as you get through each little "upset" you will find it makes you stronger in all other places of your life. It's not your fault... it's just nature happening as it does. Your doing your best and it is all you can do. You will do awesome if you keep telling yourself exactly that... "such is life, put up, shut up and move on."

I think I may actually frame that and hang it in my barn. I could not have ever stated how to work on a farm better! Thanks for your encouraging words also. I have an injury that keeps me from walking some days and this little motto helps when I think about doing chores in pain.

The infection in a bumble tends to be thick and almost cartilage like... it won't squeeze out like puss. You almost have to dig it out (that's why I personally wouldn't suggest cutting on top of the foot.

Also swelling below the eyes is usually a sinus infection. Do a search on that on BYC and you should find what meds people use. You probably should put both the bird with the foot issue and sinus issue on antibiotics. Sorry I don't know what to do other than point you in the right direction.

I made appointment for my turley at the vet. I gave a dose to both turkeys for the sinus issues. Tylan 50 is what I found on BYC and the pictures looked jusy like my 2. The foot is really worrying me but the vet will hopefully help out tomorrow.

Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet and do it! Hopefully, they will be able to answer lots of questions for you. Don't forget to ask about the breed. Good luck! Please let me know what you find out. I would like to know too!

Farmtillurdead - Sorry to hear about your injury. I hope you get better soon.
Thank you very much for your encouraging words - like I said before, it helps knowing there are people out there that understand - sometimes you feel like you're the worst ever for letting a chicken/turkey die or get hurt, and feel totally helpless.

Chickenlady - I hope and pray your turkey's foot issue gets resolved soon.

Vets around my place don't look at birds. They deal with cattle and the likes, but not chickens and turkeys.

My little one has improved a little. The bluish blackness has dissipated. It is walking around like .... hmm, how to put it ..... Charlie Chaplin, except without a walking stick.

Weird thing though, it seems to have lost its voice. Even after the encounter with my tom, it was wailing away to its heart's content. But for the past couple of days, it has no voice. I mean it still wails away, but I can only hear the air whistling from its throat.

Incidentally, my turkey hen has gone semi broody again I think. She won't sit nonstop though, as I have a broody chicken in the coop. But this one and my other turkey hen (I think royal palm) fight with each other - they go at it like two roos, but calm down once I give them a stern warning and chase them away. Yesterday, the two were at it and somehow flew over the 8 foot fence, which shouldn't have been possible, since I had their wings clipped. Since then, it has become a regular occurrence (nuisance rather) and I have to keep running out to chase them in. If they get out, either stray dogs get them or humans steal them. I have to figure out a way to keep them in - they sure do hate confinement.

chicgal, you may want to get some bird netting and put it on top of your bird yard.

the discoloration in your bird is probably from a broken blood vessel, the body will reabsorb it eventually... it could have crushed the squawk box too, is it eating and drinking ok?

Though the little fella is surviving, please consider his quality of life.


Chickenlady, how'd the vet apt go?

Thanks guys for the encouraging words. The vet is awesome. He saw my Bearded Dragons after I rescued them and I was praying he would see my girl as well. And when we got there I still was praying he would be able to help. Well he said the face swelling was from their sinuses and the antibiotic I had would help that. The foot was a huge mess, he performed surgery and he cut from the top, and then 2 other places (one side to the other) to clean out the foot. It was Bumblefoot which must of came from something she stepped on before we got her, it just blew up after I got them. He said it was brownish liquid in there along with a bunch of the yucky "cheesy" material. He has her foot wrapped up pretty good and he coated it with Baytril and saline before he bandaged it up. I am so totally impressed with this guy!!! I wish he was not 1 hour away or I would take my cats and dogs to him. I am just afraid of emergencies with my 11 year old Golden who has seizures.

So he sent me home with a strong antibiotic and anti-infamatory (sp) meds. Oh and I am now almost $400 poorer as well, but well worth it in my book. He is thinking she is a Standard White? but not 100% as he doesn't specialize in avian.

She drank alot of water last night and ate well as well. I have her in my garage and will take the bandage off tomorrow or the next day. Want it to heal as much as possible and keep her away from the others now.

Oh and BTW I got 2 new baby goats on Monday, they just turned 1 week old on last Friday and will be 2 weeks this Friday. We are bottle feeding them and they are so much fun, oh and they are definitely mighty pee pee machines. haha

Good to hear that your turkey's foot issues have been resolved.

My little poult is eating and drinking fine and was voicing out its opinions even after the incident. Don't know what happened that it suddenly lost its voice. You should see it put up a fight with its brothers and sisters for boiled egg (their favorite),

It doesn't seem to be in any pain, now. It's starting to walk around fine and can run and hop and fly, although not as much as the others, but it's getting there, step by step.

I understand about the quality of life thing, but it's putting up such a fight and will to survive, I can't bring myself to do anything about it.

Also, about the bird netting, I have never had these problems before, especially after I had their wings clipped. This only happened after my turkey hens started fighting with each other. I let the one that got out of the fence, stay there (of course, I kept a watch) until it got too hot for her out and was literally begging to be let in. Needless to say, not a problem anymore. She realised she would rather have food, water, treats and shade inside rather than go outside.

Hi my turkey is limping, but on inspection it seems to be thread wrapped around its leg and it has swollen up, or is this BB?

what should I do

can't seem to get at it