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what to do after blackhead symptoms go away...

post #1 of 6
7/30/12 at 5:27pm
Thread Starter 

my turkeys have blackhead...I'm treating with metronidazle.  After 2 doses they look considerably better, we'll see what happens next.

 

Will they continuously get this till slaughter?  I can't sterilize the run and coop anymore than I am.  I use a driveway torch and have no idea if it does anything but makes me feel better.

 

I look forward to any opinions or knowledge.

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post #2 of 6
7/31/12 at 5:53am

How do you know they have blackhead, what are their symptoms?

Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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post #3 of 6
7/31/12 at 7:41am
Thread Starter 

The one I quarantined was eating but couldn't get up, I had to put a tray basically in front of him and the water on the side.  He was going through a gallon an hour.  I would definitely call it excessive..  Also, they were starting to huddle together and shake, ruffling feather a lot; they were all getting wobbly too when trying to get up.  There normal poos were dark green/brownish with variation then started getting lighter to a rusty/orange color and very loose but no blood.

 

Since this post I've treated  them with metronidizale 3 times and they are all walking around fine.

 

The one that died had spots on its liver.

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post #4 of 6
7/31/12 at 9:35am

Do ou have another oen or area that hasn't been occupied by birds available to move them to? the problem with blackhead as I understand it is that once the ground becomes infested it needs to kept clear for up to several years. Earth worms can become carriers and if the turkeys have access to the worms,  they can be re-infected. I'm sorry for your troubles and sure hope all turns out well.

Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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post #5 of 6
7/31/12 at 9:49am

Several years ago I had a couple of turkeys that showed symptoms of blackhead. According to information I could find on the internet at the time Cayenne Pepper was recommended as a natural cure. So I would add a small of cooking oil to their feed so that the dry Cayenne Pepper would stick and fed it to them for a couple weeks (?-don't remember for sure). Their skin cleared up and they never did show symptoms again.

Here is a BYC thread about another person who tried the same thing - http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/134230/hope-this-saves-a-turkey-from-blackhead

One Pyrenees, five cats, one Boer mix goat doe, two peafowl, Bourbon Red turkeys, Muscovy ducks, mixed Runner ducks, pair Black Copper Marans, two+ Silkies, homegrown Frizzles, Cornish, Cochins hens, Pied Guineas, eggs in the incubator and a patient husband and son who help me care for all these critters.

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One Pyrenees, five cats, one Boer mix goat doe, two peafowl, Bourbon Red turkeys, Muscovy ducks, mixed Runner ducks, pair Black Copper Marans, two+ Silkies, homegrown Frizzles, Cornish, Cochins hens, Pied Guineas, eggs in the incubator and a patient husband and son who help me care for all these critters.

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post #6 of 6
7/31/12 at 10:02am

If it was a skin problem it eas probably fowl pox and not blachead. Blackhead is a digestive tract protozoan infestation and does not affect the skin other than a possible lbluish  coloration of the head. The dark black scabs so many call blackhead is actually fowl pox which is a viral infection for which there is no treatment other than time.

Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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Regal Red Turkeys and LF Dark Cornish Chickens

 

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