I have a baby turkey with an injured leg and I have no idea what to do.
Here's what happened... About a month ago one of my wild breed type turkeys (no idea what kind they are, look like eastern wild and narragansett) started flying out of their fenced area to lay eggs in the woods. I couldn't find her nest and about a month ago she stopped coming back at night though she'd show up in the afternoon to eat and then disappear again. Today I found her crouched outside the fence with six little babies that look a couple days old. Usually she will follow me to the gate and walk right in. (She likes flying out but she won't fly back in. What's up with that?) She got nervous when I walked up to her and stepped on one of her babies. The baby laid on the ground for a few seconds and then started flopping around. I ended up taking it inside and putting it in my incubator to keep it warm. I was hoping it just needed a little time.
It's now six hours later. It's hopping around in the incubator but won't put down it's leg. It doesn't look broken but it is sticking out at an angle like it's dislocated possible, the foot is curled up and limp. I have a mama hen in a igloo-type doghouse with a dozen baby chickens that just hatched a few days ago. I thought about putting the baby turkey in with them, where it would have company but not have far to go with its hurt leg. There is no way it can keep up with the turkeys in their yard. I could keep it inside, but turkeys are so social and it keeps crying a lost cry. I don't know if I should splint it or wrap it up somehow. I could cull it but it seems very healthy besides its leg and I've lost so many baby turkeys this year (spring and summer hatches).
Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!
Here's what happened... About a month ago one of my wild breed type turkeys (no idea what kind they are, look like eastern wild and narragansett) started flying out of their fenced area to lay eggs in the woods. I couldn't find her nest and about a month ago she stopped coming back at night though she'd show up in the afternoon to eat and then disappear again. Today I found her crouched outside the fence with six little babies that look a couple days old. Usually she will follow me to the gate and walk right in. (She likes flying out but she won't fly back in. What's up with that?) She got nervous when I walked up to her and stepped on one of her babies. The baby laid on the ground for a few seconds and then started flopping around. I ended up taking it inside and putting it in my incubator to keep it warm. I was hoping it just needed a little time.
It's now six hours later. It's hopping around in the incubator but won't put down it's leg. It doesn't look broken but it is sticking out at an angle like it's dislocated possible, the foot is curled up and limp. I have a mama hen in a igloo-type doghouse with a dozen baby chickens that just hatched a few days ago. I thought about putting the baby turkey in with them, where it would have company but not have far to go with its hurt leg. There is no way it can keep up with the turkeys in their yard. I could keep it inside, but turkeys are so social and it keeps crying a lost cry. I don't know if I should splint it or wrap it up somehow. I could cull it but it seems very healthy besides its leg and I've lost so many baby turkeys this year (spring and summer hatches).
Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!