Turkeys with the sniffles

[Serina81]

Hi all, Some of my turkeys have had cold symptoms for a very very long time now. I'm talking literally a couple years. What in the world could be causing this and how do I get it to go away?
Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A couple years?????
Find a vet and get some lab work done.

More information needed. Housing, ventilation, nutrition, other birds, etc..

 

[Serina81]

Yea years, believe it or not. They've been quarantined and I've been extra careful with their nutrition etc. Nobody else has caught it and it has slowly gone away so that I only have 2 or 3 with sniffles now. Nobody has died and they still lay eggs, etc. Somebody dropped off battery hens a couple years ago in my turkey pen and that's when it started. I considered culling them but since they've slowly recovered I figure they probably have valuable immunities now so I didn't want to cull.

Don't know why I didn't think about having a vet do lab work, but will definitely do so.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most likely brought by the chicken hens.

 

[Serina81]

I actually believe it's mycoplasma which is really the only thing that makes sense considering it's respiratory and has lasted so long. Just wondering what all your opinions are and if you have any suggestions.

 

[casportpony]

You could draw some blood and collect a nasal swab and send it to the CAHFS lab at UC Davis, they'll let you know what it is and it probably won't cost too much.

-Kathy

 

[Serina81]

Just fyi, I decided they had Mycoplasm infection and gave them Tylan antibiotics. Cleared it up immediately and we have so many eggs now and so many babies hatching that we are overrun. Such an easy solution, I wish I'd discovered this earlier!!!

 

[chicken pickin]

Just fyi, I decided they had Mycoplasm infection and gave them Tylan antibiotics. Cleared it up immediately and we have so many eggs now and so many babies hatching that we are overrun. Such an easy solution, I wish I'd discovered this earlier!!!

Solution is not always as easy as it seems. These turkeys will be carries for life and could pass it on to the poults and other poultry you have around. It can also be passed on in eggs. If you sell hatching eggs or these poults you are passing the disease to other unsuspecting flock owners who can inturn end up with a sick flock.