3 month old turkey with blackhead

[crj]

Thanks Ivan3. I did save the book. It will definitely come in handy. The wanderer is still out there. I was hoping she would show up but I don't have much hope at this point.

Amazon.com is definitely a better bet. I will order some from them since they don't ask for a prescription but in a pinch "General Cure" will do fine from PetSmart. It's amazing how prices can range on the same product and how you can get it and in what form. Makes no sense other then the bottom dollar.

Since the baby turkey came down with blackhead would it be wise to treat my 3 adult turkeys just to be on the safe side? I don't know if treating them would help or cause an imune situation to the medicine. I decided to feed them scrambled (duck) eggs with lots of cayenne yesterday. I found some cooked rice that I tossed in there as well. My chickens got some of it as well.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Pretty much all Gallinaceous birds can be carriers. Some species are more susceptible to developing the disease than others (apparently Guineas are someplace in between): http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_25.pdf

Without the protozoan in the soil to take a ride in Cecal worms and then onto earthworms - chooks do not pose the threat of amplifying the potential for infection of the turks. Before bringing our heritage turks home we checked with the State Vet/MU Turkey Farm/DNR regarding prevalence/incidence in our region. We have 2-3 Wild flocks that use our woods on their rounds (nesting as well) and we were concerned. Apparently the warmer and more humid the climate (better environment for the vectors) the more of a threat HG/HM is. We heavily amended the soil of both runs with sand (and continue to add as needed) as it dries out faster (not a happy place for `squrimers') and, for the past two years we've been prophylactically worming flocks with Valbazen.
Chooks can, indeed, succumb to this disease (best shot of liver lesion I've run across is that of a broiler's): http://en.aviagen.com/assets/Tech_C...es/English/AviagenBrief_MaleHealth_June09.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/262_usgsfwshm.jpg

From: USGS/FWS Field Manual Of Wildlife Disease (avian), an excellent reference: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/

A most thorough reference on HG/HM (a Ph.D dissertation on the disease): http://athenaeum.libs.uga.edu/bitstream/handle/10724/6287/hu_jinghui_200212_phd.pdf?sequence=1

Thanks for pointing out the role of climate. Blackhead isn't a concern where I live, it gets too cold here. I house turkeys in the same building with chickens & sometimes range them together. The only turkeys that have ever died here did so a few days before becoming dinner.

 

[crj]

NYREDS, My guess is that you live in NY. Where? Upstate? Long Island? I ask because if you live on LI you get some hot and humid summers and I would think Blackhead would be a problem as well. Living upstate then your hot weather would be short term. Since our weather here is getting colder does that mean that blackhead chances will be lower? I know you NY has dirt and plenty of earthworms where I have sand for soil and no earthworms. The only place I have them is in my compost and my garden since that is where my compost goes.

I'm just trying to figure out how the weather plays a roll on the east coast.

 

[Mason57]

I have had my chickens free ranging for approximately 3 or 4 months due to building a new coop for them. If I found an area away from the coop and run, cleared it to mineral earth would that help with controling possible contamination from the chicken poo.

 

[ivan3]

Mason57 wrote: I have had my chickens free ranging for approximately 3 or 4 months due to building a new coop for them. If I found an area away from the coop and run, cleared it to mineral earth would that help with controling possible contamination from the chicken poo.

You could decrease the likelihood of potential contamination from ANY source (turkeys could eat `loaded' earthworms as easily as the chickens. Any wild, gallinaceous bird could carry the disease onto your property (disease entered the U.S. in the 1890's with imported pheasants). Adding plenty of sand to runs is useful (good drainage helps-slight slope in runs - larger grain sand speeds evaporation and eventual drying out of runs). Any mechanical means/methods to create areas hostile to earthworm vectors.

However, unless this disease has been IDed in Wild turkey/pheasant/quail/etc. flocks - in local commercial turkey operations - broiler flocks (see the link in one of my earlier posts in this thread - Aviagen link - excellent shot of liver lesions/cecal cores in a broiler - chickens can succumb to disease as well as act as reservoirs/vectors'). If your State Vet/DNR/University Vet. Path lab have no, or few, reports of this disease in your area don't worry too much. A regular worming schedule for all poultry (Valbazen is a good choice) and well drained, raked, runs will pretty much keep your turks in the clear.

Please read links provided in the rest of this thread - plenty of info. on disease/prevention and treatment.

Good luck!

 

[aukuma]

I read through the entire thread and my head went fuzzy. Here's some questions:


Which wormer should I use on both turkeys and chickens that can be put in their water rather than given to every bird?

Can I use something like frontline on the turkeys to prevent mites?

I am in PA and I plan to have turkeys, chickens and guineas free ranging the same areas.

 

[racuda]

I read through the entire thread and my head went fuzzy. Here's some questions:


Which wormer should I use on both turkeys and chickens that can be put in their water rather than given to every bird?

Can I use something like frontline on the turkeys to prevent mites?

I am in PA and I plan to have turkeys, chickens and guineas free ranging the same areas.

I went through a Blackhead problem last year. I used Safeguard for goats in the water. The freerange birds have no other source of water so they have to drink it. Frontline would work, but it reportedly caused fertility issues. I would use cattle pour on Ivermectin.

 

[aukuma]

I went through a Blackhead problem last year. I used Safeguard for goats in the water. The freerange birds have no other source of water so they have to drink it. Frontline would work, but it reportedly caused fertility issues. I would use cattle pour on Ivermectin.

I will look into the Ivermectin. Thank you!

 

[smallbrookranch]

although i have been using spices i want to dose my flock with the metronidazle because i will be assured there are no carriers. can you please tell me where i can get some of the solid form that you have?

 

[smallbrookranch]

i use that subcutanious but would it be safe and effective for blackhead in water?