A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Pennys Mama]

Have you ever had Blackhead in your Turkeys? I'm also wondering if it is prevalent in some states more than others. I was thinking about getting some Narragansett Turkeys some day and was wondering how safe it is to keep turkeys and chickens around each other.

In February I lost 2 poults to Blackhead and nearly lost Jake, my lone survivor. She is no longer allowed to associate with our chickens, she can talk to them through the fences only. Plus I'm worming her every month & the chickens every 3 months now. So it's all still very fresh in my mind now, I won't put my turkeys & chickens together ever again.

 

[duluthralphie]

Have you ever had Blackhead in your Turkeys? I'm also wondering if it is prevalent in some states more than others. I was thinking about getting some Narragansett Turkeys some day and was wondering how safe it is to keep turkeys and chickens around each other.

I have never had a problem with it.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I have never had a problem with it.

You are lucky! It must be prevalent in certain areas, we have a lot of grubs & other worms here that the chickens have access to foraging.

 

[duluthralphie]

You are lucky! It must be prevalent in certain areas, we have a lot of grubs & other worms here that the chickens have access to foraging.

I have a hard time believing a fence will stop blackhead. Unless what I am picturing is not the fence between the turkey and chickens.

Did you have blackhead verified by a lab?

 

[duluthralphie]

I forgot to add, I live in a sand dunes.

 

[R2elk]

I have a hard time believing a fence will stop blackhead. Unless what I am picturing is not the fence between the turkey and chickens.

Did you have blackhead verified by a lab?

Here is her thread on what all she went through including the symptoms and the treatments used.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I have a hard time believing a fence will stop blackhead. Unless what I am picturing is not the fence between the turkey and chickens.

Did you have blackhead verified by a lab?

No, I didn't send the 2 poults that died for necropsy, so I don't have 100% definitive diagnosis of it. The poults became sick soon after they were integrated into the chicken flock though, and the 2 died within 2 days of showing symptoms. I was fortunate the 3rd survived with very aggressive treatment in my opinion. I'm sure the fence won't stop it but I am using other preventive measures as well, with frequent worming. I hope it wasn't Blackhead, but what ever it was, it sucked!

 

[duluthralphie]

No, I didn't send the 2 poults that died for necropsy, so I don't have 100% definitive diagnosis of it. The poults became sick soon after they were integrated into the chicken flock though, and the 2 died within 2 days of showing symptoms. I was fortunate the 3rd survived with very aggressive treatment in my opinion. I'm sure the fence won't stop it but I am using other preventive measures as well, with frequent worming. I hope it wasn't Blackhead, but what ever it was, it sucked!

I am going to hope it’s not blackhead also.

last year, I lost quite a few points.

I was my fault because I did not pick up on the cause fast enough. I did not get game bird starter from my normal source.

I went to my local TSC and tried to get higher protein for the poults. There was none on the floor.

I asked the manager if they had any in the back. He said he didn’t think so, as they stopped sticking it a few years ago.

He went to look and came back with a bag, and even said they had one OLD bag left in the corner.

I bought it and started feeding it. A couple days later I started getting the lethargic clumsy yucky poop, it kept picking off a poult or two a day.

I was doing everything I could think of. Finally, I stumbled on food poisoning/

I started feeding chick starter, then got them another bag from my normal place. The deaths stopped.

The poults did great. I threw the TSC bag of feed away.


I hope your problem is as simple as mine was. I know how you feel/felt. Made me feel stupid to not realize right away what was wrong.

Here is info on botulism

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/All-about-Botulism-in-poultry-H267.aspx

 

[Molpet]

You are lucky! It must be prevalent in certain areas, we have a lot of grubs & other worms here that the chickens have access to foraging.

I haven't had a problem with blackhead . Lots of worms.
I think, so far, it's not in my area

 

[Flashpoint]

Plus you can always check with the farm bureau and Department of Natural Resources to see if they have problems with blackhead. I did that before I put my turkeys in with the chickens. Some areas are more prone to it than others, but not where I live.