A royal palm poult that had a complicated hatch and now isn't acting normal. ?????

[auntpa-k]

Hi,
I have been all over this site and the net trying to find and answer. I have two Royal Palm poults to hatch in the last few days. The first had started to hatch, but I didn't know it at first, because it was pipping underneath and wrong end. It never completed the hatch. I ended up helping. It had pipped enough to get air, but then just stopped,. for almost 36 hours! I was getting worried and helped it to crack the shell completely around. There was no blood, so it went well. It eventually wiggled it's self out. Now it only lays on it's side. One other egg hatched a few hours later with no problems, and it is doing normal in the brooder. The first poult is still laying on its side! It will 'scoot' or move, but still on it's side. Could this be a problem caused by it's lengthy time trying to pip? And what can I do for it now? I have dipped it into it's food and water, and it has been able to 'wiggle' over to it. What about a vitamin issue? Could that also be an issue. It isn't spraddled leg. I have hatched chickens, so I've seen and dealt with that issue before. Legs look fine. Feel look normal. I can place it on its feet, and it will stay aslong as it has something to balance on. The minute I move my hands or it's support, it falls back on it's side. Thanks for any information. I have never seen anything like this.
Thanks,

Paula

 

[FarmerGilland]

I too had this problem with a Narri. It started pipping and then stopped, I helped it out and then it just laid on it's back and couldn't roll to it's belly. The minute you put it on it's belly it would flop back to it's back. It also had a bobble head. It lived about 30 hours before it died. I introduced it to water and feed and nursed it with vitamin water and everything but no hope. I'm not saying that yours will die but don't be surprised if it does. Sorry for the bad news!

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I would start giving it drinks of sugar water. Wrap it tightly in washcloth (prevents spraddle legs) and leave in incubator where temp is constant because it cannot walk and give it drinks at least every 2 hours if at all possible. Little turkeys tend to get hypoglycemic for some reason (low blood sugar.)
To make sugar water for them I take 1 to 2 tsp of sugar put in koolade cup with pinch of salt and add warm water. The reason for warm water is to dissolve sugar and makes first few drinks nice for baby too. I still use water if it is cold.
That is all I know to do other than start giving it some tetracycline in water. Baby turkeys tend to respond to that antibiotic well especially if it has been a real humid environment.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

That is all I know to do and hope for best

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

How is your baby turkey>?

 

[auntpa-k]

Sorry it has took me so long to get back, a real busy Easter weekend.
Glad to report the little guy, who I named Wobbles, is doing great. Along with the advice, I would hold the little guy to make him stand, in order for him to strengthen his legs. I sort of made a game of it. And it must have worked! He is sitting and walking, all by himself! Still wobbly, hence name, but I feel he will lose that and walk normal by the time he is ready to go outside. He is eating and drinking, plus keeping up with his hatch mate. I am so thankful for the advice and support. I'm hoping to put up some pics as soon as the weather gets better. (I'm from Washington St, land of clouds and rain!)
Again thanks,
Paula

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

Cool, I am so glad your turkey is better. I just hate losing one. Sugar water works on baby chickens too.

 

[jami0850]

Glad your baby is better. I realize it is after the fact, but for future problems you might try this .... I had something very similar happen with 2 Narragansett poults a week and a half ago. I was gone for several hours during the hatch and when we did get home, 2 babies ended up stuck and had to be helped out. The other 28 hatched unassisted and were fine, but both of the "helped" babies were weak and seemed to have extremely poor balance. The next morning they were still laying on their sides and one even more on its back. They struggled but could not right themselves. Their feet and legs were OK and appeared perfectly healthy other than what I called the balance problem. I would right them and they would end up quickly back over on their sides. I got on the internet and found a suggestion (can't remember where - could have even been here but couldn't find it again) to put the poults in a small bowl that would help keep them upright and give them support in both squatting and standing positions. I had nothing to lose and since the poults seemed healthy otherwise, I decided to give it a try. I placed both poults in a bowl under a brooder light. One of them was back in with the others within 48 hours and I couldn't even tell which one it was. The other showed steady improvement but took a little longer. It was still back with the others full time by the 4th day. I used a small butter bowl with a paper towels in the bottom so it wasn't slick. For the slower poult, I paper clipped plastic medicine cups to the side of the bowl for food and water, which he learned to eat and drink from. I would put him in with the others periodically as he progressed, but when I saw him flip over and couldn't get upright by himself, back in the bowl he'd go for more "therapy". Not saying it would work every time, but I did have success with this method. Might save someone else's little babies one day!