Advice on turkey eye discharge and blindness?

[cflory]

I have a lavender turkey hen about a year old, and she’s been very lethargic over the summer. She has a lack of coordination, not much color in her face and discharge over her eyes. I think she may have gone blind, but I don’t know if it’s discharge covering her eyes or not. I help her eat and drink a couple times a day because she can’t see and is very timid around the chickens. Idk if anyone knows what this is- I may take her to the vet, but I don’t think my vet deals with birds much.

 

[R2elk]

I have a lavender turkey hen about a year old, and she’s been very lethargic over the summer. She has a lack of coordination, not much color in her face and discharge over her eyes. I think she may have gone blind, but I don’t know if it’s discharge covering her eyes or not. I help her eat and drink a couple times a day because she can’t see and is very timid around the chickens. Idk if anyone knows what this is- I may take her to the vet, but I don’t think my vet deals with birds much.

@casportpony

 

[casportpony]

If you can, please take her to a vet. Won't matter that your vet doesn't do birds, they will be able to check her her for signs or a respiratory infection.

 

[cflory]

If you can, please take her to a vet. Won't matter that your vet doesn't do birds, they will be able to check her her for signs or a respiratory infection.

Thanks will do!

 

[yesterDAYNE]

Sadly lavender/lilac turkeys are prone to be blind from their genes. I have 2 girls and both of mine are partially blind. They do pretty well, the one who is fully blind in one eye is much smaller then all of my other turkeys and has to do full 360 spins just to orient herself when she moves a little too far, but I keep all their feed in an open bucket so that her and her sister can just peck wildly at it and still get mouthfuls. Water is in a big open bucket as well so they don't have to try and play target practice for water.

Occasionally the one with the fully blind eye will act lethargic one day and keep the eye closed, acting like she's hurt. We put terramycin drops in and usually she feels better either later that day or the next. I've never had discharge with either of them though, so I think the vet is definitely a good idea for her. Good luck!

 

[cflory]

Sadly lavender/lilac turkeys are prone to be blind from their genes. I have 2 girls and both of mine are partially blind. They do pretty well, the one who is fully blind in one eye is much smaller then all of my other turkeys and has to do full 360 spins just to orient herself when she moves a little too far, but I keep all their feed in an open bucket so that her and her sister can just peck wildly at it and still get mouthfuls. Water is in a big open bucket as well so they don't have to try and play target practice for water.

Occasionally the one with the fully blind eye will act lethargic one day and keep the eye closed, acting like she's hurt. We put terramycin drops in and usually she feels better either later that day or the next. I've never had discharge with either of them though, so I think the vet is definitely a good idea for her. Good luck!

Thank you, I didn’t know that about the genetics- that’s really interesting. Sounds like she’ll need some more attention than other turkeys. We’ll see what the vet says