Ailing poult - new to turkeys

[mrsdelore]

Hi all. I picked up some turkey poults on Wednesday (hatched Tuesday) and one of them has been "off" since day one.

First, it only has had one eye open The other one stays shut If I pull gently, I can open the lid, but the poult itself won't open it or keep it open.

Second, I have yet to see it really eat or drink. I have dipped its beak repeatedly in the water - it has zero interest in drinking. I've tried using a dropper to get some electrolytes in it - can't get more than a few drops in it.

Third, it breaths mostly with it's mouth open and it makes a clicking noise when breathing. But it's not raspy or burbly when breathing, really like a clicking sound. I do not see any obstruction in the throat.

I'm really at a loss. It seems unlikely this poult will make it to tomorrow, but I want to do what I can to help it. I just don't know what I can do.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The only thing that might help is to get some sugar water or electrolyte solution into it, I use a teaspoon of brown sugar to a quart of water, but I might mix it a bit heavier and see if I could get some drops down it, if it's going to help it should within an hour or so, it may have low blood sugar. If it doesn't rally than there might be something internal wrong with it. Also make sure you are brooding at around 100 degrees.

 

[thebulg]

sorry to chime in! i just picked up a poult that also hatched on tuesday or wednesday. it's not moving around on its own. it will hold its head up, and i started giving it water by dropper and it is getting better and better at it. i mixed some crumbles with water and put that into the dropper and total i've probably gotten it about 3mL water or water/feed mix.

are new poults really lethargic as a whole? should i give it a day or two to adjust? or should i try some sugar water?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They aren't that lethargic, try the sugar water which is a quick form of carbohydrates. Being a type 1 diabetic I'm all familiar with how low blood sugars can feel, and brain damage can set in if it's not fixed. If it doesn't improve there could be something wrong with it's development while in the egg. Though I never give up unless they do. It might also have spent too much time in the egg and has poor muscle control. They are clumsy when freshly hatched and are prone to falling over and ending up on their backs sometimes. Give it sugar water or electrolyte solution with a form of glucose, it needs energy.

 

[thebulg]

on it!!! could i mix together sugar, ground oatmeal and water to get simple and complex carbs in there?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you can get it to eat that would be good.

 

[thebulg]

holy moly. i brought it inside and it refused to even open its mouth for anything and was looking so weak. it had been doing better outside, so i figured i would bring it out and see if seeing the other 2 babies would perk it up. it started walking the most i've seen it walk (it can't walk upright, it walks with its legs almost parallel to the ground, like it's crouching), it pecked at the chick, and it ravenously started eating wet mash.

so i guess turkeys dont thrive alone. oye. hopefully it develops some strength soon.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

holy moly. i brought it inside and it refused to even open its mouth for anything and was looking so weak. it had been doing better outside, so i figured i would bring it out and see if seeing the other 2 babies would perk it up. it started walking the most i've seen it walk (it can't walk upright, it walks with its legs almost parallel to the ground, like it's crouching), it pecked at the chick, and it ravenously started eating wet mash.

so i guess turkeys dont thrive alone. oye. hopefully it develops some strength soon.

That's pretty amazing, hoping that it keeps getting stronger.

 

[thebulg]

its doing better. i'm sort of shocked. it started peeping last night, which were the first sounds i heard from it, and standing upright but not walking. and it ate like crazy. this morning i went out fully expecting to find it dead. instead i saw it walk (it's still walking with its legs low) over to the water dish and drink for the first time, cheep with the other 2 chicks, and eat some more, and take a few very slow steps with legs extended. my one little chick that is overly attached to me seems like it understands that the turkey needs help. it runs around the turkey in circles to help move it toward the heat cave and food and then stands right in front of it to eat or drink and then stands there while the turkey does it. i'm in total awe.

 

[mrsdelore]

I ended up culling my ailing one. It was so weak it couldn't lift it's head and was getting trampled in the brooder. Now I have another one down in the same condition! It was perfectly fine yesterday - walking around, eating and drinking. Now it can barely stand up! Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

I got these poults with my batch of Cornish chicks and I'm brooding them together in a well-insulated outdoor coop. Two heat lamps - plenty of room to be under them or off in a cooler space. Windows and vents up above for air flow. ACV in the water. Right now everyone is eating 18% chick starter.

Is it just that turkeys can't/shouldn't be with chicks? I've seen opposing views on that - some who say never do it and some who say they do it all the time.

What do I need to be doing differently?