Another weird turkey deformity

[flocksalot]

So in this years Broad Breasted Whites I have had two anomalies that I'm looking for input on. The first one died about a month ago. He was sitting next to me when he started gasping and his head turned dark. I quickly processed him. When I was pulling his feathers I noticed a round bulge near the center of his breast bone, but because I skinned him I didn't really look at it too close. It was pretty solid when felt, but it got dark before I could get very far which is why I skinned him, so I couldn't really see it well.

Today when I was processing I had one turkey that had a large mass on his chest right in the center of his breast. In other words right over his bone. He had had it as long as I can remember. After I had him all cleaned I excised it. I had to cut through about 3/4 inch of cartlidge to get into it. What came out could only be discribed as cooked egg yolk like substance. It looked exactly like it. The amount was over one cup once I got it all out. I've never seen anythong like this and was wondering if any of you had or if you knew what it could be. I'm stumped.

I would have pics, but I need to get a new camera first. And yes he was definately a he so it was not possible for it to be internal laying. He have large gonads and no eggs anywhere in him.

Ideas?

 

[mnferalkitty]

Sounds like an abcess

 

[ivan3]

Probably some manifestation of `breast button' : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/conference_proceedings/turkey_days/2007/aziz_2007.pdf

If you perform a Google image search for:` poultry focal ulcerative dermatitis caseous exudate ', you'll probably find some very similar expressions (caseous, ~ `cheese like' ).

 

[jandlpoultry]

Sounds like Inflammatory process.

 

[flocksalot]

Probably some manifestation of `breast button' : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/conference_proceedings/turkey_days/2007/aziz_2007.pdf
If you perform a Google image search for:` poultry focal ulcerative dermatitis caseous exudate ', you'll probably find some very similar expressions (caseous, ~ `cheese like' ).

You could be right there although I've never seen it before and neither has my poultry experts otherwise known as Mom and Dad. He did develop it at a very early age which they say is rare, but not unheard of. I think he was around 4 or 5 weeks when I noticed the long lump on his chest. I thought it was a hernia as last year I had a turkey with one. His may have been several buttons all together. It grew as he grew. I measured the lenght today and it was 8 inches long and at the bottom it switched direction and went over about two inches. Although from reading on the web it sounds like it should have an abscess or wound and there was none that I ever found. I'm always handling my babies, so I'm pretty sure I would have noticed any. I pretty much notice every broken feather or even a loose one. These guys follow me where ever I go and are always trying to peck the one in my lap out so they can take it's place. Sure was weird. None of my others have it. I still have 29 turkeys left and only 7 of them are jennies, so lots a jakes to have the issue. Thankfully that was the extent of our down graded poultry. The rest are perfectly beautiful.

Thanks for your input it was much appreciated.

 

[flocksalot]

Sounds like an abcess

I would expect an abcess to have started with a wound or even an ingrown feather, but I didn't see any evidence. You could be right though. I think the longer I raise poultry the more weird things I see. I can remember when the most I had to worry about was getting them through their first few weeks and stopping them from eating all my garden along with all the bugs. I wonder if some of the problems are just part of the limited genetic strain for the Broad Breasted? I'm seeing things that I just never ever heard of 20 or 30 years ago, but then the longer you do something the more likely you are to run into every problem that can occur. So glad this isn't an issue with my Midgets.

Sounds like Inflammatory process.

I think that Ivan3 may have found the technical term for all of these suggestions.

Thanks for your responses though. I appreciate the input. I'll tell ya I was like what in the world could this be? I even called my mother well after her very early bedtime and asked both her and my father. They were like call us in the morning when we are awake. So I did and they still were no help. Thankfully I can ask here and get some input. Food, housing, husbandry, processing, and breeding they can answer, but weird unusual things and I get a blank look from them.