Babies dropping & dying!

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry about your losses.

Is there any way to have any testing performed - either sending a body for necropsy or having a fecal float and gram stain done by your vet?
I don't know much about Turkeys - hopefully Kathy will be along. The poop ---I kept thinking I had seen something like that before. Take a look at POST#16 https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-poo-page-warning-pictures.941872/page-2
I hope your remaining babies recover.
Just my thoughts.

 

[Sara Ranch]

None of the animals have been bothered by the water previously. I add acv to it from day one.

The blue/purple legs indicate lack of blood flow, which indicates circulatory/heart.

The seizures indicate neurological.

The poop - for those that had it - indicate intestinal problems.

They appeared to be eating and to be drinking fine up until the symptom hit.

I don't want to say my vet is useless, but I feel that way. I had called a few weeks ago about one of my newbie chickens. He said he would email me the available appts right away. I called back end of day & he said he was busy. FINALLY got the email and it only said to call the office to make an appt. This email came a week later! My girl chicken was suppose to have died within 48 hours based on her symptoms. It's been what, three weeks (?), and I can't pick her out of the flock.

I think my vet would come running if it was a cow or a horse. He likes big animals not small ones.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I've been reading up on Blackhead. If a chicken has it, and passes the disease through the cecal (encased worm) it can last for a very long time in the dirt. Earthworms can also carry the blackhead. Not sure how these guys would have gotten if they weren't eating earthworms, weren't around other poop, and not eating protein.

I'm still praying for my guys. The other ones refused to be picked up and brought inside. So as long as they will get up and move away from, I'll let them stay outside.

What meds would treat blackhead?

Can it be given with corid?

Does everyone/every flock be treated for blackhead?

Once chickens start taking corid, do all of their eggs have to be thrown away? What if they just started drinking the corid water in the morning and laid an egg same morning?

What about the meds for blackhead?

 

[rjohns39]

I've been reading up on Blackhead. If a chicken has it, and passes the disease through the cecal (encased worm) it can last for a very long time in the dirt. Earthworms can also carry the blackhead. Not sure how these guys would have gotten if they weren't eating earthworms, weren't around other poop, and not eating protein.

I'm still praying for my guys. The other ones refused to be picked up and brought inside. So as long as they will get up and move away from, I'll let them stay outside.

What meds would treat blackhead?

Can it be given with corid?

Does everyone/every flock be treated for blackhead?

Once chickens start taking corid, do all of their eggs have to be thrown away? What if they just started drinking the corid water in the morning and laid an egg same morning?

What about the meds for blackhead?

Sara, I still don't know what you're battling there--but wouldn't think it's blackhead. The Symptoms are pretty glaring. Again, illness is probably my weakest area.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Wyorp Rock - thank you for the link. I looked at it and it does match the poop that the early baby pooped on me. She died later that night.

The other baby that pooped after the seizure doesn't match the photo exactly. Her poop was much thinker and a very small volume.

 

[abraga]

I would start treating for coccsidiosis using corid. What else are they getting feed wise?

X2

 

[Eggsoteric]

There's no egg withdrawal with Corid. The seizures you're seeing are a pretty typical response just before a bird dies. It's also normal for an animal (or human for that matter) to lose their bodily functions "in the spontaneous relaxation of muscles following death." Unlikely it's neurological.

Do you have access to a state lab facility where you can send/take one of the birds for necropsy?

 

[Ravynscroft]

First pic - #3 by herself in the turkey run. (The turkey run is just for the babies.)
Second pic - #3 just pooped big time on my shirt. She's been snuggling my neck (her choice) for the last few hours. Been able to get her to drink a little garlic & syrup water.
Third pic #3 - more poop from her. Quite a bit came out of her bum.

I had to move her so I could remove my stinky shirt. My shirt looked like a baby had spit up on me! So #3 climbed on the back of the couch and there she sits/lays, able to see the yard.

#4 moved away from #3 and down into my lap. He's been there for the last hour or so. Was drinking water. No poop from this one yet. And it now sounds like this was has a slightly stuffy nose. Still breathing through nose. No open beak.

If not eating enough, poop will be watery, runny like that...

It looked like there was a tiny bit in pic 2. And it was a tiny amount compared to what came out of the rear end.

#4 who had been the most alert, the most talkative, the most mobile just had a seizure and died. After his seizure, he expelled white/cream colored stuffs. See pic.

#3 moved from the back of the couch to the window sill, I think. #4 was seizing so I didn't track #3 cuz I was trying to help #4. Haven't heard a peep from #3 since the move.

I hate that I am not mobile right now. So hate it. The only good thing is that I can hold my babies while they journey to heaven.

Excessive white in poop is high urates, *I think*...

#3 is still hanging in here. Since she got herself to the window sill, she's been sleeping, then waking up and unsteadily walking the length and back, then falling asleep. And she'll chirp, like she's looking for a friend. She can hear the other turkeys outside, but I don't think they can hear her.

I noticed her neck. It appeared to have a dark vein/spot where blood might be pooling under her skin. (Pic 1 & 2, 2 is close up) I also noticed she doesn't seem to have much fuzz on her neck. (Pic 1) I also noticed her feet seem to be purplish. (Pic 3)

She keeps moving to be more in the shade. Not much I can do for her. She's right by the open window. No more poop. Barely drinking. Not eating.

I know it's not looking good for her, but it seems like she's a fighter.

Purple concerns me... could be sign of blackhead, but could be from them being chilled... being sick, they will seek more warmth...

Personally, I do not like Corid for severe cocci, might see if you can get Sulmet or Baycox (toltrazuril) from your vet...

Metronidazole treats blackhead...

I would change out their water to just plain and fresh... excessive ACV can strip out good gut bacteria along with bad and high acidity may be irritating while sick...

@casportpony please check out the pics and weigh in... she knows much more about blackhead and cocci...

 

[Sara Ranch]

The babies were going through the water quickly. They get fresh refills (after the bottle has been cleaned) several times a day.

I don't know of any lab that I can send the bodies too. But will make some inquiries tomorrow. I have a body double bagged in the freezer.

The blue/purple was mainly in the legs. Their heads didn't turn blue/purple. They didn't feel cold. And if I covered the babies, they moved so they weren't covered. They mostly wanted to snuggle.

See my previous post regarding the vet. The rest of the babies will be dead before I can get an appt with a vet who will see poultry.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sorry, wasn't implying you weren't giving them fresh water, I would just skip the additves (like AVC and such) for a little bit, is all...

For necropsy, I think you want to keep the body cold but not frozen, Kathy (casportpony) knows about send8ng off for necropsy and might be able to find you a link for one nearby for you...