Blackhead disease?

[Laura p]

Good evening,
We just discovered this spot on our turkey - does it look like blackhead disease? We haven't experienced it before, so I don't know much about it. We're especially nervous because we hatched turkey poults about a week ago! Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[AmyJane725]

Have you wormed them lately?

 

[dawg53]

That is not blackhead. Blackhead in turkey's is caused by a protozoa and is a killer in turkey's. I suspect it might be the start of fowl pox, usually caused by mosquitos. There's no treatment since it's a virus. It should go away on its own in 4-5 weeks.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/fowlpox/fowlpox-in-chickens-and-turkeys

 

[Laura p]

Have you wormed them lately?

I have not - we are relatively new to this! What do I need to know?

 

[Laura p]

That is not blackhead. Blackhead in turkey's is caused by a protozoa and is a killer in turkey's. I suspect it might be the start of fowl pox, usually caused by mosquitos. There's no treatment since it's a virus. It should go away on its own in 4-5 weeks.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/fowlpox/fowlpox-in-chickens-and-turkeys

Thank you for the reply! We certainly have many mosquitoes here in NC. If it is caused by mosquitoes and not transmitted through feces, would it still be safe to sell our baby turkeys? We were figuring we need to monitor and hold off on selling any of them until we determine what is going on and whether they're affected.

 

[AmyJane725]

I have not - we are relatively new to this! What do I need to know?

Well, I've been working on my first aid manual and I covered blackhead disease last night. I guess it is carried by cecal worms, so I was just wondering if your turkey could possibly have cecal worms (and therefore possibly have blackhead disease)

 

[dawg53]

I'd wait and see if the turkey in the photos develops more lesions or warts, you'll know within a week. If no lesions develop, it might not be pox. Is it possible she mightve been injured or pecked hard by another bird?
If the poults get infected with pox, hold off selling them until the pox passes through the flock. The lesions will eventually disappear. They will be immune to that particular strain thereafter.

 

[AmyJane725]

I'd wait and see if the turkey in the photos develops more lesions or warts, you'll know within a week. If no lesions develop, it might not be pox. Is it possible she mightve been injured or pecked hard by another bird?
If the poults get infected with pox, hold off selling them until the pox passes through the flock. The lesions will eventually disappear. They will be immune to that particular strain thereafter.

Then you can market them as pox resistant (To that strain anyway)
If you take a warm wet napkin to the spot does it come off at all, or color the towel red, like dried blood?

 

[dawg53]

Well, I've been working on my first aid manual and I covered blackhead disease last night. I guess it is carried by cecal worms, so I was just wondering if your turkey could possibly have cecal worms (and therefore possibly have blackhead disease)

Well, you're correct. Blackhead disease is just a "name" and if turkeys have Histomoniasis due to protozoa infected cecal worms (mainly from infected chickens,) the turkeys head doesnt turn black. The discoloration is blue/purple, not black.
Turkeys die quickly when infected with Histomoniasis and it's best to keep chicken flocks separated from turkey flocks.

 

[AmyJane725]

Well, you're correct. Blackhead disease is just a "name" and if turkeys have Histomoniasis due to protozoa infected cecal worms (mainly from infected chickens,) the turkeys head doesnt turn black. The discoloration is blue/purple, not black.
Turkeys die quickly when infected with Histomoniasis and it's best to keep chicken flocks separated from turkey flocks.

All true.
I never actually saw a picture of blackhead disease in a turkey. Just what it looks like in chickens. Thought maybe the name was descriptive, but I guess not. Glad it's not though. It sounds like it's basically a death sentence for turkeys.