Bullies

[thaiturkey]

The vet called this morning. He gave her an injection of something and left us with a powder to make a solution to feed her through a syringe. The powder is Vigal 2X but I didn't get to look at what he used for the injection in her breast.

He says that she has a chill. After the flood the turkeys have been reluctant to sleep in their coops that were inches deep in water that evening. We have allowed them to roost on some fencing out by the lake gazebo, assuming that they knew best. The vet thinks that the damp cool night air out there has caused the problem and mentioned that many local chickens that roost in garden trees around here have been ill for the same reason. He suggested that we keep her isolated and see how she progresses during the next two or three days. She's under a mozzie tent by the kitchen door with sun and shade where she is nibbling at grass and the occasional passing insect.

Thanks for your continued advice.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I hope she recovers quickly for you. You are lucky to have a vet that knows poultry, alot of ones here don't.

Steve

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Thanks, Steve. We don't have nearly enough hens and so I especially don't want to lose this one.

She seems a little stronger this evening. We have fed her medicated water through a syringe and, after not eating earlier, she has fed. She stands better but totters a little. This evening her voice was returning. Her attempts to make noises this morning were very sad. She's settled for the night on a piece of carpet under a mozzie tent outside our kitchen door. Fingers crossed that she improves again tomorrow.

The vet is a gem. He comes out from his surgery as soon as he can after we call him and has never asked us to take a turkey to him. He brings a partner with him too now. Once again, he packed his bag after finishing and turned to go to his car without asking for money. We asked how much we owed and he suggested US$1.35. That's for the call out, an injection and powder for her water. I gave him more because he is so good to us. No-one could look less like a vet but he knows his job inside out.

We bought fourteen chickens for eggs today, as if the turkeys aren't enough work. We have considered it for a while but got an opportunity to buy these for US$0.70 each and rushed straight out to see them. They haven't been well fed for a while but otherwise look fine and have been laying. They are sleeping in one of the turkey coops full of feed tonight and probably can't believe their luck. The turkeys, on the vet's advice, are back under cover at night and will have to double up in one coop until the new one is built. The rains seem to be easing off so that work will start soon.

You know me well enough to be sure that I'm already posting on BYC for advice on chickens!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

After raising turkeys chickens are easy. Once you have mastered that then it's on to peafowl for you my friend. You don't have enough gray hair........yet.

Steve

 

[PatS]

Thaiturkey, is a mozzie tent one of those flowing mosquito net things that sometimes go over beds?

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Peafowl are already on the list as it happens! The local zoo is overrun with them so I plan to make a visit one day. I love the creatures. A reminder of country estates back in England. I can see the looks on the neighbours' faces now ..... They always find something to talk about where I'm concerned so that would keep them going for months.

I have enough hair and it's all grey! I will never dye it black or have a comb over Thai style.

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Imagine that same fabric over a large umbrella frame and you've got it. They come in a range of sizes. The official purpose of them is for lying under in the same way as the ones that you suspend over a bed. The advantage of the tents is that you can fold them quickly and move them anywhere. It's usually so warm here at night that you could sleep outdoors under one.

I can't be doing with the things. A glass of beer seems to have the same effect in keeping mozzies away from me. However, the ones we have are great for poults. They can die from the infections mozzie bites give them until they can be inoculated so they live under a tent until it's safe for them to go out. The purpose at the moment is to keep all turkeys and other prowling creatures away from the patient whilst she hopefully recovers. Under her tent is a big birdcage in case she feels the need for more protection.

 

[thaiturkey]

She's much stronger today and has been feeding well. Still a little unsteady on her feet though. We let her join the others under supervision and the top dog tom displayed seemed to be trying to mount her. She's only about 15 weeks old. She's back in isolation now.

I wonder, was he trying to make poults or was he trying to harm her?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Was she laying down when the tom was around? They take that as a sign to mate.

Steve

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
That's a good point, Steve. I didn't see it myself but she was slow with her wing feathers down a little. That might have looked like submission. The tom was displaying anyway at the time and that might have been because some of the hens were sitting down in the shade in the heat of the afternoon. A few more days in isolation other than under supervision seem necessary. It would be a pity to lose now that she seems to be on the mend.

I'm guessing that much of the aggression has been caused by the poor ratio of stags to hens.