Distinguishing BB from regular in a Bronze

[Bees Knees n Knits]

I just got a hen whom I'm almost sure is a Bronze and she is a very sweet gentle girl but she has developed some issues.

I bought her a couple days ago from a lady who can't maintain her flock anymore and she was the only turkey there. The day we were going to pick her up the owner called and said that she wasn't walking as if it supposedly happened overnight. She can get up but she won't move unless pushed, and even then she hobbles. I checked her feet for bumblefoot, cuts, tenderness, and pinholes but there is nothing. Just clipped her nails too they were far too long an starting to curl when we got her.

I've been reading and seem to be finding the conclusion to her lameness is that she might be BB, but I want to make sure before I make a rash decision because she really is the sweetest bird I have. However she is matching the description of most BB problems, especially given that she is 2 years old (when butchering usually happens in feed lots) and is as big as my Kentucky bourbon toms. My question is, how can I definitively tell if my Bronze turkey is BB?

I'll answer any questions following, but these past couple days haven't shown any improvement. Please read fully before commenting randomly just to get your 2 cents in, this is a matter of her wellbeing. Thanks for your time, I could use some help in this matter.

 

[Molpet]

Weigh her
Heritage hen would be around 12lbs and definitely under 20

 

[Molpet]

Picture with a reference object, like a 5 gallon bucket, would be helpful too

 

[R2elk]

I just got a hen whom I'm almost sure is a Bronze and she is a very sweet gentle girl but she has developed some issues.

I bought her a couple days ago from a lady who can't maintain her flock anymore and she was the only turkey there. The day we were going to pick her up the owner called and said that she wasn't walking as if it supposedly happened overnight. She can get up but she won't move unless pushed, and even then she hobbles. I checked her feet for bumblefoot, cuts, tenderness, and pinholes but there is nothing. Just clipped her nails too they were far too long an starting to curl when we got her.

I've been reading and seem to be finding the conclusion to her lameness is that she might be BB, but I want to make sure before I make a rash decision because she really is the sweetest bird I have. However she is matching the description of most BB problems, especially given that she is 2 years old (when butchering usually happens in feed lots) and is as big as my Kentucky bourbon toms. My question is, how can I definitively tell if my Bronze turkey is BB?

I'll answer any questions following, but these past couple days haven't shown any improvement. Please read fully before commenting randomly just to get your 2 cents in, this is a matter of her wellbeing. Thanks for your time, I could use some help in this matter.

Shape of the breast. A heritage turkey will have a V shaped breast while a BB will have a flat, wide breast. Size of the legs and feet is another feature difference. Heritage have slim, long legs with slim toes. BB have short stocky legs with heavy toes.

 

[Bees Knees n Knits]

Shape of the breast. A heritage turkey will have a V shaped breast while a BB will have a flat, wide breast. Size of the legs and feet is another feature difference. Heritage have slim, long legs with slim toes. BB have short stocky legs with heavy toes.

She definitely has a concave breast that's deep all the way to her breastbone. However, her legs in comparison to my reds are much shorter and stockier, not swollen but meaty and filled out. To be honest though my heritage female doesn't have much of a v shaped breast, so in comparison the bronze has a very distinguished breast. I'll post some pics, she's approximately 2 ft long head to tail standing regular. I'll also weigh her if I can get a scale tonight, mine just broke.

I also have been noticing her toes aren't going back into position. Like I said before her nails were super long and curly when I got her so we clipped them good but her toes are still cocked to the side a little. And of course she's not walking around or scratching so that doesn't help either.

 

[R2elk]

She definitely has a concave breast that's deep all the way to her breastbone. However, her legs in comparison to my reds are much shorter and stockier, not swollen but meaty and filled out. To be honest though my heritage female doesn't have much of a v shaped breast, so in comparison the bronze has a very distinguished breast. I'll post some pics, she's approximately 2 ft long head to tail standing regular. I'll also weigh her if I can get a scale tonight, mine just broke.

I also have been noticing her toes aren't going back into position. Like I said before her nails were super long and curly when I got her so we clipped them good but her toes are still cocked to the side a little. And of course she's not walking around or scratching so that doesn't help either.

I am perplexed by your use of the term concave since that implies that it is dished in.

If not a BB, she is at least part BB based on how heavy her legs are.

 

[Bees Knees n Knits]

I am perplexed by your use of the term concave since that implies that it is dished in.

If not a BB, she is at least part BB based on how heavy her legs are.

I was thinking that, but I didn't think a half and half was genetically possible. What I mean by concave is my way of saying that her chest is like a split down the middle where she has two distinguished breasts. I'll try and take a pic, it's deeper than I can capture on camera.

 

[Molpet]

I was thinking that, but I didn't think a half and half was genetically possible. What I mean by concave is my way of saying that her chest is like a split down the middle where she has two distinguished breasts. I'll try and take a pic, it's deeper than I can capture on camera.

BB hen can be bred by heritage tom. They are both the breed turkey , different varieties

 

[R2elk]

I was thinking that, but I didn't think a half and half was genetically possible. What I mean by concave is my way of saying that her chest is like a split down the middle where she has two distinguished breasts. I'll try and take a pic, it's deeper than I can capture on camera.

BB

I personally had a tom whose mother was a BBW and his father was a Bourbon Red. He was a Red Bronze.

 

[Bees Knees n Knits]

BB

I personally had a tom whose mother was a BBW and his father was a Bourbon Red. He was a Red Bronze.

Okay so she is a BB turkey, then the hard question is whether or not this is to blame for her deteriorating health. Right now she is getting attacked by my Toms and she can't really defend herself in the state she's in, I have everyone separated for now but long term I don't want her to just sit and suffer, is there anything else it could be or something I can try, or is there not much I can do for her? I appreciate your guy's help I'll know what to look for in the future.