First baby turkey

[Vcom003]

I am hoping someone can help me. I hatched a turkey for the first time. It wasn’t planned out at all but the mother and father got killed by a fisher a month ago. I didn’t know she was laying any eggs and when I found her she was laying beside three eggs. So I got an incubator and took care of the eggs. One was not fertile, one did not make it and one hatched three days ago. When it was first born it stumbled around the incubator quite a bit. Moved it into a brooder the next day. Day three and I noticed it still isn’t walking right. So I finally picked it up and noticed one leg will hang when it’s picked up, but the other one won’t bend down and it holds its leg crooked. I am just wondering what to do to help this little one...

 

[aart]

@Vcom003 is the leg warm?
Can poult move it at all?
Is poult eating and drinking?
The only thing I can think of to do is give it some Poultry Nutri Drench for instant vitamins absorption.

@R2elk has turkeys(I think)
@casportpony

 

[R2elk]

Leg problems are a classic sign of a vitamin B deficiency in poultry. You could try giving it some poultry NutriDrench, but presentation like this is usually due to a large lack of Vit B in ovo.

It can also be due to genetics. Far too many people are breeding too closely related turkeys.

 

[Quackter]

I, I've got just a little experience, someone else can help you more. I'll give you what I got. Marbles or something shiny they can't swallow in the water and food. I "peck" the food and water both with my finger to draw them to it. They seem to need electrolyte supplement in water more than chicken chicks. The leg, There are some one here than have made little "chairs", search it, it may help. I had some wheazy sneazy issues, they were getting weak too, I started making a light tea with Cinnamon, Cardamom Pods, and tummeric, cleared them all right up. Roughly 1/2 cin stick, 1 cardamom pod, and a pinch of turmeric (1/8 tsp maybe) per gallon. It's really an anti-inflammatory, biotic, fungal triple whammy, I have not seen any adverse effects. I kept them on it solid until they were out of the cramped brooder.

 

[Cyprus]

Leg problems are a classic sign of a vitamin B deficiency in poultry. You could try giving it some poultry NutriDrench, but presentation like this is usually due to a large lack of Vit B in ovo.

 

[Cyprus]

Are they born with the deficiency?? It is three days old. Wasn’t walking when it was born but I assumed it was normal because it was a newborn

Yes, usually they are.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! I think your turkey might have a slipped tendon (perosis) or a twisted tibia.

Slipped Tendon
This is slipped tendon. Watch closely and you'll see the person push the tendon out of the hock groove.

Here is an article on treating it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ith-a-slipped-tendon-one-chick’s-story.69353/
A couple of threads:
Peachick with slipped tendon
Slipped tendon treatment for 2 week old silkie

This is another good resource:
http://www.poultrypedia.com/poultry-podiatry#chick_crooked_leg


Twisted Tibia
This is one with a twisted tibia

Twisted tibia looks a lot like slipped tendon, but it does not involve the hock.
https://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/articles/twisted-tibia-in-young-poultry/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/twisted-tibia.941037/

 

[Mvan42]

@Cyprus @aart @Texas Kiki they may know something to help

 

[slordaz]

Welcome to BYC, sorry for your losses but aart there tagged someone that should know more about them to help ya out

 

[Vcom003]

@Vcom003 is the leg warm?
Can poult move it at all?
Is poult eating and drinking?
The only thing I can think of to do is give it some Poultry Nutri Drench for instant vitamins absorption.

@R2elk has turkeys(I think)
@casportpony

Yes the leg is warm. The turkey basically can move the other leg fine so it can move around. When it does try to walk it seems like a limp because it’s not standing on that foot. I have seen it sit between dishes to eat and drink. It is sleeping and chirping a lot though which has me worried it is either lonely (but I do spend a lot of time with it), sad or sick...