Friendly Turkey Needs Help

[Liz Birdlover]

My friends have a sweet male turkey, Jake.
He somehow seems to have injured his foot or leg.
A vet did come to see him early December.
He had antibiotics & anti inflammatory meds.
Vet could not find broken bones or bumblefoot.
Jake has been set up inside the house with a walker that elevates him, but he doesn't use it to walk.
His appetite is great,
he is as sweet as ever,
But this 40lb boy needs to walk.
All I can find are sites that mention slipped tendon or bumblefoot but we really don't know Why this has happened.
He is only 1 yr old.
Please, any suggestions that you may have are welcome.
This sweet boy hasn't been able to stand on his own since the end of November.
Do you have ideas on who we can contact for help?
Jake lives in Bridgeville, Delaware.
Thank you.

Pics of Jake, before and now.

 

[sourland]

Hopefully someone can help. My gut instinct that it is just part of physical breakdown experienced by broad breasted white meat birds. Similar to what happens with Cornish X. Hope that I am wrong.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Hopefully someone can help. My gut instinct that it is just part of physical breakdown experienced by broad breasted white meat birds. Similar to what happens with Cornish X. Hope that I am wrong.

I am not experienced with meat breeds, but I have heard that theory as well, and have witnessed rapid growth & inability to walk correctly or support own weight with meat breed chickens.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Jake was so active all year. Then end of November his one foot swelled up & he limped. Then he lay down...& that was that.

He could possibly have jumped down & landed wrong from a night perching spot about 3 feet high, but no one is sure.

So, we all thought the swollen foot was the injured side. But now we think that foot is swollen because that it the foot he is standing all his weight on. Can't find any bumblefoot in either foot.

So what exactly does a slipped tendon look like?

(More pics of sweet Jake this past summer & fall. His girlfriend is Jenny.)

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I've been reading all I can, to learn & see if there's anything useful I can find to help Jake.
I actually found a few posts similar about turkeys no longer standing or walking on this site.

Just read this on another post...
"your bird has put weight on fast or is simply huge breasted and having trouble walking around... he could be a broad breasted variety (white or bronze). Often people buy these birds thinking I'm going to raise them up and breed them or keep as pets.......sorry, but you will be sending them to freezer camp. Only heritage breed turkeys can be kept for breeding and long term. BB turkeys are genetically modified to grow meat fast to be processed fast"

So I am guessing that Jake is a Broad Breasted breed, supposed to gain weight for the purpose of supplying meat...not be a long life pet. I am learning how breeding is used to determine the best purpose...a pet turkey should be a heritage breed, not a broad breasted breed. Well, I understand, but this is not happy news to tell my friends...it basically means there is no helping Jake.