Have a sick female turkey....all she does is stand around

[FarmPrincess]

I have a red female turkey that has never really been friendly. Several times a week I hand feed some bread as a snack and unlike others she doesn't get too close. I bought her at the flea market a few months ago and she's never been an aggressive eater. She is a young turkey but looks to be grown (not sure as I bought her this size). When I checked on her last she was just standing in a puddle. It seems like shes only eating enough to keep her alive, and when I throw feed near her and others come to eat she walks off. She's never been aggressive but usually if I throw feed by her she will eat. Other than her demeanor(not moving much and her tail is touching the ground) I wouldn't have realized she was sick. I'm wondering if shes been sick all along and its just getting worse or maybe she got sick after it rained. She lives in a fenced off area with other poultry but usually the turkeys won't go into the coop at night. When its really cold we carry them inside the coop but she only sits on the lower rungs of the roost. The chicken yard is shared by ducks, chickens, geese, other turkeys and guineas (I know it's not recommended) but I haven't noticed that anyone else is sick. I first noticed she wasn't moving around or eating much about 4 days ago. I tried shutting her in the coop alone with a heat light and feed but she didn't seem to eat anything and came right out when I opened the door later. She is still drinking normally but other than pecking at the ground a little I havent seen her eat and her crawl feels empty. I have a pheasant that has avian pox, but he has been quarentined for more than a month and she doesn't appear to have pox. Other than the change in the weather I can't imagine what could have caused it (unless shes had it all along). I haven't noticed her poop looking like diarrhea or unusual, shes not coughing or hacking and I don't see swelling in her face or feet. If anyone has any idea how I can help or what could be wrong I'd greatly appreciate it! I'll try to post pix ASAP!

 

[Frosty]

Have you felt around to make sure she isn't egg bound? Check her mouth and throat and make sure there aren't any obstructions that could make eating difficult? I have heard of turkeys eating strings from feed bags (or even a long hair) and having it wrap around the tongue. Then the tongue starts getting pulled back into the throat as the gizzard pulls on the string. Other than that, I really can think of anything, I wish I could! Was she quarantined when you brought her home?

 

[FarmPrincess]

No unfortunately until recently when I realized my pheasant was sick I hadn't thought of quarentining the new guys. My father (who lives next door) is really the one who brings new birds home. I suppose at his age me telling him to quarentine the new animals is like going against the grain. He's had animals all my life and I don't think he's ever quarentined any of them. I hadn't thought to look in her mouth for a string. Also I hadn't checked for an egg either. I don't know enough about the birds I guess. Although, I haven't seen her sitting/laying before. I just figured it was too late in the year. Thanks for the advice though, I'll give her a good once over.

 

[ColbyNTX]

You say she is big even though sh is young, is she a broad breasted type? If so, it sounds as though she may have reached the end of her life.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
I don't know... do they quit eating at that point? I thought they mostly sat around, not stand? I have a 7 month old BB turkey that I was concerned about because every time I go in she is sitting on the ground, she is in with the chickens so has constant access to feed. She can still get up on the roost (which is only 2' off of the floor). I have come to the conclusion that because of the chickens having lights on a timer, I think she just likes me

If I rub under her wings she sits there until I quit then gets up and shakes herself off.

 

[chicmom]

Is she setting very still with her wings kind of spread out over her back? Does she seem to do this as soon as she sees you? She could just be "In the mood for love".......I also wondered if my turkey hen was sick when she first started doing this....Every time I looked at her, she seemed to be just laying around....sitting in this particular position with her tail down and her wings spread out over her back.....

 

[chickenzoo]

She sounds ill

She could have worms...... When was she last wormed? I Worm with liquid Safeguard

Check for egg binding..... as many turkey are laying at this time

Being with other poultry she could have Black head.. - Black head is treated with a product called Fish Zole for 5 days ( I can't spell the drug name) but that's what is in it.

Listen to her chest... under a wing... any wheezing or crackles? Any open mouth breathing?

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
I don't know... do they quit eating at that point? I thought they mostly sat around, not stand? I have a 7 month old BB turkey that I was concerned about because every time I go in she is sitting on the ground, she is in with the chickens so has constant access to feed. She can still get up on the roost (which is only 2' off of the floor). I have come to the conclusion that because of the chickens having lights on a timer, I think she just likes me

If I rub under her wings she sits there until I quit then gets up and shakes herself off.

Don't know, it could be a hundred different things! Could be sick, could be a BB with internal organs starting to fail. They can show different signs. If they break a leg or pop a hip out, they will lay down. If organs are failing, they could just stand there? I just wanted to rule out a BB but I guess the OP lost interest or the bird.

 

[FarmPrincess]

I don't think she had begun laying yet. She didn't seem like it was a broken wing or foot either, but she eventually died. We gave her Tylan injections for a few days, but on the bottle it said not to give longer than 3 days so we stopped. The next day she was coughing up phlem and a few days later she was gasping for air then died! I was so upset that we didn't do more to save her! Before I burried her I looked down her throat and it looked like she had thrush or something. There was white gunk all down her throat. Also it seemed like her neck was bent. I really wanted to take her to the vet but she was so large I didn't have a way.... I guess I shoulda put her in a feed sack or something.