Help diagnose turkey hobble, please!

[paloozaparty]

3.5 month old Tom, named BrahBrah poor guy has had a worsening gait problem for up to a month, now (07/07/23). Nothing looks wrong on the outside and nothing is swollen or hot (like, the knee joint). I think it's his left leg, but not even sure of that.

I'm so surprised that there's hardly any info online about turkey health issues--I've read plenty about the diseases they can catch and I know that they can acquire leg and joint issues due to rapid growth and or having been bred for meat. Our turkeys are pets and I'd like to know what's wrong with his leg and if I can treat it?

He doesn't have bumble foot and is able to jump and roost on the 2x4 in the coop.

 

[R2elk]

3.5 month old Tom, named BrahBrah poor guy has had a worsening gait problem for up to a month, now (07/07/23). Nothing looks wrong on the outside and nothing is swollen or hot (like, the knee joint). I think it's his left leg, but not even sure of that.

I'm so surprised that there's hardly any info online about turkey health issues--I've read plenty about the diseases they can catch and I know that they can acquire leg and joint issues due to rapid growth and or having been bred for meat. Our turkeys are pets and I'd like to know what's wrong with his leg and if I can treat it?

He doesn't have bumble foot and is able to jump and roost on the 2x4 in the coop.

Is your tom a broad breasted one? They are the ones that are really liable to have leg issues especially if fed improperly as poults.

If there are no visible issues with the feet and hock, it is probably a hip injury. These can happen very easily from landing wrong on a hard surface when getting down from a roost.

You say he has a 2"x4" roost but not how high the roost is or whether it is wide side up or narrow side up.

I believe that @casportpony would ask if you can post a link to a video showing the walking issues you are concerned about.

 

[paloozaparty]

Is your tom a broad breasted one? They are the ones that are really liable to have leg issues especially if fed improperly as poults.

If there are no visible issues with the feet and hock, it is probably a hip injury. These can happen very easily from landing wrong on a hard surface when getting down from a roost.

You say he has a 2"x4" roost but not how high the roost is or whether it is wide side up or narrow side up.

I believe that @casportpony would ask if you can post a link to a video showing the walking issues you are concerned about.

Thank you so very much for your prompt reply!!!

Firstly, I have researched about what I think I bought--this is what I think all 3 are: Bronze Breasted American Heritage turkeys. I read that broad-breasted are different??? You can let me know. When I read about how broad breasted are noticeably bigger overall and especially their chest--well, I'd say YES, this boy sure is!!! So, I don't know if he's a broad breasted or just a bronze breasted?

I did post a video, but here's a link to my Google photos link of same video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GN94WqEhHdSdupSD6

And thank you for suggesting hip--i also wondered if it's his hip, or the knee.

And thanks also for asking me to clarify the roost--yes, my turkey roost bar is 4" wide (facing up) and he does like to also sit on the hens roost, which is the 2" facing up. I have 4 roosting bars, 2 are 6' high (the turkeys never go on these) and the other roosts are maybe a foot above ground.

 

[Molpet]

he does like to also sit on the hens roost, which is the 2" facing up. I have 4 roosting bars, 2 are 6' high (the turkeys never go on these) and the other roosts are maybe a foot above ground.

Heritage turkeys would be as high as they can roost. Mine are 30ft in the trees getting eaten by owls. Broad breasted bronze meat bird is most likely. I really wish the stores would post signage that these aren't suitable for pets. Meant to be harvested 16 to 20 wks

 

[R2elk]

Thank you so very much for your prompt reply!!!

Firstly, I have researched about what I think I bought--this is what I think all 3 are: Bronze Breasted American Heritage turkeys. I read that broad-breasted are different??? You can let me know. When I read about how broad breasted are noticeably bigger overall and especially their chest--well, I'd say YES, this boy sure is!!! So, I don't know if he's a broad breasted or just a bronze breasted?

I did post a video, but here's a link to my Google photos link of same video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GN94WqEhHdSdupSD6

And thank you for suggesting hip--i also wondered if it's his hip, or the knee.

And thanks also for asking me to clarify the roost--yes, my turkey roost bar is 4" wide (facing up) and he does like to also sit on the hens roost, which is the 2" facing up. I have 4 roosting bars, 2 are 6' high (the turkeys never go on these) and the other roosts are maybe a foot above ground.

Really easy to clarify. There is no such thing as Bronze Breasted turkeys. There are Broad Breasted Bronze and there are heritage Bronze.

It is a Broad Breasted Bronze. Unfortunately they do not do well for longevity as pets. They can be sweethearts but it is not what they were developed for.

The best you can do is to put him on a low protein diet such as Purina's Game Bird Maintenance Feed. Take him for walks and allow him to free range as much as possible.

The video that you have linked to does not show him doing any walking. If you can take a video of him walking around and post it on YouTube and then link it back here.

 

[paloozaparty]

Heritage turkeys would be as high as they can roost. Mine are 30ft in the trees getting eaten by owls. Broad breasted bronze meat bird is most likely. I really wish the stores would post signage that these aren't suitable for pets. Meant to be harvested 16 to 20 wks

Thank you so much for all the info!

I'm right there with you about how the stores shouldn't be able to sell birbs if they first of all--thru don't ever know anything about any of their varieties, nor the local ordinances, nor differences between chickens / turkeys / guinea / ducks--nor about what to feed them, not how to take care of them as babies. I'm floored!!! Anyway, thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge!!!

 

[paloozaparty]

Really easy to clarify. There is no such thing as Bronze Breasted turkeys. There are Broad Breasted Bronze and there are heritage Bronze.

It is a Broad Breasted Bronze. Unfortunately they do not do well for longevity as pets. They can be sweethearts but it is not what they were developed for.

The best you can do is to put him on a low protein diet such as Purina's Game Bird Maintenance Feed. Take him for walks and allow him to free range as much as possible.

The video that you have linked to does not show him doing any walking. If you can take a video of him walking around and post it on YouTube and then link it back here.

THANK YOU!!! Ok I'll get right on your suggestions about walking him and putting him on a lower protein feed!!! He's always trying to eat my fingers and he's always hangry (for no reason).

And, I promise that the Google link is to a video, but Google doesn't work all the time, so I gladly put it up on YT for you--thank you again so much!!!

 

[R2elk]

THANK YOU!!! Ok I'll get right on your suggestions about walking him and putting him on a lower protein feed!!! He's always trying to eat my fingers and he's always hangry (for no reason).

And, I promise that the Google link is to a video, but Google doesn't work all the time, so I gladly put it up on YT for you--thank you again so much!!!

Looks like his hip is bothering him.

 

[paloozaparty]

Thank you so much! This may explain why I haven't been able to figure out what's injured! I'll see if I can do anything to support his hips