Help!! My turkey won't stand up!

[Devils Flower]

Thank you for your input. I have watched him mate constantly with no nest in sight so that can't be the reason. Everything I have read says that the BB turkeys are not meant to breed naturally and are artificially inseminated instead. I think My Tom needs a heritage turkey hen. Or three. I will be keeping the BB hens separated from the Tom for as long as they last. It seems rather cruel to have a hen have to wear a saddle. They don't do that in the wild.

I have two broad breasted hens and a red bourbon Tom. One hen is still walking but the other one stopped completely. I took her to an avian vet and she checked for bumble foot but that was not her problem. She explained that the BB turkeys were never bred to live over 6 months. The hens are now two years old. She put the lame hen on some anti-inflammatories and a strict diet. She has gone form 36 pounds to 28 pounds but is still not walking. The one that still walks was mating with my bourbon red tom and he tore up her sides with his weight. I have since separated both females and put them in their own pen. They do not seem in distress but the one is still not walking. I feel terrible because I bought them just as pets and had no intention of killing them for food. I don't know if I am doing them any favor by keeping them alive. Any humane way of putting them down gently?

Did you have to put it down or did it start walking again?
You shouldn't fill bad. Alot of people have BB turkeys as pets and not food.

 

[Linda S C]

Post a photo for ID.

if your bird has put weight on fast or is simply huge breasted and having trouble waling 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, that is all.

 

[SillyChicken]

Thank you for your input. I have watched him mate constantly with no nest in sight so that can't be the reason. Everything I have read says that the BB turkeys are not meant to breed naturally and are artificially inseminated instead. I think My Tom needs a heritage turkey hen. Or three. I will be keeping the BB hens separated from the Tom for as long as they last. It seems rather cruel to have a hen have to wear a saddle. They don't do that in the wild.

They are infertile, but that doesn't mean the desire isn't still there to breed. They don't need a nest in the area to have the desire. Males will rip the sides of your hens open and may break the hens wing (had that happen to one of mine). If your birds are indeed BB type turkeys, you need to feed a low protein diet, and keep their area clean and dry. Check their Keel bone (breast bone) often for sores as they will develop from laying down. Keep in mind that their hearts often give out after a while because it's just hard on their bodies to carry so much weight. I had a hen for a few years, but ultimately had to put her down.

It does help to research before you buy. Stores like tractor supply etc, only carry BB type turkeys unless you order heritage breeds from them.

The fastest way to put one down would be to shoot it in the head.