Help With Angel Wing

[BONNIE2020]

Hello,

My son has three new broad breasted bronze turkey poults. These are his 4 H turkeys and one is starting to look like it may have angel wing. I remember seeing a video last year that showed how to wrap or tape the wing. I have not been able to find it anywhere. Can someone point me in the right direction or instruct me how to wrap the wings? How long do they stay wrapped?

Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

Hello,

My son has three new broad breasted bronze turkey poults. These are his 4 H turkeys and one is starting to look like it may have angel wing. I remember seeing a video last year that showed how to wrap or tape the wing. I have not been able to find it anywhere. Can someone point me in the right direction or instruct me how to wrap the wings? How long do they stay wrapped?

Thank you!

Leave it alone. It is normal for turkey poults to look like that when they are first getting their wing feathers. They will grow out of it just fine without any assistance.

One person made the claim that the ones that looked like that for him always turned out to be males.

 

[BONNIE2020]

The issue is last year he was disqualified because at fair because the turkeys had angel wing. It is a real bummer when he works so hard and that happens at fair. So if there is a way to help prevent it we would like to do so.

 

[R2elk]

The issue is last year he was disqualified because at fair because the turkeys had angel wing. It is a real bummer when he works so hard and that happens at fair. So if there is a way to help prevent it we would like to do so.

I have never seen an adult turkey with angel wing. I have seen many poults that people think have angel wing but they do not. Angel wing is not something normal for turkeys.

If possible please post a photo of the disqualified turkey.

 

[Molpet]

Yes mine always grew out of it.
Also would like a picture of the disqualified bird

 

[Bo Garrett]

Angel wing is a condition specific to waterfowl, turkeys and chickens have what is called a slipped wing which is a genetic abnormality causing the bird to not have an axial feather, the feather between the primaries and secondaries, which keeps the wing in alignment and allows it to fold properly. This tends to be a problem in commercial broilers and turkeys as they do not select away from this defect. The axial is in the middle of the wing much smaller than either the primaries or secondaries, if you see it is missing then taping the wing may help some but will not completely correct the problem. Use veterinary bandaging and fold the wing properly then wrap just tight enough to hold the wing in place and leave for a couple of weeks and then see what happens. If the wing is still slipped then re-wrap for another two weeks. You may have to lather, rinse and repeat this procedure several times as the birds grow until the problem is corrected but with a missing axial it will be difficult to get the wing to fold correctly.

Blessings,

Bo

 

[BONNIE2020]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Perhaps slip wing is the correct term. I am just going off what was taught to my son by more than one poultry judge. I wish I had a picture to post but I do not. These are broad breasted turkeys so they are raised for meat and we no longer have the turkey. I am told it is caused by to much protein in the feed at an early age and that is it common in hatchery type poults. We will try wrapping this year and see if it helps.

 

[Devils Flower]

The issue is last year he was disqualified because at fair because the turkeys had angel wing. It is a real bummer when he works so hard and that happens at fair. So if there is a way to help prevent it we would like to do so.

Sorry about what happened to your son during his showing of his turkeys.

 

[Bo Garrett]

I do not wrap turkey wings, they tend to grow out of this as they mature. Waterfowl, on the other hand, do require this method to correct the stretched tendon in the wing tip which causes the angel wing condition.

Blessings,

Bo