HELP! Yellow poop

[mmwellsfarm]

That certainly sounds like blackhead. I have been dealing with it also. By the time I first noticed any yellow colored droppings the jenny that produced it died shortly thereafter. I've only noticed a couple more instances of the yellow droppings the day after I've started treatment on 3 other birds and then as the treatment was completed the droppings were solid and back to normal. The sulfur colored droppings were a late symptom in my experience and if you watch your birds closely and pay attention to their appetite and demeanor you can pick up on subtle cues before they develop the sulfur colored droppings. Start treatment immediately if you have metronidazole on hand at 50mg per kg daily for 5 days. Also bayril daily for 5 days as well. If you do the injectable it is 9.1 mg per pound. I am using the water soluble powder right now and it is 1 tsp per gallon (1/4 tsp per quart if using a smaller waterer).

Unfortunately I can't get the meds as it's prescription only and our vet won't do it until they can look at it themselves but after waiting over the weekend (only option since they were off and wouldn't come see it) they said it was too late for them to do it. I watched our turkeys and they were acting 100% normal until the died. Our biggest was fine at 10:30pm and by 6am he was dead.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Early symptoms of blackhead are sleepiness, not as vigorous and eager to forage, going off feed (poor appetite), droopy wings, and indifference to being handled. In the later stages of the illness they don't try to get away when you try to handle them. In the early days of the illness they will still run and make an effort to get away. I've noticed mine get very liquid diarrhea early on, probably from reduced feed intake. The yellow droppings are a late symptom. Mine have never stopped drinking water while being ill so I've not had the need to tube feed. They go off feed but that doesn't worry me as much as not getting any water. By about day 3 of treatment is when I've found their appetite returns.

They experienced nothing until they died. The first one I noticed late morning it wasn't moving so I moved it to be alone. The other put up a fight. Then it stood and had its head deopped then started flopping. I have one more that seems well. It had previously been indoors due to injury and acting like sit was sick so I gave it corid thinking it was something else and it perked up the next day. It still have normal poop and just wants me to snuggle it with a blanket. My husband is about to check the others livers to see if he sees spots.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Chickens can be asymptomatic carriers of the protozoan that causes the blackhead infection. It is lethal to turkeys 70-100% of the time if they aren't treated quickly. That is why it isn't recommended to house chickens and turkeys in the same area. Chickens have roamed every area on my property so I will likely deal with blackhead as long as I raise turkeys. It's been frustrating and stressful but I know how to spot it early now and get treatment started before losing birds. We are dealing with it as it comes. The birds that have recovered are robust and healthy now. Best of luck to you!

Did yours have raised spots on the liver? One had yellow all over pretty bad but wasn't raised but the other barely had anything on theirs and that died last night.

 

[Saveria]

They experienced nothing until they died. The first one I noticed late morning it wasn't moving so I moved it to be alone. The other put up a fight. Then it stood and had its head deopped then started flopping. I have one more that seems well. It had previously been indoors due to injury and acting like sit was sick so I gave it corid thinking it was something else and it perked up the next day. It still have normal poop and just wants me to snuggle it with a blanket. My husband is about to check the others livers to see if he sees spots.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Scary. And sad.

 

[kfelton0002]

Did yours have raised spots on the liver? One had yellow all over pretty bad but wasn't raised but the other barely had anything on theirs and that died last night.

I only performed a necropsy on one of mine and it had the distinct bullseye lesions on the lover that is characteristic of blackhead. The lesions were pretty much over the entire liver.

 

[kfelton0002]

Unfortunately I can't get the meds as it's prescription only and our vet won't do it until they can look at it themselves but after waiting over the weekend (only option since they were off and wouldn't come see it) they said it was too late for them to do it. I watched our turkeys and they were acting 100% normal until the died. Our biggest was fine at 10:30pm and by 6am he was dead.

Ebay sells metronidazole under the name of Fish Zole. Fish Zole is marketed for aquarium use but is the exact same medication a vet would prescribe. I buy the 60 count 500 mg tablets. You can also get the powder form online on sites that sell medications for pigeons.

 

[kfelton0002]

They experienced nothing until they died. The first one I noticed late morning it wasn't moving so I moved it to be alone. The other put up a fight. Then it stood and had its head deopped then started flopping. I have one more that seems well. It had previously been indoors due to injury and acting like sit was sick so I gave it corid thinking it was something else and it perked up the next day. It still have normal poop and just wants me to snuggle it with a blanket. My husband is about to check the others livers to see if he sees spots.

When my birds first got blackhead when they were a little younger they didn't give me much warning either before they died. Once they got a little older they started giving me more of a warning. It is subtle but they start acting "off" like going off feed or acting sleepy and it allows me to spot the symptoms and start the medications.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Ebay sells metronidazole under the name of Fish Zole. Fish Zole is marketed for aquarium use but is the exact same medication a vet would prescribe. I buy the 60 count 500 mg tablets. You can also get the powder form online on sites that sell medications for pigeons.

Now let's see if I can find one that ships soon and i get this in time to save our last one.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Did yours look like this? The first picture is from the first turkey who passed, and then the second picture is the second that passed. They look different and both died less than 24 hours from each other.

 

[kfelton0002]

Did yours look like this? The first picture is from the first turkey who passed, and then the second picture is the second that passed. They look different and both died less than 24 hours from each other.

Mine looked more like the second one with circular bullseye lesions all over the liver. Both of those are diseased blackhead livers it looks like to me.