Hope This Saves A Turkey From Blackhead

[melanie]

Several months ago my pen-raised wild turkey came down with the dreaded blackhead back when she was 4 months old. I caught it within the 1st 24 hours and doused the feed and water with Cayenne pepper. I'm talking a jar in a matter of 3 days. It worked right away, the 1st 24 hours the hen had stopped the sulfur colored loose droppings. Everything I found on the internet was grim news, but I came across an old-timers remedy using cayenne. My turkey runs with a banty and buff orpington. They all seemed to like the cayenne. I also hear it's good for parasites.

 

[crtrlovr]

what wonderful news! (I don't have any turkeys or peafowl, but I am glad you were able to save the turkey, and I'm sure there are many turkey/peafowl owners who will be grateful to you for this post!)

 

[farmerlor]

I wonder if we should be mixing cayenne into their feed as a prophylactic?

 

[FrenchHen]

pre-seasoned cajun turkey anyone?

Wouldn't it make the chicken eggs taste weird?

Or could we market Tabasco flavored eggs?

 

[melanie]

I didn't notice any different taste. The cayenne was in the feed for about a week. First 3 days I used a lot. In fact, it's time for another dose of cayenne, I'm thinking.

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
did you happen to save the link for this I would love to read it. anything to do with treating animals that isnt harsh chemicals is a good thing to know and have on hand,.
hmm hot peppers who would have thought of that! excellent.

 

[melanie]

I don't have the link, I saw it on a forum. In fact 1-2 people jumped the lady for being irresponsible about posting something like that. I thought they were fools for jumping on her since there is no cure for blackhead. I just did the same thing that worked for her and that was a heavy dose of cayenne. Her turkey got over it too.

 

[NYREDS]

Blackhead or histomoniasis is caused by a protazoa. There are in fact treatments for Blackhead. While I do use a fair bit of Cayenne when I smoke a turkey I don't see how it would cure Blackhead or any other disease.
Other than the droppings what made you think your bird had Blackhead?

 

[melanie]

Right, I read it's a parasite deep in the liver and everything I found on the internet said worming does not cure it. The sulfur colored, loose droppings were the only sympton. Caught it in 24 hrs. What drug cures it? I spoke with ideal poultry which is a large breeder and two vets. Both told me the drug that cures is not obtainable legally. All I know is it worked for me and someone else on the internet. Funny thing is, the women who posted the remedy on another forum got jumped on and called irresponsible. I would only recommend using it IF you are like me, and have no vet that will treat it, and have nothing to do but watch it die. After spending 1/2 day on the internet researching, plus calling about 20 people, the cayenne was all I could come up with.

 

[farmerlor]

Here's an article:

HOT NEWS FOR TURKEYS

By Larry Ross, RR # 3, Clifford, N0G 1M0

Soon after I started keeping turkeys (from the second year on) blackhead has been a problem for me. For those not familiar with blackhead, this is a disease caused by protozoans. It can kill a flock of turkeys in less than a month. Protozoans are single-celled, microscopic animal life. (The Ministry of Agriculture's factsheets have good descriptions of all types of poultry diseases.)

I have tried several natural remedies to kill the protozoans responsible. I started looking for something else after my trails with garlic powder proved only partially effective. Although I've only tried it one year, I've had excellent results with cayenne powder. I use it at a rate of 1 rounded tablespoon per 20 litres of chopped feed. Cayenne isn't water soluble, but it still works in the drinking water. I use the same rate, allowing the cayenne to soak and then stirring the mixture well. The water method is essential for the sicker birds who won't eat. During the outbreak of 1993, I used cayenne in both the feed and water at first. Later on, I put it in the feed only.

Cayenne does more than just prevent and cure blackhead in turkeys. It is also seems effective in preventing and treating coccidiosis in chickens and turkeys.

With range birds it is often difficult to ensure all the birds are consuming the cayenne-treated feed and water. If the birds are penned up at night, giving them their treated feed before letting them out for the day is one answer.

Cayenne has several advantages. The flavour of the meat was not affected. (I kept the birds off cayenne for three days before slaughter.) Being a food substance (for humans), cayenne bypasses

registration as a drug, a lengthy and expensive process. This makes it relatively cheap - often for as little as $5/lb. through a meat processor. This is a real bargain compared to Emtryl at $30 - 40.00 per 500 mg!


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