Hope This Saves A Turkey From Blackhead

[casportpony]

My 4 month old chocolate tom has been fighting this for at least 2 weeks now. Took me awhile to diagnose him. Literally didn't know what else to do and thought he was going to die every day for past 2 weeks. After reading this, I made him a "milkshake" last night of a scrambled egg, turkey crumble, cayanne, water and ran it though my immersion blender. Got a good 20cc down him with big syringe last night and another 20 this morning. Tonight he actually has solid poop. It's still a bit yellow but isn't straight water anymore. I picked up some fish zole and got that in him tonight as well. Crossing my fingers that Charlie Brown is heading in the right direction. I've always had turkeys in with my chickens and this is first time this has ever become an issue. Now everyone has cayanne in their food.

Welcome to BYC! Hope he gets better.

-Kathy

 

[fairie]

HI,
I found your reply to the article. We just got turkey's, blackhead, medicine and a bag of red chillie flakes.
Can you tell me how much Chillie you use per bird, per kilo? I want to use it as a profolactic. Our Vet sold us the medicine for .60$ is each pill and our birds only need 1/2 a pill each day for 5 days. So I am not worried about the cost. I am more concerned about using the medicine as a profolactic for ever...
Sorry about my spelling !
Thanks for your help.
Casey

 

[fairie]

My 4 month old chocolate tom has been fighting this for at least 2 weeks now. Took me awhile to diagnose him. Literally didn't know what else to do and thought he was going to die every day for past 2 weeks. After reading this, I made him a "milkshake" last night of a scrambled egg, turkey crumble, cayanne, water and ran it though my immersion blender. Got a good 20cc down him with big syringe last night and another 20 this morning. Tonight he actually has solid poop. It's still a bit yellow but isn't straight water anymore. I picked up some fish zole and got that in him tonight as well. Crossing my fingers that Charlie Brown is heading in the right direction. I've always had turkeys in with my chickens and this is first time this has ever become an issue. Now everyone has cayanne in their food.

SInce we went to the Vet last night, he reinforced the information that I have been reading. He said BAaaa on the Cyanne (Still using it!) But also that the Blackhead (histomoniasis) can only live for 2 hours in the air. But that this is also the reason why you can get it randomly from free-ranging or that it can pop up later. Free-ranging is dangerous, other birds fly over, there are earth worms and so on... here is the info "Histomonas meleagridis is most often transmitted to turkeys in the eggs of a second parasite, the cecal worm, commonly found in both chickens and turkeys. The eggs of the cecal worm may remain infective in the soil for three years of longer and could transmit the blackhead-causing protozoan during this period."
This the page where i got this information, it's very helpful and clear.

http://www.millerhatcheries.com/information/diseases/blackhead_disease.htm

So we are looking for a long term profolactic because they can get it again, later, the only CURE is to move them to a place where they are "protected" inside.

We wont be raising chicks, not with the knowledge that we have Blackhead in our yard. I couldnt deal with all the babies dying.

 

[Lifestudent]

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.

Thank you. We have two turkeys with our flock of chickens, ducks, and guineas, and it's always good to know cures like this. We have a bag of dried ceyennes. If needed, I can always put some through my spice grinder (old blade type coffee mill).

 

[ACProsecutor]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm posting anyway because I want to thank the OP and other contributors for helping to save Timmy, our beloved 22-month-old Narragansett tom.

I don't know what Timmy has or had, but he hasn't been himself since Saturday. His nickname is "Stay Puff" because he's always puffed-up and on patrol, watching over his 2 hens all day, then our crazy flock of chickens when we let them free-range in the evenings.

We knew something was wrong when Timmy was laying by himself in a corner of the yard. He walked slowly, and his gobble was a weak little squawk. He only perked up when one of the roosters we had just brought home tried to mount one of his hens (he was listless before the roosters arrived, so it wasn't their presence that caused it). He wandered over for backup while Tina (his hen) proceeded to teach the newcomer a lesson in manners (she kicked his fluffy butt) but then he came over and just looked at us. I had some stuff called 4-in-1 that worked for a sick chicken, so I mixed it with water and we gave him some syringes-full. We then gave him some nutri-drench, which he promptly aspirated, so upside down he went. After we got that out, he perked up a little but not much. Then he just stood around, and after awhile he pooped (it was normal). Once we put them in, he didn't eat and slept laying down like then hens (both unheard of!)

On Sunday, he didn't eat anything, but he drank a ton (half a Lowe's bucket) full of water. His poop was dull yellow and watery. We gave him more 4-in-1, and I found this thread. That night, I went online and ordered the last box of API General Cure in town and found a big jar of cayenne pepper in the cupboard.

Yesterday (Monday) morning, we quarantined him and I mixed the pepper with some tuna in water to see if he would eat it. I also mixed that and the 4-in-1 with his water, and I sent my husband for the box of medicine. When we got home last night, there was a small beak mark in the tuna, but nothing else. Yesterday was hot and extremely humid, and he wasn't doing very well. The poops in his run were bright green, and he seemed very out of it, so we knew we had to do something to save him.

I combined a bunch of ideas I read on here and made Timmy a "shake." Included was a fresh uncooked turkey egg thinned with water, a tablespoon of cayenne pepper, a pinch of the API general cure powder, and a dropper full of nutri-drench. I whisked it up, then I poured the rest of the powder in about 1/4 cup of water.

First we wormed Timmy with 3 ccs of Safeguard by syringe, then we gave him a syringe of the water and 3 syringes of the "shake." He seemed to perk up and "fight" a little more with each one, and aspirated some of the third one, so upside down he went until that little bit ran out. By then he was frazzled and hot, so we decided to let him be for awhile, and I poured the rest of the powder/water mixture in his water.

This morning he was alert and let out a hearty gobble! He still isn't eating on his own, but he willingly took a syringe of the water and 6 syringes of the "shake," and he clearly wants out of quarantine. I gave him a bowl of his favorite sunflower seeds, and if he eats on his own, he can go out, but I'll continue to give him the "shake" for the next few days until I'm sure he's 100%.

If you were a contributor to this thread, and you made it to the end of this post, THANK YOU! I don't know if it was any one thing or a combination of everything, or even what was wrong with him, but clearly the "shake" or something in it had an affect of our boy and very likely saved him!

 

[Noellereagan]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm posting anyway because I want to thank the OP and other contributors for helping to save Timmy, our beloved 22-month-old Narragansett tom.

I don't know what Timmy has or had, but he hasn't been himself since Saturday. His nickname is "Stay Puff" because he's always puffed-up and on patrol, watching over his 2 hens all day, then our crazy flock of chickens when we let them free-range in the evenings.

We knew something was wrong when Timmy was laying by himself in a corner of the yard. He walked slowly, and his gobble was a weak little squawk. He only perked up when one of the roosters we had just brought home tried to mount one of his hens (he was listless before the roosters arrived, so it wasn't their presence that caused it). He wandered over for backup while Tina (his hen) proceeded to teach the newcomer a lesson in manners (she kicked his fluffy butt) but then he came over and just looked at us. I had some stuff called 4-in-1 that worked for a sick chicken, so I mixed it with water and we gave him some syringes-full. We then gave him some nutri-drench, which he promptly aspirated, so upside down he went. After we got that out, he perked up a little but not much. Then he just stood around, and after awhile he pooped (it was normal). Once we put them in, he didn't eat and slept laying down like then hens (both unheard of!)

On Sunday, he didn't eat anything, but he drank a ton (half a Lowe's bucket) full of water. His poop was dull yellow and watery. We gave him more 4-in-1, and I found this thread. That night, I went online and ordered the last box of API General Cure in town and found a big jar of cayenne pepper in the cupboard.

Yesterday (Monday) morning, we quarantined him and I mixed the pepper with some tuna in water to see if he would eat it. I also mixed that and the 4-in-1 with his water, and I sent my husband for the box of medicine. When we got home last night, there was a small beak mark in the tuna, but nothing else. Yesterday was hot and extremely humid, and he wasn't doing very well. The poops in his run were bright green, and he seemed very out of it, so we knew we had to do something to save him.

I combined a bunch of ideas I read on here and made Timmy a "shake." Included was a fresh uncooked turkey egg thinned with water, a tablespoon of cayenne pepper, a pinch of the API general cure powder, and a dropper full of nutri-drench. I whisked it up, then I poured the rest of the powder in about 1/4 cup of water.

First we wormed Timmy with 3 ccs of Safeguard by syringe, then we gave him a syringe of the water and 3 syringes of the "shake." He seemed to perk up and "fight" a little more with each one, and aspirated some of the third one, so upside down he went until that little bit ran out. By then he was frazzled and hot, so we decided to let him be for awhile, and I poured the rest of the powder/water mixture in his water.

This morning he was alert and let out a hearty gobble! He still isn't eating on his own, but he willingly took a syringe of the water and 6 syringes of the "shake," and he clearly wants out of quarantine. I gave him a bowl of his favorite sunflower seeds, and if he eats on his own, he can go out, but I'll continue to give him the "shake" for the next few days until I'm sure he's 100%.

If you were a contributor to this thread, and you made it to the end of this post, THANK YOU! I don't know if it was any one thing or a combination of everything, or even what was wrong with him, but clearly the "shake" or something in it had an affect of our boy and very likely saved him!

How wonderful.

 

[tastockwell]

pre-seasoned cajun turkey anyone?

Wouldn't it make the chicken eggs taste weird?

Or could we market Tabasco flavored eggs?

Actually it doesn't taint the eggs at all. I use it when my hens are on hiatus from laying. In 3 wks from starting to sprinkle on the food you will have eggs daily like clockwork. :O

 

[Devils Flower]

Actually it doesn't taint the eggs at all. I use it when my hens are on hiatus from laying. In 3 wks from starting to sprinkle on the food you will have eggs daily like clockwork. :O

Not sure if anyone will comment back to you because this is a old thread but I started using the spice too. For my turkeys ducks and chickens as a preventive. I see no reason to wait for sickness to show its ugly face. The egg thing I didn't know about but that's cool to know of my chickens stop laying.

 

[esavvymom]

This topic is still relevant. I came here looking for insight. We have lost 2 turkey poults (8 weeks old) in the last 48 hours. I suspect Blackhead or cocci. Our flock is mixed with chickens, but has been for almost 3 years, and never had issues. BUT I did have an animal caretaker come for a week while we are on vacation. She's been here before, but I'm wondering if maybe she encountered another client's flock that was contaminated, and then contaminated our flock. Going to try the cayenne pepper, and hope to save the remaining 5 poults.

 

[R2elk]

This topic is still relevant. I came here looking for insight. We have lost 2 turkey poults (8 weeks old) in the last 48 hours. I suspect Blackhead or cocci. Our flock is mixed with chickens, but has been for almost 3 years, and never had issues. BUT I did have an animal caretaker come for a week while we are on vacation. She's been here before, but I'm wondering if maybe she encountered another client's flock that was contaminated, and then contaminated our flock. Going to try the cayenne pepper, and hope to save the remaining 5 poults.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/blackhead-histomoniasis-references.1404177/