In dire need of help

[Silveroaksfarm]

just came home and found one of my young slate hens is looking like this.
Never had this before and have been breeding the rare turkey breeds for 5 years.
Can’t find anything online about appropriate treatment or cause.
Any ideas?
I was goin got give some penicillin?!
She is also full of air along the body and breathing seems labored.

 

[sourland]

@R2elk any ideas as to what is going on here ?

 

[Silveroaksfarm]

I had hoped someone could tell me. Those bubbles are not fluid filled but air.

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 1957827 just came home and found one of my young slate hens is looking like this.
Never had this before and have been breeding the rare turkey breeds for 5 years.
Can’t find anything online about appropriate treatment or cause.
Any ideas?
I was goin got give some penicillin?!
She is also full of air along the body and breathing seems labored.

@casportpony

Personally it looks to me like it has ballooned up. Check if it feels like the "swollen" area is full of air. If that is the case, lance it to relieve the pressure. Turkeys can get air leakage. The solution is lancing. Do not use a pinhole for lancing as it can seal off too quickly and fill back up before the leak has sealed itself.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like subcutaneous emphysema or leaking air sac from a bump to the body, but I am not familiar with turkeys, only chickens. An 18 gauge sterile needle from your feed store after disinfecting the skin, can be inserted just under the skin, and you can either press the air out, or suck it out with a syringe. If no needle is available you can sterilize a large sewing needle and prick the skin. This air can reaccumulate, so it may need to be repeated or done in a different place. Here is a video of air being withdrawn from a bird with this condition:

 

[Eggcessive]

Kathy and R2Elk are more knowledgeable about turkeys, so I will defer to them. Here are more links to read about leaking air sacs:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bloated-turkey.1303218/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-bird-with-swollen-neck-help-please.1128613/

 

[Eggcessive]

You can get procaine penicillin G in the refrigerated medicines at many feed stores and TSC. Give it in the breast muscle 1/2 ml once a day for 4-5 days. Use a 20 gauge needle, and inject 1/2 inch deep.

 

[Silveroaksfarm]

It looks like subcutaneous emphysema or leaking air sac from a bump to the body, but I am not familiar with turkeys, only chickens. An 18 gauge sterile needle from your feed store after disinfecting the skin, can be inserted just under the skin, and you can either press the air out, or suck it out with a syringe. If no needle is available you can sterilize a large sewing needle and prick the skin. This air can reaccumulate, so it may need to be repeated or done in a different place. Here is a video of air being withdrawn from a bird with this condition:

Thank you so much for posting this so helpful to watch. I have some penicillin already but will have to wait till tomorrow to now drain the air.

 

[Silveroaksfarm]

You can get procaine penicillin G in the refrigerated medicines at many feed stores and TSC. Give it in the breast muscle 1/2 ml once a day for 4-5 days. Use a 20 gauge needle, and inject 1/2 inch deep.

View attachment 1957996

I gave some today but will continue as you suggest and start draining air tomorrow. Thank you so much

 

[Eggcessive]

If her breathing is labored, you may want to try to get the air out tonight. I have only treated this in a 2 week old chick, and she was really struggling to breathe. But if they do not seem to be struggling, then watching is okay. Sometimes the air can keep gathering and spreading throughout the body.