Injured Turkey Poult - Help PLEASE!!!!!

[Stiletos2CwbBts]

This is my post on my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/stilettos.to.cowboy.boots

I am brand new to BYC and am quickly posting this as I need help. Photos of Bonnie are on that page until I figure out how to use this forum.....Thank you for your help!!

Oh my heart. I'm not sure that I'm cut out for this poultry mama stuff. Why is it that the ones that we get attached to are the ones who die or in this case get injured??!!??!! It doesn't seem fair. But then, what is fair really??
This is Bonnie, my one white turkey. Her mate, Clyde, is my one bronze turkey. A couple days ago, I went out to the brooder and found her with her right leg trailing behind her. When picked up, everything would curl up nice and in place but when left alone, it's like her right hip is severely exteriorly rotated and extended. Because it can fold when I hold her....and she snuggles in and goes to sleep, I felt that it wasn't broken and that maybe the hip ball had become dislocated from another bird jumping on her.....
I carried her around all day and coddled her and just couldn't write on here (a bit why I've been quiet over the last few days) as my heart hurts and I just don't know what to do. My Athletic Therapy background wants me to splint it somehow. So, I asked some friends who are poultry people too and we decided that I should try taping her for Spraddle leg. Out came the Coban and electrical tape and I've done what I could for the time being - it needs to be reapplied as she's stretched it out.... But this allows her to stand and gibble along - tho her leg still severely rotates. She is in with the wee bantams now and Clyde is there too....but I may remove him as he's suddenly acting like an idiot.
She eats well, drinks well, sleeps well and cuddles so nice. I loved her ever before the all happened - having a stem out of commish is so sad for her as she is a real mover and a shaker, always exploring when she gardens with me.
Anyway, she's in with me today. I need to reapply the hobble taping. I sat her on a flat surface and really started to palpate the hip joint and my gut is telling me that either the femur is right dislocated or is broken just below the pelvis as there is a real, distinct femur feel that is not present on the other side.
Has anyone had this happen to one of their birds?
Has anyone had this bird survive?
A white turkey, how heavy do they get full grown? Could they survive on less that perfect stems??
Brother Brett was around the day that I discovered her and he reminded me that there are lots of birds out there with less than perfect legs....
Is there anything else I should try?
How can you tell if a bird is in pain?
*gulp* How do you a cull a bird should you make that decision? *sob*

 

[AmyWho]

It looks like your wrap is too lose to do any actual good.

Also, I've got a month old poult who's been 1 legged for 2.5 weeks now. She is getting along surprisingly well. She's almost faster than the others now as she uses her wings to propel herself between hops.
How well is your poult moving? Is it even trying?

As far as culling a bird that small. It sounds brutal, but I recommend snipping his head off with scissors or wire cutters. It'll be harder on you than the bird. He wont feel a thing if your quick.

As long as it can get to food/water by itself, I don't honestly see a reason to cull. Mine doesn't appear to be in pain. The leg is a good healthy color (if it starts to turn black, we're going to amputate.) Her quality of life does not seem to be affected. It took her a day or two to learn how to walk on it. The muscles in that leg are double the size of other's her age. It's strong. It supports her. It moves her.

There are plenty of one legged chickens in the world. I don't know why we can't have a few disabled turkeys.

Tiny Tim in all her twisted legged glory:

 

[Stiletos2CwbBts]

This is very encouraging. Thank you!

She seems pretty happy otherwise. She gets around to eat and to drink and does try to move about. I know that I need to tighten the bandage and that will happen tonight when I can get my husband to help. I'm hoping that Miss Bonnie will be resilient like your Tiny Tim. I really have hope now. Thank you!! <3

 

[quacksnclucks74]

I feel better after reading this thread. My turkey is older but her leg looks the same as the one n the pic. She gets around quite well on one leg. Other than her leg she appears healthy and active. My concern is that she's rather small compared to the tom who is the same age but then again if she gets huge like him would that one leg still be able to support her weight? I'll just wait and see. So long as she remains active and happy all is well but if the day comes when she can no longer hop around I'll just worry about it then. She's a sweet girl. Loves to hang out with my ducks and lets my bantams use her as a cushion at night.
Good luck to you folks and your turkey babies and thank you for the reassurance

 

[AmyWho]

My poult is smaller than the other two. I don't plan on eating her, so I won't be feeding her growing rations. She will likely go to a flock raiser with my chickens. I'm still looking into if I'll be able to feed her layer pellets or not if I intend to use her for eggs.

Having a one legged turkey outgrow the good leg is a very real concern, but with a little common sense and patience I think everything will be fine.

I'll come back and update in this post as my poult grows too!

 

[AmyWho]

So, I moved my poults outdoors to a sectioned off part of the chicken coop. I couldn't handle the constant chirping in the house anymore.

Everyone seems to be doing great out there. Tiny Tim has quite a bit more room out there and she's getting so fast it's scary.
I realize it's been only 4 days, but things are looking even more promising. There's a small roosting stick out in the run, and she loves jumping up on it. It's sitting directly on the ground. It's only as tall as the stick is thick. I'm not going to raise it up much as I worry she could injure her good leg jumping down as she starts to get heavier. The more weight she puts on, the more scared I get for the good leg.

She's not showing any signs of stopping though! Go Tiny Tim, Go!

 

[Lucky KY Chicks]

How are these turkeys now?

 

[AmyWho]

Her good leg broke about a month later and I culled. :/