chickenzoo, do you have contact information for them? I can't seem to find the right number. My favorite pet rooster died out of the blue yesterday afternoon, he was older, about 7. Only symptom he had was some lightening of the red parts around his eye, otherwise he was up and around and eating like normal when he died. We've been treating the turkeys with tylan just until we figure out what's wrong, the two that looked sick last night are still alive, but, one that didn't look sick at all at 11pm is dead this morning. There's no diarrhea in the pen, it's all formed regular poops out there, none of those weird watery ones. The younger turkey poults are not affected so far, we have about 50 that are around 6 weeks old and no death or issues in their pen. A couple losses in the brooder, but, we usually chalk up a couple losses in the brooder to hatch issues. We usually lose about two in the days right after hatch, so, so far normal for the brooder.
We've had birds forever and never had a single problem with disease. I am so mad at myself for bringing an adult bird home from the swap. We quarantined it, but, I'm certain it was a carrier for something because that darn thing is still healthy while everything that's been near it is dropping dead. Our biggest issue before this was the very occasional mite flare up. I can't even say for sure it's a respiratory thing, the one turkey hen might have something different from everyone else. Everyone has quit yawning since treating them for gapeworm, so we may have had that to some extent. It's definitely to the point where we need to test and make some decisions. I can't believe this, last week we were planning on heading to a swap, but, decided not to go Friday night because a few birds looked 'off'. Since then we've lost ten, nine 16 week old turkeys and a rooster. I'm just glad we didn't carry it to a swap! I'm really ticked though at the person that sold me this one. I knew her birds didn't look great, my instincts said not to buy from her, but, I figured since she was NPIP that her birds were probably safe and just underfed or something. That was the only thing we took back from the swap.
Edited to add, think we figured it out. Went ahead and opened up our most recently deceased. Familiar with what the insides look like because we have eaten them in the past. Some fluid in the lungs, but I would say the fluid in the lungs is secondary to other organ failure. Liver enlarged and covered in spots and lesions. My guess would be liver failed, then kidneys failed, then birds lungs filled with fluid due to mass organ failure. That pretty much leaves me with blackhead doesn't it? Otherwise bird was clean as a whistle on the inside, definitely no gapeworm in the lungs or trachea. Just that horrible large spotted liver. Probably missed the blue coloring because they are blue slates and some blue coloring is normal on them. What would've been a dead giveaway on a royal palm or otherwise colored turkey was very much not obvious on these guys. Didn't bother opening the intestines. Didn't see the need after seeing that massive liver.
