Kaye's free range turkey thread

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys prefer to roost outside, it's natural to them.

 

[BantamTurkey]

Yeah, but I worry about them :/
Constantly. My husband says I worry about them way to much. But they're my babies!! As much as my bunnies and my bulldog. Not as much as my daughter, but it's still close!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine have a nice shed and covered run so they remain safe and mostly roost inside at night. We do have a roost outside in the run where some will choose to spend the night especially in good weather. If allowed my turkeys would be roosting everywhere. I didn't care their choices. Your turkeys are more at risk for predation outside so it is a valid concern.

 

[BantamTurkey]

I will be placing them in a run pretty soon bc of turkey season coming up, but I haven't got it completely done yet. The shed part is, but I haven't got it enclosed yet. I will feel MUCH better then, as for right now they roost on a boat right outside my bedroom window. The shed is a total of 3 ft away from where they roost now. I wish they would at least roost there

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys seem to never do what you want them to do. I like that I know mine are safe and where they are, all free ranging is controlled by me. There has been a couple of post over the past few years of domestic turkeys just showing up in people's yards, I'm sure they just wander off sometimes or follow the wild turkeys.

 

[BantamTurkey]

I have a n OEGB hen with a broken neck.
Now, before I get someone telling me that she would be dead, I will elaborate a little:
You can indeed break your neck and be very much alive. In fact, the only way my dad knew he had broken his neck was because his fingers kept going numb.
If you sever the nervous system with a broken neck it will kill you. In other words, if you break your spine it will kill you. Breaking your neck involves the bones, not the nerves.
That being said, she is doing great today. I found her slouching in the corner by herself with fluid from her mouth and a little from her beak. She felt so light. She quit eating and drinking the first day and lost a lot of her body weight. I brought her into the feed/rabbit shed and put her in the bottom hutch. I made her eat and drink a little garlic water (this is supposed to be a natural way to worm poultry) I crushed up some rabbit food to make it easier to eat and gave her a scrambled egg. I then dosed her with an antibiotic bc I wasn't sure what was exactly wrong. Upon inspection I felt her broken neck.
Now I know what's wrong I know (a little more) about what to do. I was glad I dosed her for fear of infection in growing bone. I started giving her a mix of crushed rabbit food and crushed layer pellets and making her drink every so often.
Day 2 she's eating but gagging when trying to swallow food. I massage her neck a little bit and can tell she is feeling a good bit better. She's eating without my coaxing her to. Drinking water on her own.
Day 3 I gave her one more dose. She's doing SO much better. Every so often she has a little trouble swallowing. Is eating eagerly and wants to walk around and scratch.
Day 4 (today) she is back to making her usual noises but not loud at all. She's eating (still with a gag) like she should be and drinking great. She is out in the big cage outside to sun

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do you feel the break? There are things like botulism, aka as limber neck, that can cause them to have troubles holding their necks up. Also Mareks can cause paralysis. Not doubting you, just curious how you can tell. Poor little chicken.

 

[BantamTurkey]

I can feel it. She isn't really having problems holding her head. Just has a little curve to the neck

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Strange, hopefully she will continue to improve for you.

 

[BantamTurkey]

Thanks. I hope she keeps getting better