My 3 weeks old baby turkeys have stopped going to the bathroom and have developed huge swollen vents

[rrega142]

My 3 weeks old baby turkeys have stopped going to the bathroom and have developed huge swollen vents. Some have a little blood on them. They are dying one by one. I have put warm water on their butts like you do for pasty butt. I have fed them hard boiled eggs and olive oil on bread crumbs. Has anyone experienced this and have any ideas that might save their lives.

Thanks
Robin

 

[KristinMarie]

I'm so sorry. I've never heard of anything like that before. Are they hydrated enough? Perhaps putting electrolytes in the water would help a bit. I think this is probably a case that needs an avian vet. I hate to give any suggestions without knowing what could be wrong because it could make it worse. Have you lost any more? Is there anything that they could have gotten into that could have blocked them up? They will eat the strangest things. I had a chicken a few months ago that I had to cull because it got a hold of a string off of a feed bag and swallowed about 6 feet of it. It never occurred to me that they would eat something like that (not an adult chicken anyway). Did you change the bedding recently to something that they might think is good to eat? Are they still eating feed? I know that some people use preparation H and mineral oil around the vent area on hens with prolapsed vents (very little) to take the swelling down and help things pass, or feed a bit of apple to loosen the stool a bit, but again I don't know if this will help of hinder because the cause is still unknown. It could also be possible that they have worms of some kind. I really suggest that you call a vet and see if they can give you some other ideas. Good luck! I hope they get better. Keep me posted!

 

[rrega142]

They all have been eating and drinking well from day one. They have had electrolites for the past two weeks and Saturday I started antibiotics. I fed them hardboiled eggs and oil to try to loosen them up for the last 2 days. I noticed a little more stool in the litter, but I think their should be more. I have used only pine shavings for litter. When I think back, to when I first got them, their has never been much stool in the litter. The last 3 that had the problem have died since Sunday. I now have 9 turkeys left and one shows a little irritation in the vent. I have been applying warm water to their bottoms. The other ones show no signs at all. I can't seem to find anything about this on the internet so I will call my vet for advice. I actually started out with buying an assortment of 20 turkeys and the first 2 days all of one breed died ( 5 Spanish ones). Then I had no problem at all for 2 weeks and then one died and I noticed his vent was swollen to the size of a grape. Then I looked and several more had the problem. Nothing seemed to work and I am not sure why they last ones don't have the problem, except none of them are from the same breeds as the ones that died. I think they me the bronze broad breasted variety, but I am not sure/.

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry that you're going through this and losing turkeys. It does sound like they are stopped up. Maybe try giving them some mineral oil?

And are you feeding them medicated feed? It's also possible that they have Cocci.

 

[rrega142]

• Cocci! That's what my vet thinks. I am going to bring him a stool sample. I thought I had purchased medicated mash, but I just called the feed store and found out it isn't medicated. I did start antibiotics in their water on Saturday and I am headed out to the a different feed store to get some medicated starter right now. Hopefully no more will die