My first turkey has a swollen belly/butt

[kuntrygirl]

I was asking was the "vent" hanging out. Trying to see it it prolapsed.

"holding" as to mean not pooping will cause this.

Ok, this is what I would suggest.

1. Stop feeding any treats to the babies. Feed ONLY feed please.
2. Keep fresh water.
3. Wash and soak the area a few times a day in lukewarm water (not hot water) and let it air completely.
4. Massage the area. You can put a little olive oil on the area as well.
5. Have yogurt available to him.

They could have pecked him and it may be a little irritate. Give it some time to heal.

 

[scorpiovette]

ok. I can do all except the yogurt, unless you think that yoplaid light with aspartame is ok.

I do replace the water at least twice a day. and I'll keep giving him warm baths.

So the butt--hole is called "vent"??? I was trying to google some terminology and anatomy, and as of a few minutes ago thought it was called a "cloaca". Now I'm confused.

and what would putting olive oil on the outside help with??? I thought the olive oil had to go inside (by him eating it) so it could help his poop come out or something. LOL

 

[kuntrygirl]

ok. I can do all except the yogurt, unless you think that yoplaid light with aspartame is ok.

I do replace the water at least twice a day. and I'll keep giving him warm baths. 

So the butt--hole is called "vent"??? I was trying to google some terminology and anatomy, and as of a few minutes ago thought it was called a "cloaca". Now I'm confused.

and what would putting olive oil on the outside help with??? I thought the olive oil had to go inside (by him eating it) so it could help his poop come out or something. LOL

You are on the right. I'm using terms that I know. And yes the Cloaca is where eggs and poop come out.

 

[scorpiovette]

Cool. Thanks for your help so far. Was hoping for a little more specific/pinpoint info, but this doesn't seem to be a very common thing or something. I'll keep updating on how things go with Turk.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Cool. Thanks for your help so far. Was hoping for a little more specific/pinpoint info, but this doesn't seem to be a very common thing or something. I'll keep updating on how things go with Turk.

Well believe it or not, you are VERY lucky NOT to be hearing pin point info from me, because if I would have had to go in to detail to tell you what's wrong, then that would NOT have been good for your poult or you. Sometimes, it's good to not have to receive too much info about a "possible" problem. That means your bird is not in any life threatening danger with any type of sickness.

But still keep me posted.

Good luck with your poult.

 

[scorpiovette]

well I just gave him another very warm bath and belly message. he made a little poop in the tub, but nothing impressive. Also I noticed that right where I think his breastbone stops between the legs, there seems to be a large lump that feels rather hard. well pretty much the whole thing feels sorta like a full bubble of something hard. I wish I could find better pictures of turkey/chicken anatomy online to try and help me understand or explain, but basically I think I'm either feeling intestines and organs, or he's got something hard hard filling that little soft area below the breastbone and his vent.

And he still didn't seem overly excited about much. but while sitting in the sun room with him, he did suddenly release a steaming hot stream of brown diarrhea on my leg. not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

I also don't know what turkey babies (poult???) do with their feathers when they get wet, but instead of trying to pick and dry his feathers or whatever they do, he just stood there in the sun closing his eyes and shaking. it seems he's mostly shaking/vibrating his tail area, but sometimes he would also shake all the way up to his back and wing feathers.

 

[ivan3]

Thanks for posting the shots. I'd guess:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...ection/overview_of_omphalitis_in_poultry.html

Try an antibiotic that can be added to the water (Oxytetracycline for example). If you have an agreeable vet, Baytril would be good (any `wide' spectrum).

Advance Search BYC for omphalitis (might be other suggestions).

The fact that it was pooping well (normal dropping) when immersed is good. Turkeys respond to standing in water like a sleeping human's bladder responds when some joker places the sleeper's hand in a bowl of warm water...

 

[scorpiovette]

Update: So I walked in to check on my birds, and noticed one of the smaller bantams looking up at the turkeys vent area and peck at it. Now granted I only saw it make 1 peck, and it didn't look like it pecked directly at the vent, but rather one of the few remaining feathers, or a droplet of poop or something. So that made me wonder if perhaps there isn't anything really wrong with Turk, other than by standing taller than a couple of the bantams, they found something "interesting" above their heads to pluck at, and ended up plucking his feathers off and irritating his vent. And the reason it looks so bad, is because now he's bald, where before he had feathers, and so it just "looks weird". Is that possible, or am I just making stuff up???

Anyways, just to be on the safe side, I went ahead and sectioned off a part of their cage and put a lid on it, so Turk would be left alone for a while. But now I feel kinda bad for the little fella, because he's all alone, and now he's constantly pacing back and forth at the fence and chirping loudly like he wants to get out or something. He seems to be eating and drinking. I only gave him a tiny bit of food and water, that way I could actually see if it's actually disapearing or not.

Here is the cage that I had Turk and all the chicken in since they were a couple days old. (and the ducks were in there until 3 days ago. LOL didn't know ducks grew that fast). Anyways, it's roughly 6 feet long, by 2.5feet wide, by 2 feet tall. I put up a chicken wire wall in the lower 1/3 of the cage and put 2 boards across the top (1 of them is removable so I can get access like in the picture) with a little food/water table for Turk, that way he can do his own thing and I can monitor him better without the other chicken being in the way. This way I can monitor if he's eating, drinking, etc.. I feel a little bad for him though in that little "box" with no upwards view. it's like he's in birdy jail or something. LOL

 

[Ryan521]

Update: So I walked in to check on my birds, and noticed one of the smaller bantams looking up at the turkeys vent area and peck at it. Now granted I only saw it make 1 peck, and it didn't look like it pecked directly at the vent, but rather one of the few remaining feathers, or a droplet of poop or something. So that made me wonder if perhaps there isn't anything really wrong with Turk, other than by standing taller than a couple of the bantams, they found something "interesting" above their heads to pluck at, and ended up plucking his feathers off and irritating his vent. And the reason it looks so bad, is because now he's bald, where before he had feathers, and so it just "looks weird". Is that possible, or am I just making stuff up???

Anyways, just to be on the safe side, I went ahead and sectioned off a part of their cage and put a lid on it, so Turk would be left alone for a while. But now I feel kinda bad for the little fella, because he's all alone, and now he's constantly pacing back and forth at the fence and chirping loudly like he wants to get out or something. He seems to be eating and drinking. I only gave him a tiny bit of food and water, that way I could actually see if it's actually disapearing or not.

Here is the cage that I had Turk and all the chicken in since they were a couple days old. (and the ducks were in there until 3 days ago. LOL didn't know ducks grew that fast). Anyways, it's roughly 6 feet long, by 2.5feet wide, by 2 feet tall. I put up a chicken wire wall in the lower 1/3 of the cage and put 2 boards across the top (1 of them is removable so I can get access like in the picture) with a little food/water table for Turk, that way he can do his own thing and I can monitor him better without the other chicken being in the way. This way I can monitor if he's eating, drinking, etc.. I feel a little bad for him though in that little "box" with no upwards view. it's like he's in birdy jail or something. LOL

ok it looks like you did the right thing but i wanted to point out two things

1) Do you still have a heat lamp or source on the poult? If not add one.
2) The reason for it pacing and trying to get out is because turkeys are really social birds and don't like being alone. And while it can still see the chicks it would rather be with them instead.

I do hope it starts to get better.

 

[scorpiovette]

I'll move the heat lamp from the corner to the middle where I put the divider, that way they can share it and still have room to move away.