Oh man now this!?!!???Tom doesn't look good! Updated, bad news

[Kelsey2017]

So this morning when I went out to feed our tom looks bad. He is laying down and that is not normal, he constantly struts and walks around calling and such and today he looks depressed. His head looks a bit pale but his feathers are not bunched up or anything and he did get up and walk around a little when I talked to him but then went and laid back down. He didn't seem interested in food but he doesn't usually dive into the food dish anyway. What should I check him for? Do they get fevers? What are things that can make them act this way? I DON'T WANT TO LOSE HIM, PLEASE HELP ME DIAGNOSE!!!!

 

[Alexander]

That's not good man.There is definitely something wrong with him.Try making him to eat and/or drink water.If he doesnt want to eat then things are not good for him.

Do you have any other tom or rooster that he might have fought with?

 

[Kelsey2017]

He is the only tom and since my hens have been trying to hatch eggs he has been on his own, just hanging out in our garden. There is nothing weird that he could have eaten or anyone he could have fought with.

 

[bigdawg]

give him a shot in the breast with tylan 200 3 ccs 20 gauge needle it works very good. avoid the crop you can feel the breast

 

[kuntrygirl]

Please read my post about my Tom and the problems that I have had with him. You don't want him to end up with more problems, so please try to get him some Tylan ASAP. You also want to make sure he is still eating and drinking. If you don't see him eating or drinking, you will have to hand feed him and give him water.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=464798

 

[lilchick]

When one of my pet toms became sick I first gave him a shot of Tylan 50. 3 ccs. right along the breast bone, just gave shot right under the skin.

He would not eat or drink. I made up a batch of vitamin/electrolyte water and syringed it down his throat. I also force fed him a handful of dog food one piece at a time. I did this a.m. and p.m.

I knew he was better when he no longer fought me and actually started eating out of my hand!

They seem to go down hill if you do not intervene. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Kelsey2017]

I wish I had seen all the posts about the Tylan, unfortunately I think it would have been too late. I left home at 8:30 am yesterday because I had to go to an appointment for my DD and was gone for only an hour and a half tops. When I got home I went to go and give him some water and move him to the shade, and I could see that there was thick mucus coming from his vent (which was having normal looking droppings that morning I saw him poop earlier) and he lungs sounded crackly and there was quite a bit of blood around his beak and he was panting/gasping. I decided then and there to just end that for him, he was bad off. I am going to, with the most respect I can, do a necropsy to help know what happened. I will try and let you know what I find inside and on his body; as he looked good up until that morning. I never got a real real good exam on him earlier because he looked stressed. I wonder if he must have been sick for a while and was just able to hide it, or what?

He was my first experience with turkeys and I really was lucky to have known him. What a great friend he was on our place and his personality has led me down a path that will keep me loving

turkeys for a long time. I am saddened,

but won't ever forget the amazement

I felt when I first saw him (the first turkey I was ever around close-up was him) strut and shake his feathers and flirt with me! He was SO COOL and will always be the original, the best Turkey, BYE JIM!

Thanks to all who offered their advice, I didn't see it in time but I will go to the feed store tomorrow and find some to have on hand. Is it always called TYLAN or is there another name for it? Sometimes it is limited pickin's around here and I will order it if I have too. What exactly is it, an antibiotic? Also what else would you have on hand for poultry emergencies? Maybe I should see if there is a thread on this, if not I would love to start one. Thanks again, Kelsey

 

[chicmom]

So sorry about your turkey! I've been reading everything I can because I bought my first two little turkey poults this year.......Hate to hear your bad news........

Tylan is a very strong antibiotic, and it works great! I've never used the injectable kind--I've only used the powder you mix with drinking water. I had a beautiful Wheaten Marans rooster that was near death with a respiratory illness, and he fully recovered because the Tylan saved him. I had to feed it to him with a dropper. I do think my rooster had a fever because he felt very hot. He was nearly unconscious when I noticed him. (He was shy, so I didnt' handle him much, and these symptoms came on very quickly.) Anyhow, I put him in a cage in my basement storage room, and I fed him with a dropper about every half hour until bedtime, and in the morning, I was surprised to see him standing!

I do like the powder, because you can feed it to your birds and this also helps you keep them hydrated.

Tylan is kind of expensive, but in my opinion, well worth it!

Take care,

Sharon

 

[kuntrygirl]

I am sooooo sorry to hear about your tom. That makes me so sad.

Kelsey2017 wrote: I wonder if he must have been sick for a while and was just able to hide it, or what?

You are right. I took my Tom to an Avian Specialist and he explained that a bird with a respiratory problem may not show any signs until it's almost too late- as the case with your Tom. He said that a respiratory problem is a "silent disease". This is not something I read online, my VET told me this when I took my Tom in for wry neck. This silent disease can affect the rest of your flock and you WILL NOT know about it until it's too late. Your entire flock could possibly be affected but you don't know it until EVERY ONE of them is tested. But most people can't afford to do that, so they assume that since the other birds didn't show any signs or symptoms, then they are ok. Not necessarily true. But that's another topic.

I hope you get your answers with the necropsy. Please keep us posted.​