Perosis in turkey...

[guardianoftheflock]

Hi y'all! This year I bought and had been raising 8 bronze turkeys. We lost 4 to what I'm assuming was pneumonia. Yesterday, we went out and found that one of our turkeys legs were are bent and deformed. I researched it and found that it wasn't anything like a slipped joint. It was perosis. When I looked up cures, they said it was permanent damage and to just cull the bird. Despite the difficulty of doing something like that, we had learned from past experiences about vitality of life and knew this bird would suffer immensely if we didn't put it down. When I researched how to avoid it, the people all said sunlight and the right type of feed should fix this. We are now letting them out in the sun more. I wanted to know if y'all had any other suggestions for future endeavors? I don't want to run into this problem again. Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What are you feeding them? I have never experienced it. Are you poults heritage or broad breasted? Correct feed, and exercise is good for any critter. My poults are generally out by the second or third week in a warm sunny spot during the day. I also like to feed mine a daily treat of scrambled eggs.

I think perosis is seen more in rapidly growing broad breasted varieties. It's important to feed them the correct feed for their age, and to make sure it is fresh. Sometimes the gamebird starter can be older because people aren't buying it, so it can loose it's nutrients. So check that mill date before buying. It shouldn't be more than a month or so old.

Poults need 28% protein for the first 4 weeks, than you can start to step it down to 20-24%, than down to 18%.

 

[guardianoftheflock]

What are you feeding them? I have never experienced it. Are you poults heritage or broad breasted? Correct feed, and exercise is good for any critter. My poults are generally out by the second or third week in a warm sunny spot during the day. I also like to feed mine a daily treat of scrambled eggs.

I think perosis is seen more in rapidly growing broad breasted varieties. It's important to feed them the correct feed for their age, and to make sure it is fresh. Sometimes the gamebird starter can be older because people aren't buying it, so it can loose it's nutrients. So check that mill date before buying. It shouldn't be more than a month or so old.

Poults need 28% protein for the first 4 weeks, than you can start to step it down to 20-24%, than down to 18%.

I couldn't tell you. I think they're heritage. Thank you for your help! The exact percentages are super helpful! I will have to check my feed and see if they line up. I know the protein isn't 28%. They have been on 20% since they were really little. Id say they're about 8-ish weeks now. I will have to find an additive or something to up that. Thank you again for your help!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well I have found those scrambled eggs to be helpful in growth. It can take a few days for them to like them. With yours being older they may not like them. The lower protein may have contributed to the problem, or even if the feed wasn't formulated for birds like turkeys. I have raised poults on a flock raiser with those extra scrambled eggs with no problems, although It is always best to recommend the game bird starter.

A good book to have on hand is The Storey guide to Raising Turkeys if you plan to raise more.

 

[Eggcessive]

Starting a good poultry vitamin or some crushed vitamin B complex tablets onto their feed might help. Do you have any pictures?

 

[guardianoftheflock]

Starting a good poultry vitamin or some crushed vitamin B complex tablets onto their feed might help. Do you have any pictures?

I put the one down that had preosis before I got pictures but his bones in his legs were almost bull-legged yet both going the same direction. Thank you for your help!!!

 

[guardianoftheflock]

Well I have found those scrambled eggs to be helpful in growth. It can take a few days for them to like them. With yours being older they may not like them. The lower protein may have contributed to the problem, or even if the feed wasn't formulated for birds like turkeys. I have raised poults on a flock raiser with those extra scrambled eggs with no problems, although It is always best to recommend the game bird starter.

A good book to have on hand is The Storey guide to Raising Turkeys if you plan to raise more.

Thank you! I just went and got them some meal worm and bug mixture with 42% protein!

 

[casportpony]

Can you go get a turkey feed? I ask because turkeys have very different nutritional requirements than chickens. Simply increasing the protein probably won't help because they need other things, like *lots* of niacin. Here is some info I have collected on persosis and niacin:
https://www.dsm.com/markets/anh/en_US/Compendium/poultry/niacin.html

---

---

And nutritional info:
https://www.nap.edu/read/2114/chapter/5

 

[Eggcessive]

There are leg bone deformities called varus and valgus deformity that can occur in one leg or both. Varus looks like bow legs, while valgus looks like knock knees.

Valgus deformity right leg only

Varus deformity both legs