Please Help...new turkey constantly looks up

[NakedNeck1]

I got her last night at a livestock auction and thought that maybe she was just a little quirky or stressed but come this morning she is still exhibiting the same behavior. I think it's a bit more extreme this morning. I have her in quarantine so if she is sick she doesn't spread it to my other turkeys and chickens.

 

[Arielle]

Always smart to quarentine new birds for 4-5 weeks.

SHe is most likely trying to get a good look at things. My toms will walk upto me and lift their heads and look at me with one eye.

 

[Horseyrider]

Hi NakedNeck, I might have a lead for you that could help your bird. I'm new here, and I don't know much about poultry yet (horses have long been my thing), but a friend of mine commented recently that her tom was doing something very similar to what your hen does. She said he does it every night without fail. In looking for other information, I stumbled across the term "stargazing" in regard to turkeys like this. There's a long proper name that begins with the letter "O," and it seems to have several schools of thought as to why they do this. For some it's a B12 deficiency; for others it's a neurological symptom and is found in neglected birds. There were other possible explanations, none of which I can seem to remember right now. *sigh*

I know about enough to be dangerous, so I thought I'd just offer that you google "stargazing turkeys" and see what comes up that might fit your situation. I hope this helps you find answers.

 

[NakedNeck1]

Thank you both Arielle and Horseyrider. Horseyrider I'm pretty sure now that she is stargazing. I started her on B vitamins along with vitamin E and selenium on Saturday afternoon. Since then she has improved a good bit but still has episodes. It seems to be when she is not preoccupied then she has the episodes. I wonder if it's the vitamin deficiency then how long does it take for them to get back to "normal?" In the mean time she now has a name...Star