Please Help Sick Poults

[MariahLynn]

So it's my first time raising turkeys, I got a dozen royal palm eggs and they all hatched just fine. The issue I have now is that they are dying off one by one, and fast!Only a week old today! They get clean fresh water everyday that is from the well with no water softener, and is non medicated. I am feeding them pheasant/turkey/guinea grower non medicated mashed up into a powder with smashed whole hard boiled eggs. They have Large flake wood chip bedding, a white heat lamp above them that is on 24/7. they are inside a draft-less room that's constant temp is 70 degrees. I have watched them and they were all eating and drinking. They are in with four baby runner ducks that hatched the same day. They have a little grit scattered on the floor. Their cage is big enough that they will not trample each other.Poop is a little watery. Running around fine acting normal/vocal then one suddenly wont get up then rapidly declines and dies within a few hours. They are chirping at first and still bright eyed, but wont get up, then sleepy and lethargic,then dead. I try feeding the sick ones a little sugar water a tiny bit at a time, waiting to make sure they swallow it and have not inhaled it by waiting for a cheep. The bin they are in has been washed in wot water and detergent, scrubbed then and wiped with Clorox wipes, then let out to dry a few days before they were put into it. On this last chick i have noticed that the legs have become slightly mottled red and a little swollen, with the quick of one of his nails bright red ? this is the only other thing i can see that is wrong with them, please help I only have three babies left and I cant take anymore deaths.

Sick swollen legs on right


Upper one is sick with blooded toenail on very top.
Sorry for the poor pics but it's all i have right now

 

[ivan3]

Sorry you're having these problems. Set up a separate brooding area for only the poults. Change out their feed to a fresh bag of 28% Starter. Pick up a couple of gallons of distilled water and use that for the time being. Most importantly - what is the brooder temp. at bedding level (room at 70°F)? Adjust until the area directly under lamp is 90°F (with enough room for poults to wander in and out of `warm' area. The swollen hocks/feet could be result of some dietary/genetic/temp related (or combination) condition. Don't bother with grit on the floor of brooder. Just try to change out any `potential' external sources of problem (best one can do, quite often). When you get the survivors set up, start feeding them small (live) moths and, if they are available, meal worms to augment diet.

This is a good little reference to keep handy: http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/2187.pdf

Please let us know how it is going; and, good luck!

 

[MariahLynn]

I was using the DuMOR Starter that said turkeys right on it, the feed place said it would be good for them but it only has 24% crude protein, could that really have been it? I was already feeding them meal worms with the crushed boiled eggs every day, they didn't seem too keen on the meal worms but ate the eggs . The brooder is at 89F and I separated the turkeys and the ducks yesterday, and just have been cleaning the turkey's bedding as often as I can (usually 2x a day). The light is on one end of a rectangular pen, so they can definitely get out of the 'hot spot' if they want. Asked a farmer at Agway, and he strongly suggested putting electrolytes and probiotics in their water. I put the directed amount in distilled water. Are turkeys always this hard to raise? I didn't think they would be so hard, I've hatched and raised chickens some manner of exotic pheasants and ducks with no issue before. I really love them, but don't have the heart to get another batch if this is typical. The three chicks still seem to be okay, but they will seem fine right before they get really sick.

 

[JMarch]

Mine are about 5 weeks old and have started dying off one by one- we started out with 6- lost two and one's looking sick- also looks like it's the hens getting sick- the toms seem fine so far.

 

[ivan3]

Thanks for the additional information. Though poults tend to be more `fragile' during first week, or so (more sensitive to temp/ability to identify food/water without guidance), they are otherwise tough as nails (have yet to lose a `hen hatched' poult). With the additional details I'd consider some deficiency in the hen's diet/genetic predisposition/problems with temp during incubation. Reason I suggested changing out feed/water, etc. was attempt to R/O any post-hatch contribution to whatever is causing die-off.

Please scroll down through this page for potential causes: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatchability-problem-analysis (chicks/poults about the same in this regard).

The swelling legs/feet would suggest problem with vascularization/renal deficiency of some sort (if not environmental/dietary).

We got our first six (RP's/Slates) as day olds. One of the Royals just faded away and died as I was cradling it in my hand. The others were flying (hopping) out of the brooder a week later (like popcorn - had to cover). So, don't give up, Once you get a good hatch and they grow up and get into your tomato patch, you'll develop an entirely different outlook .

Let us know how the three do.

 

[MariahLynn]

Okay, so the last three are still alive, well and are very lively (fingers crossed)! Possible reasons for this die-out that I could figure are genetic or hen health related as ivan3 had suggested, as I did not see the parents, I was just given the eggs. Salmonella could be a possible factor (?) as I read it can be dormant in the parents but become active in the chicks, with symptoms being; white diarrhea that adheres to the bum, swollen joints especially in the leg/hock region, and lethargy. However, as I did not have the heart to do a biopsy I do not know for certain if this was the ailment. The three that made it through the first week appear rather strong and are developing a special love for meal-worms, and act such the part of comedy they have developed the affectionate yet appropriate monikers Curly, Larry, and Moe.

Thank you for all the helpful posts and quick response times ivan3 <3