Please help - turkeys are dying!

[MotherJean]

I like this link at Cornell University Vet School: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/lists/examfinding

You're right. Many diseases have similar symptoms and most cannot be positively diagnosed without serological testing and a postmortem exam. Have you considered sending one or two of your birds for a necropsy so you can stop the guessing?

 

[BlueMoon]

I've sent them off before and the results have always been inconclusive. Good at ruling out diseases, not good at telling me which struck.

We'll do the necropsies ourselves this weekend, but are not versed in what to look for with turkeys (just chickens).

Do you know of any diseases that develop as a poult is maturing? At about a month old?

 

[MotherJean]

If you're doing your own postmortem, here's what to look for if it's coronaviral enteritis:

Lesions:
Young birds have few lesions other than flaccid, distended intestines that contain excess fluid and gas. Ceca are distended with foamy, pale brown, fetid fluid. Lesions in older birds are more extensive. Skin and musculature are dehydrated, and petechial hemorrhages may be seen on the viscera. Kidneys frequently are swollen and contain an excess of urates, and the pancreas may have multiple, chalky white areas. Severe catarrhal enteritis is common and mucoid casts may be present. The crop may be distended and contain sour-smelling fluid. The spleen is often small and pale gray.

There is one other possibility that you might consider: Pullorum Typhoid see: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/204102.htm

Since most came from McMurray Hatchery, I would think that Pullorum is unlikely. I've never dealt with them, but I would think that they are NPIP certified which means they test and monitor their breeder birds for Pullorum because it is vertically transmitted through the egg. It can, however, be transmitted directly by other infected birds. So...if any of your original flock (like the Buffs) was infected, they could have infected the McMurray group.

Just sort of thinking outloud. Like I said, I'm not really experienced with turkeys and may be totally off the mark on my guesses.

 

[dawg53]

I think that the extreme heat wave that is happening in New England is a complete shock to poultry and they just arnt used to the shock to their systems. I've been reading quite a few posts the past few days of various poultry up north dieing for no other reason that the extreme heat which would not normally occur. We have the extreme heat here...but it "builds up" over the previous months and our chickens down here are used to it...no shock to their system. If we had freezing temps here tomorrow, it would be our chickens dieing from the shock from the cold because they arnt used to it.

 

[nnbreeder]

Another trick to try is to feed them boiled eggs without the shell. We usually feed about 25% of their ration that way, finely chopped and mixed with their morning feedings.

 

[BlueMoon]

I think the heat isn't helping, but I also don't think this is the problem. Mostly because the turkeys are in the shadiest spot and and none of the others are dropping dead.

I'll try the boiled eggs too - thanks

Put them on a commercial game starter - 28% protein with a cocciostat.

Hope I can figure out of it's blackhead or coccidiosis, or what ever else. We lost two yesterday and one this morning. Autopsy this afternoon (before a dinner party!)

MotherJean, I recall McMurray's having a problem with Pullorum about two years ago. They haven't return my calls, so I can't find out much more through them.

 

[tinychicky]

i have no experience with turkey poults, but i hope they pull through! there may be some hidden disease that is spreading through your flock or it could just be the heat. either way, provide plenty of cold water and shade and try cleaning out the coop. i hope they get better

 

[BlueMoon]

Update from this morning:

We are now down to four poults out of the 24 I ordered. In that are Puffy, the one Bourbon Red, a sickly looking Broadbreasted Bronze and Cyclops, the BBB with the cataract.

I'm devastated. Any other thoughts?

We're scheduled to do the necropsies today, just not sure what to compare them with.

 

[MissPrissy]

I hatch and raise my own poults. It is very rare that I ever have a loss. I have standard bronzes and 1 BB bronze left from a few seasons ago.

Turkeys are fragile and need far more hands on attn than other chicks. You can't treat them like chicks and the meat poults are even more fragile.

You have to be consistant many times a day encouraging them to drink and eat. Without a momma hen they don't start eating and drinking like chicks do. I always hatch a few guineas with mine so they can help teach the turkey poults the ways of eating and drinking. You much encourage them to drink and eat until you see them drinking frequently on their own.

If they were huddled they needed a heat lamp even in 100 degree weather. The ambient air temps don't create enough heat for them to actually stay warm. They don't enough down feathering to even remotely stay warm under age of 2 - 3 weeks.

Healthy poults don't need water additives except maybe a little ACV for a vitamin boost. Those things you added to their water could have very well overwhelmed their system and become poison to their tiny bodies. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Those electrolyte and other drink powders should be used for weak poults and chicks for a very limited time only. Those vitamin drink for chicks are the best thing for turkeys and if they have been drinking them routinely for a couple weeks they could have vitamin poisoning.

Fresh water clean water at a moderating warm temp - 75 or so (cold water pulls downt heir internal temp), clean food and TLC and hands on attn are pretty much the key to raising them.

I have a Broad Breasted Bronze hen who is now 3 years old. She is healthy and active. She weighs over 50 lbs and can do anything the standards can do except fly to the top of the barn.

I am sorry this has happened but take this a very hard lesson in raising poults. They are hands on 24/7 work when it comes to making sure they eat and drink.

 

[BlueMoon]

The remaining poults are now a bit more than five weeks old. They are fine for the first month or so. The rapid drop off has been in the past week - ten days.

There were two adult hens (turkey, not chicken) hens taking care of them and as well as five adolescent poults.

I strongly believe they would have died in the first week if they were cold, hungry or dehydrated. Only one poult seemed underweight - all others have appeared to be fine. Again, the vast majority have died recently, taking out three of the adolescents with them. This is why I think there is something else going on.