Poults keep flipping over and cant stand up.

[aukuma]

I've been hatching turkey poults and the last two to hatch have been flipping over onto their backs and dont seem to be able to actually stand and walk. They seem completely fine otherwise. I culled the first one for doing this, now have the second one.

Is there a reason this is happening? I have raised poults before and never had so much trouble.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[kuntrygirl]

People will tell you all kinds of different reasons as to why they are flipping over. I personally don't think that anyone really knows. Some people will tell you that it's an unhealthy poult, other people will tell you it's their genetic make up, some people say that they are weak and they probably are, blah, blah, blah. My non-professional, non-scientific thoughts are that they are just clumsy and can't stand up straight. Kinda like a baby learning how to walk. A baby will try to walk and fall down and may need help getting back up. That is the best way that I can describe it.

I have had several poults do the same thing when first hatched but were fine after that. Some people do cull them but I don't. I work with them but that's just me.

Here is a link to a thread that I created in 2010 about FOS (Flip Over Syndrome).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-syndrome-f-o-s-my-experience-and-what-i-did

I had "flippers" for one year (in 2010) and no more after that. So, I'm not sure when the experts say it's in their genetic makeup that they are right because all of these birds are from the same blood line. So, how could the flipping just stop and have not happened for almost 3 years. Makes you go, "huh". But to each his own on the reasons they flip over and can't get up. I'm just using my first hand experience and knowledge from my own flock. Everyone will have a different experience.

BUT if you are a professional breeder, you may want to cull the flippers if you think it will affect the birds that you sell. It's up to you.

 

[aukuma]

Thank you KuntryGirl...the second chick took care of itself and passed away this morning. These are the first eggs to hatch from the batch of Turkeys I hatched last year. Could be that they were just born weak. I'll keep an eye on the others when they hatch.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you KuntryGirl...the second chick took care of itself and passed away this morning. These are the first eggs to hatch from the batch of Turkeys I hatched last year. Could be that they were just born weak. I'll keep an eye on the others when they hatch. 

Sorry to hear that. And yes, you are right, they were the weak ones which is why you will hear a lot of turkey breeders say that they cull the flippers or the weak ones for breeding purposes. It's sad but that's nature. For your flipper to pass away, it must have been really weak.

However, on the other hand, like I mentioned, I had flippers in 2010 and no other problems after that. There were absolutely no problems after the flippers regained strength. They thrived and turned out to be the most beautiful turkeys. I see no weak turkeys in my flock at all.

Good Luck with your next hatch. Please keep us posted on if you have any other flippers.

 

[Lagerdogger]

I have had a few flippers as well. I don't know the cause. Kuntrygirl has gone to great extent to save her flippers and it has worked out well for her. Not knowing the cause, and keeping only two toms and a few hens every year, I want to have the best birds I can for breeding. So even if a flipper survives, I would use it for food, not breeding.

Admitting that I don't know, I tend to think it is related to poor development during incubation, perhaps resulting from incorrect temperature. I would love to be better educated by someone who knows more about this.

 

[Celie]

Me too Lagerdogger! I only had a couple since I have been raising turkeys, so I don't think it's genetic and I have a good incubator, but in 3 years and incubating hundreds of poults, I can remember only 2 flippers, but would love to know what causes it? I thought it might just be the occasional weak poult?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have had a few flippers as well.  I don't know the cause.  Kuntrygirl has gone to great extent to save her flippers and it has worked out well for her.  Not knowing the cause, and keeping only two toms and a few hens every year, I want to have the best birds I can for breeding.  So even if a flipper survives, I would use it for food, not breeding.

Admitting that I don't know, I tend to think it is related to poor development during incubation, perhaps resulting from incorrect temperature.  I would love to be better educated by someone who knows more about this.  

I don't know either and wish we knew.

The flippers that I had were hatched by their mom, so no incubator was used with them. So, I have no idea. I have heard people say genetics but they are not able to produce any "Flipper" studies. The flippers that I had, I was able to follow and document them throughout the years but none of them experienced any problems as far as sickness, illnesses, growth issues, etc. So, I'm at a lost. If you every find anything about the flippers, please post it so we may read more about it.

I know when I first saw my flippers, I looked and looked and looked EVERYWHERE on the internet and I could not find one single study, explanation, etc., so I gave up. :/

I would love to know more as well.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Me too Lagerdogger! I only had a couple since I have been raising turkeys, so I don't think it's genetic and I have a good incubator, but in 3 years and incubating  hundreds of poults, I can remember only 2 flippers, but would love to know what causes it? I thought it might just be the occasional weak poult? 

I agree with you Celie, I say it's the occasional weak poult. That's the only thing that I can come up with.

 

[Mike pig man]

First I cut the first one third out of an empty water bottle. Second I stick my hand in a child’s sock and put the turkey in my hand. Then I pull the sock over the turkey up to his neck and stick him in the bottle. This supports the turkey and he can exercise without falling over. I take it out a few times a day to test the progress ,feed and water it. Simple but it works. You can stand the bottle up or lay it down.

 

[Looking good]

Sorry to hear that. And yes, you are right, they were the weak ones which is why you will hear a lot of turkey breeders say that they cull the flippers or the weak ones for breeding purposes. It's sad but that's nature. For your flipper to pass away, it must have been really weak.

However, on the other hand, like I mentioned, I had flippers in 2010 and no other problems after that. There were absolutely no problems after the flippers regained strength. They thrived and turned out to be the most beautiful turkeys. I see no weak turkeys in my flock at all.

Good Luck with your next hatch. Please keep us posted on if you have any other flippers.

reading your reply about the bird flipping and not being able to stand up how long should it take them to finally be able to stand that I should not worry