Sad day for us.

[Leigti]

OK, I'm going to show how the new I am at this chicken thing. Is it true that birds can scare them selves to death? Was he so startled when he hit that thing that he just died? When my chicken suddenly died I asked around and the only answer I got was "sometimes they just do that". I don't think people want to spend the money it takes to get a necropsy done to find out the real cause. Are you going to get another turkey to keep her company? I'm sorry it might be too early to ask that.

 

[Turkey parents]

I might get my wife some heritage breeds. They tend to live longer. She's been wanting a chihuahua so I might call her grandparents in Mexico to see if they can pick one up but like you say it might just be too early. He was my wife's bird, and I'll admit I loved him too. I still have my hen but for how long who knows.

As far as scaring himself to death I don't know, it might be possible hadn't thought about that I figured with the way he dropped it had to be heart or brain related

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Birds are really good at hiding how they are feeling, in the world of turkeys if you look sick you are prone to attacks, so what seems healthy to us isn't always so, you hear about how people are having a heart attack but don't realize it until it's almost too late. I would assume that your turkey had a heart attack which is common in BB. I personally would take the Chihuahua and a few turkeys if I was your wife. Sorry for your turkey.

 

[Turkey parents]

Well the benefit and also the down side to living on a 550 acre Ranch is we have room but don't have room, we have 6 dogs, 5 cats, 6 chickens, a duck, a goose, 7 horses and 30 head of cattle and one turkey (left) so we don't really need very many more animals. Our turkeys are/were house birds especially on cold nights and sometimes during the summer as a treat

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's a lot of land, we have 40 acres. I think I have more animals than you, if I could I would send you some of my turkeys, the six I hatched this year have been the most obnoxious turkeys I have ever had. I'm still waiting for them to calm down. You must be able to ride or walk for hours to get from one end of your ranch to the other.

 

[Turkey parents]

We do, but with my adult on set asthma and several other health issues I'm not able to. Ranching has taken a toll on my body and firefighting more specifically the motor vehicle accidents took a toll on my mind. Though according to the doctors I don't have PTSD our turkeys have been great therapy for me. I'm starting to get my asthma under control so I can get back to logging, I love logging I love being outside and honestly never have been very good around people or in the city.

 

[Charlye]

Hi, So sorry about losing your turkey! I'm from southeastern NM, and I also raise some turkeys. In November one of them became ill, and if I had not looked closely at him, I might not have picked up on his state of health. They are tough survivors, and complain little. His eyes were the biggest hint that he was ill, then his body language, then when I picked him up, the gurgling sound, and head-tossing. I went through a week of trying to get him to the vet, and finally gave up and went to the local feed store and purchased an antibiotic (tetracycline) to put in his water. It has been almost three months, and he looks and acts healthy, but the gurgling has continued. He is still in the RV barn with a heat lamp. I only write this to you in hopes that in retrospect you might identify some small sign to give you a clue to his demise.
Again, I am sorry you lost him, it's always a downer to lose any of our bipedal feathered babies, raised from day-old hatchlings!

 

[Turkey parents]

The thing that really surprised us is that 5 minutes before he was strutting around, he even came and pressed himself against me while I started the fire he always did that when I was on the floor. He took his last breath with his head in my hand

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We do, but with my adult on set asthma and several other health issues I'm not able to. Ranching has taken a toll on my body and firefighting more specifically the motor vehicle accidents took a toll on my mind. Though according to the doctors I don't have PTSD our turkeys have been great therapy for me. I'm starting to get my asthma under control so I can get back to logging, I love logging I love being outside and honestly never have been very good around people or in the city.

We used to own a Dairy farm so understand at least some of your pain, if you are interested in hatching some poults Porters sells hatching egg, they will be so friendly you will have to peel them off. We are outside doing stuff too, I think you are born with the desire, others in my family are happy sitting in the house, we must keep doing stuff.

 

[Turkey parents]

this was my hen this morning. She jumped up on the bed and laid down on my pillow