It truly is a full time job, at times! Oh, Lord! Crop problems? I did have turkeys a long time ago and one had it really bad. I sure hope I don't have that from any of them! I'm curious, do you happen to know what causes them to get egg bound? I just checked out Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens from the library. Finding the time to read it will be another issue! lol Maybe I'll do that during lock down to keep myself busy and not go insane! Oh, I don't know if I mentioned that I am currently incubating some eggs from my hens? I've never done that before. I've been so stressed and anxious! lol My family says I create my own Hell?! I think they're right!
Typical overreactive mother, there was nothing wrong with their crops, they are just little piggies. Tried to show my hubby and they were just fine. On the way out to them, he said, "maybe it was the bread I gave them." I hope we don't have a repeat of what happened with our first dog - she went from 90lbs to 115lbs because we were both giving her treats. We may have to put a notepad near the coop to leave msgs. when we feed them, lol!
Storey's Guide is awesome, I got one cheap from Amazon for Christmas, and yes, it takes FOREVER to read. Put it this way, I had to fast forward to the chickie chapter in March and I had started reading it when I got it! Egg bound sounds bad but solvable in an icky way if bad. Soaking their butt in warm water, and lubing their chute with vaseline if that doesn't work, etc.
Update on the turkeys:
THEY'RE ALIVE! Figuring I had nothing left to lose on the turkeys last night, I put a gob of vaporub under each of their wings and this morning they were WALKING AROUND! Only for a second, but still, WOW! Last night talking to hubbie on phone while he was at work, we decided we were going to cull them today, so I was not looking forward to checking on them. Imagine my surprise! Well I got busy and cleaned up everything, wanting them to have a fresh start, and set about doctoring them as usual. Boy did they get fiesty! One jumped out of the basket and I had to chase it around the bathroom - I don't think he was looking for "death's door"! I took a cotton ball moistened with hot water and scrubbed their nasty faces and beaks, they all liked it except for the one I nearly drowned because I didn't squeeze enough water out of the cotton
but he forgave me and ATE some egg/catfood/codliver oil mash from my finger. I decided they were big enough to try a little pine shavings in their tub, and of course the little boogers who ignore everything and haven't eaten in 48hrs decided it looked like food
I only put them in the back though, and their food and water up front, and after I left them alone a few minutes they figured it out and they started eating mash instead. Looks like Thanksgiving dinner may be at my house after all, lol!
By 11 am the turkeys had eaten all the food put out for them! admittedly, it was a puny amount, but still,
they licked the plate clean! All of them getting around occasionally, still nowhere near as perky as chicks, and only one still has me real concerned. One doesn't seem to be able to walk well: instead of standing completely up, it kinda crawls and falls over alot. I messed with him and stood him up, examined his feet, toes, joints, etc. and he did take a step or two then he was down and scooting again. I'm hoping he is just weak. These turks are almost as big as light bulbs but their legs are so skinny - they prolly just can't hold him up. I added Sav-a-Chik to the Sulmet water today, figuring they needed electrolytes as bad as drugs.
The guineas need to learn that birds take dust baths and they need to stay out of their water dish. It's just the lid from a spice jar, and I'm going to buy them a proper waterer today - afraid they'll drown and tired of refilling it every hour. I keep it surrounded with wet food and they just love eating in the pool.
You can put marbles or rocks in the waterer (even a bigger one). You would still be cleaning it though. I'd get like a rabbit or hamster waterer, if not the chicken nipples everyone seems to like. You can make your own waterer out of them and the best part---they can't poop in water!
update: well they all got better for a day, lame one too, then he died
but now the other 2 are wild little beasts who seem perfectly healthy. one has jumped out of the brooder box 2 times: first he landed in the basket of rags I use to hold them, today he was pecking on the bathroom door trying to get out, so tonight I'm hiding my car keys just in case
got a proper waterer for the guineas and put marbles in it : they like sleeping on them - so much for keeping them out of the water,lol! once the turkeys perked up, I took the calculator rolls out of their waterer - they learned to stop sleeping in their water like good birdies should. I finally got around to reading some turkey basics (now that no one is dying) and figured out why they kept running into the walls - apparently they can't see too good for the first few weeks. Anyway, since both turkeys and guineas seem to freak out whenever we enter the bathroom where their tubs are kept, I made them little lean-to's that they can hide in - careful that they can't use them as exit ramps - and they are much happier. in fact, there are 2 guineas that will consent to look at me when my hand is in their tub
Sorry about your loss, but glad the other two are okay. I didn't know about their sight. I had gotten mine when they were older. Learn something new everyday!
