"Sleepy eyes" turkey chicks. HELP!

[Ecrewe]

I have 10, sweet, 4 wk old turkey chicks. All seemed to be going well until, a week ago, the turkey's eyes started to look 'sleepy'. On a closer inspection i saw that the skin around the eye was thick and orange, causeing their eyes to close. At first i thought they had a respiratory infection, but after more than 5 days there is still no nasal discharge or foul odour. Today i noticed the skin around their mouth was also thickening and their wings hang lower than they should. However, they are eating and drinking fine, chirping continuously ect.
I have searched AND searched, but to no avail! Please help me figure out why my chicks eyes are barley open.
Prehaps the food i am feeding is incorrect: because i live in africa, i cannot by food especially for turkeys, so i have been feeding them the same food as my chicks ( 4 boiled eggs a day with millet seed and chopped green weeds + fruit/veg scraps).
But other than that I think i am doing everything right. The chicks live inside under a brooder light with fresh water ( with garlic, probiotics and thyme in it) and little stress.
THANK YOU!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there a strong ammonia odor in their brooder from droppings? What type of bedding are you using? Does it have a strong odor? Cedar shavings which are used with other animals is irritating to birds. I would rinse their eyes with saline. Saline can be made in the kitchen if not available, but usually found in pharmacies in the contact lens or cold medicina. Look for any drainage or pus in the eyes. Mycoplasma or MG is common in chickens and turkeys, and can cause conjunctivitis among other symptoms. Make sure they are warm enough, but not too warm, and have plenty of freah air circulaion without direct drafts.

 

[Ecrewe]

Hi Eggceasive

Thank you for taking the time to reply- I really appreciate it!
The brooder has a plastic mesh floor so most of the droppings fall to a tray below which I change often. They do have some wheat straw sprinkles around on the floor.
There doesn't seem to be any bubbles in their eyes and there's no runny discharge. The conjunctivitis looks like yellow flakes which stick the way together- some of it does come off when I rinse with saline, but the eyes do not open much more. It seems to me like a case of eyelid inflammation. I just don't know what could be causing it!?

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like they are forming crusts of their eye drainage. It sounds like early MG or mycoplasma. I would get some Tylan 50 injectable (or Tylan 200 if that is all that is available) at your feed store with 3 ml syringes and 20 gauge needles. This can be given orally twice a day for 5 days at 0.2 ml per pound. I would not give injections to chicks, just orally. Tylan 200 is more expensive and 4 times as strong.
Also I would clean their eyes twice a day, and most feed stores sell Terramycin eye ointment which would be good to use in the eyes twice a day. If you don't use the Tylan antibiotic, I would at least use the Terramycin ointment. Make sure they are drinking plenty of water or give them some a drop at a time with a dropper or spoon. Sick birds may need more warmth than usual so they don't chill.

 

[Ecrewe]

I don't think they sell Tylan in South Africa. But I did give my turkeys Doxyclip 50%, on the packaging it refers to the treatment of bacterial respiratory and gastrointestinal problems- do you think this will help with MG?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, doxicip 50 is tetracycline, another drug that is used to treat MG and other respiratory diseases. Are they drinking fluids and getting along okay?

 

[Ecrewe]

Hi eggcessive

Thank you sooooo much for taking the time to help. Yes, my turkeys are behaving normally, save for the odd crash into the walls ( poor things, they still can't see properly). Do you have any idea how or why they would get it?

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm glad they are okay and hopefully they will tolerate the infection and get better soon. If they have MG, and not some other problem, it can be spread through hatching eggs or from carrier birds, infected dust and bedding, or even from wild birds around feeders and waterers. If you have ever seen a respiratory disease in your flock, it can spread later, long after they have recovered since they remain and make other birds carriers. I will send some more info on MG when I get back to my computer. It might be good to get some testing if any others show symptoms. If you are seeing no other symptoms but the irritated or closed eyes, then it may be an irritant such as ammonia or dust affecting their eyes. MG usually at least causes watery, foamy eyes, nasal secretions, and noisy breathing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good article about how ammonia in the coop can affect the eyes and breathing:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/ammonia-burn

Here are some links to read about MG in poultry:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...tion-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens/
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-infection-in-poultry

Here are some links that may help you contact someone to get them tested in your state:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm