Suggestions please - baby turkey with one eye closed

[Melody052008]

I have a week old baby that has an eye closed. It's not crusty or anything, didn't look bad until last night. I noticed it's a just a tad swollen in the bottom lid. I'm guessing it's a little infection in it. I have two other babys and they are doing fine, one runs around like a lttle fire ball. This little one with the eye shut seems to sleep a little more. Please, this is our first batch, should have had more but learned a lot with this batch as far as what to do and what not to do. Is there something I can easily do or get around home. I have not tried to open it, did just a little this morning before work but she did not like it so I put her down. Suggestions what I can get?? I wanted to take her to the vet Friday morning for I have that day off, but don't want to take her away from the heat.??
Thank you.
Mel

 

[chicmom]

Hi Melody,

There's a little tube of eye ointment that you can get from the farm store, that works on all farm animals eyes. I truly forget the name, but it's in a small tube. You could try that.

If you can't get to the farm store, maybe you could just apply a warm, wet wash cloth to the eye and hold it there a bit. (I'm sure the poult will probably wiggle alot though.) The warm water might loosten up the sticky stuff that's holding the eye shut.

Sharon

 

[Melody052008]

Thanks so much, I'll check into it. We need to go there anyway for my husband bought wild game feed and not "starter" feed. We have chick starter feed but someone told us it's not the same, but all I have right now.
Again, thank you. I don't want to loose this one. We had 11 eggs, first time doing an incubator, friend of ours came across this nest, scared the hen and he took the eggs. He told us the hen usually don't come back but then told by others that she just might have. All new to us. Anyway, when the first three hatched, I rushed home and took pictures, had the lid off the incubator for a little bit so then I learned about what shrinkwrap was. We still have the eggs, having hope for I didn't think I had the lid off that long, but they have not moved and think we are getting rid of them tonight. I feel like an idiot, but I didn't know. Thanks so much for getting back to me.
Melody

 

[Melody052008]

Thank you again, farm store don't have any, found it on e-bay and doing the one day shipping so at least I have something coming.
Have a good day.
Melody

 

[chicmom]

Hello again!

Oh, yes, the hen would have returned. Don't beat yourself up though, you did your best. Incubation is really a learning process. So these are wild turkeys? It may or may not be legal to keep them in your area, so just kind of keep it on the down low.

I've had two domestic turkeys and I just loved raising them. My husband didn't like the Tom, but I loved him. He was a beautiful Royal Palm, and my hen was a Blue Slate. I just got lucky to have one male and one female. They're so different from chickens.

I re-homed them because the turkey didn't like ANY roosters, and I couldn't have that because I love chickens. I sold them to a boy who was participating in 4H.

Well, take care and enjoy those little poults! I sure hope your little one with the bad eye recovers,
Sharon

 

[Melody052008]

Yes, they are wild turkeys. I believe it's ok; the friend that gave them to us has done this numerous times and didn't want to deal with them again. He's a good friend to a DNR guy here so I'm sure he's right about that anyway. I kinda wondered, thought when he said that about the hen not returning she might have. Plus this other lady that has been helping me mentioned the same thing. Oh well, now I know but wasn't there when he picked them up.
I seen a couple websites where you could order some neat different colored turkeys, but we actually had 4 babies at the beginning and lost one, now down to these three and I'm worried about this one with the bad eye; so making me 2nd guess wanting to do this again.
I love chickens too, we have some, going on three years and they still lay pretty good. I have 3-4 that are my favorite for they like being held and stuff. We were told too though that we shouldn't put turkeys in with my chickens so was thinking about getting rid of a few. My chickens have been all taken care of and vaccinatied so not sure why. Might give some to a neighbor that lost all his (didn't put some in at night in time so fox or something got them) so.... don't know. Anyway, nice chatting with you and thank you for the suggestion. I hope this little one makes it too.
Melody