turkey death

[cricketsfarm]

I noticed my turkey was resting in the corner a lot one day. I went in and he got up and walked away. The next day I went in and he didn't move right away. He was slow and his poop was dark green with a portion of yellow. The next day he wouldn't get up at all and died that day. The other turkeys have light brown poop with a portion of yellow.
Is the poop color a sign of some type of sickness and which one? (red bourbons)
None have eaten grass. All feed. Game feed starter and corn.
Thanks for your opinions and advice.

 

[Frosty]

Do you still have the turkey that died? If you do, you might want to open it up and check the liver. There have been a few folks here lately with blackhead in their turkeys and peafowl. If that is what you are dealing with, you'll need to start treating the rest ASAP. Some of the symptoms (though somebody here had birds die that weren't showing all of the symptoms) are lethargy, not wanting to eat, ruffled feathers, and sulphur yellow poo. When you see yellow in the poo, it's usually an indicator that something is going on with the liver. Blackhead (histomoniasis) does affect the liver.

I hope your turkeys are ok!

 

[cricketsfarm]

does that spread to chickens? How is it spread?
gosh! I bought the turkeys from someone else. Have had them for about 5 weeks.

 

[chicmom]

Are you raising them with chickens? The reason I ask, is because in some areas of the USA, chickens are carriers of blackhead disease, that turkeys cannot tolerate. I've read where, if you give them Fish Zole, (which you can buy at an aquarium pet shop), that works well in treating the blackhead disease, which is a protozoa. (I'm not a scientist...or lab person, so I'm doing my best to explain.)

Also, putting cayenne powder in their food will help with that too.

Good luck to you, I'm sure other, more knowledgeble turkey people will come along.

Sharon

 

[Frosty]

Fish Zole is the antibiotic Metronidazole, and yes that is what is used to treat Black head (Histomoniasis). It's more of a concern for turkeys, chickens can have it and not show symptoms. If that is what you are dealing with, a regular worming schedule will help (for both chickens and turkeys).

You will read in a lot of places that you shouldn't raise turkeys where there are chickens or where chickens have been in the last several years. Histomoniasis it the major reason they say that. That being said, a lot of us here raise chickens and turkeys, in many cases together. Most of us never have problems, but some people do. It can also be spread by earthworms eating infested fecal matter, then another bird eats the infested worm. I have no personal experience with it, so can only offer information that I have read somewhere else.