Turkey disease people...help please.

[Lagerdogger]

Dear online diagnosticians.

I have two turkeys that are doing less well than they should. Any advice is helpful as I am woefully ignorant in the disease area.

Turkey 1, Narragansett tom. He has a deep purple head, very runny, almost liquid, green stool. Lethargic, loss of appetite but still drinks. Often holds his head tucked very close to the base of his neck. No apparent breathing issues. I will post a photo this afternoon if I can.

Turkey 2. Bourbon Red hen. This turkey apparently suffered from vitamin deficincies earlier this year. Recovered fully. Now is lethargic and not eating well. Skin color is good. Stool is somewhat runny with lots of white mucus.

Both birds are 27 weeks old and are separated from the rest of the flock.

Some of our chickens had some mild dry pox about a month ago. I doubt this is related, but someone else may know better.

There is also a bronze hen that has slightly darkened skin but otherwise appears healthy.

12 birds scheduled for butchering in 12 days. I'm wondering if I should do it now before anyone else gets sick.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

On turkey #1 does the head have this color purple?

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203402.htm

Steve

 

[Lagerdogger]

The turkeys purple head is similar, sort of. I would say that the purple I am seeing is darker. There is definitely no sign of swelling of the sinuses, although I understand that does not rule out your suggestion. Droppings of both birds are now very runny and mucousy. Green, not yellow. The Narragansett is showing a little more energy, but still not eating, the bourbon red is showing less energy but does not have the purple head.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Basicly you have two options cull or treat, for those 2. I'm guessing the rest are ok still?

If you treat I would use Tylan powder in the water. If they aren't eating they aren't going to last much longer. See if they will eat some hardboiled eggs.

Steve

 

[Lagerdogger]

I couldn't get either one to eat anything. Not even hand-fed eggs. Yesterday, the narragansett showed enough energy that I felt compelled to let itout of the dog kennel hospital. It wandered around a little then flew back into the turkey pen. This was encouraging. It also flew on to a roost and onto a gate. It also started eating again, and the skin color is getting more normal. So I left in in the pen and assume it is getting better.

I will probably cull the BR tonight though. It hasn't eaten in four days. Its very thirsty, but will only drink out of a running hose or dripping faucet. It will not touch a watering trough or bowl.

One interesting note is that both of these birds have previous health issues. The bourbon red suffered from a vitamin deficiency and ended up with a severely twisted neck for about a week, then recovered with diet supplements. The narragansett has a crooked toe that may also have resulted from nutrition issues. I wonder if both of these birds were susceptible to whatever they got because they have nutritional requirements not being met with their feed and range?