Turkey Foot HELP!!

[Darthdame]

Hi. So I know about bumblefoot and how to treat it, but my neighbors had a turkey and she disappeared for a while and they moved. I guess they thought she died (she's free range and spends most of her time in my yard). Well I found her today in the woods on a nest. She only has 3 eggs and I don't think they're viable, but she came out to eat and she looks terrible!! One of her feet is swollen and black on top and I'm not sure if it's bumblefoot or not. I intend to soak it and see if that helps, but it looks like rot to me and I'm not sure of how to proceed other than that? She's really dirty so I cannot tell what's dirty and what's injury. She's shaking and ate a little and pooped. Her beak is black, but also I can't tell if that's dirty or not. She's clearly been broody so I think she's hungry and out of it. I will attach pics and a video. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MarlaMac]

I think you are on the right track. Getting her cleaned up and warm is a great start. From the pictures I cannot tell what is grime and what might be an injury.

You might need to break her from being broody - or you could candle her eggs and make sure there are not any growing poults in them before you stop her broodiness. If there are viable poults in the eggs, you can make her a nest and allow her to hatch if you so desire.

 

[Darthdame]

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it! I candled all three and didn't see anything inside. I haven't seen her in about a month so I'm assuming she went broody and has been on her nest since then. I'm grabbing everything i need right now while I'm out to treat her and hopefully get her back on the right track. She's so pitiful! It breaks my heart!

 

[Jesse Lee Turner]

From looks of things and your description, here's maybe what's going on:

Swollen joint with black band: Could be circulatory issues, less likely but a case of bumblefoot that could now be internal or systemic, early dry gangrene is also another far out possibility.

**Shaking, dull, dirty, not eating much: This screams dehydration, starvation, and possibly septicemia, which would tie back into circulation problems.

**Black beak/skin: Could be dirt, but also check for cyanosis (low oxygen from circulatory problems).

PRIORITY 1: Get her hydrated & assess circulation​

**Oral Electrolyte Flush​

Give her:

1 cup warm water
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp molasses or honey (raw honey is better. Or sugar if nothing else)

Give 1 - 2 teaspoons using syringe every 30 min for the first 2 hours if she's not drinking.

**ALWAYS water first before feeding or meds. Got to have the water on board first.

PRIORITY 2: Foot & leg exam (post-hydration)​

Soak her feet:

1. Warm water + Epsom salt for 20–30 min

2. Then pat dry, examine for anything like core plug or even abscess, (can sometimes go missed without close look)

3. If no plug, but black/dry skin band: suspect necrosis, (dead tissue), not surface infection.

After soaking:

** Apply povidone iodine (Betadine) diluted 1:3 with water
** Let dry
** Coat with honey (antibacterial + draws fluid) or Vetericyn if you’ve got it

PRIORITY 3: Start an oral antibiotic (if she's stable enough to swallow)​

Turkey with systemic signs & leg lesion = don't wait. Possibly something has worked its way to become systemic infection

Best options:

**Amoxicillin (crush tab)

• The dose is 13.1–17.4 mg of pure amoxicillin per kg of body weight, once daily, for 3 days.
• Mix with 1–2 mL water and syringe feed if necessary

OR if you can't get it, and if you’ve got it:

• Fish Mox or Bird Biotic (same drug)
• Continue for 3 days

If your lady is septic, only antibiotics will give her a shot. If you can't get oral into her, injectable Pen G is plan B, so long as you're good to go injecting.

NEXT THING:​

*Check if she's broody-stuck (sitting and wasting away) - if so, break broodiness with light, motion, and removing her from the nest. Get her gently up and moving.

*Check for flystrike under vent and feathers - shake out any shavings and bedding, look for larvae.

*Clean her up fully only once she’s stable. Do not fully bathe a cold or shaky bird.

Summary To-do List:​

1. Hydrate immediately (oral electrolytes)
2. Soak foot - examine closely
3. Apply antiseptic, consider necrosis vs infection
4. Start oral antibiotic ASAP
5. Remove nest, bring her into clean, dry, quiet isolation pen even

You saved her already by carefully observing her. With hydration, wound care, and real antibiotics - you’re giving her a real shot at pulling through in no time. Keep us posted.

 

[Darthdame]

From looks of things and your description, here's maybe what's going on:

Swollen joint with black band: Could be circulatory issues, less likely but a case of bumblefoot that could now be internal or systemic, early dry gangrene is also another far out possibility.

**Shaking, dull, dirty, not eating much: This screams dehydration, starvation, and possibly septicemia, which would tie back into circulation problems.

**Black beak/skin: Could be dirt, but also check for cyanosis (low oxygen from circulatory problems).

PRIORITY 1: Get her hydrated & assess circulation​

**Oral Electrolyte Flush​

Give her:

1 cup warm water
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp molasses or honey (raw honey is better. Or sugar if nothing else)

Give 1 - 2 teaspoons using syringe every 30 min for the first 2 hours if she's not drinking.

**ALWAYS water first before feeding or meds. Got to have the water on board first.

PRIORITY 2: Foot & leg exam (post-hydration)​

Soak her feet:

1. Warm water + Epsom salt for 20–30 min

2. Then pat dry, examine for anything like core plug or even abscess, (can sometimes go missed without close look)

3. If no plug, but black/dry skin band: suspect necrosis, (dead tissue), not surface infection.

After soaking:

** Apply povidone iodine (Betadine) diluted 1:3 with water
** Let dry
** Coat with honey (antibacterial + draws fluid) or Vetericyn if you’ve got it

PRIORITY 3: Start an oral antibiotic (if she's stable enough to swallow)​

Turkey with systemic signs & leg lesion = don't wait. Possibly something has worked its way to become systemic infection

Best options:

**Amoxicillin (crush tab)

• The dose is 13.1–17.4 mg of pure amoxicillin per kg of body weight, once daily, for 3 days.
• Mix with 1–2 mL water and syringe feed if necessary

OR if you can't get it, and if you’ve got it:

• Fish Mox or Bird Biotic (same drug)
• Continue for 3 days

If your lady is septic, only antibiotics will give her a shot. If you can't get oral into her, injectable Pen G is plan B, so long as you're good to go injecting.

NEXT THING:​

*Check if she's broody-stuck (sitting and wasting away) - if so, break broodiness with light, motion, and removing her from the nest. Get her gently up and moving.

*Check for flystrike under vent and feathers - shake out any shavings and bedding, look for larvae.

*Clean her up fully only once she’s stable. Do not fully bathe a cold or shaky bird.

Summary To-do List:​

1. Hydrate immediately (oral electrolytes)
2. Soak foot - examine closely
3. Apply antiseptic, consider necrosis vs infection
4. Start oral antibiotic ASAP
5. Remove nest, bring her into clean, dry, quiet isolation pen even

You saved her already by carefully observing her. With hydration, wound care, and real antibiotics - you’re giving her a real shot at pulling through in no time. Keep us posted.

Omg thank you so much for this!!! You're the best!! I really appreciate it! I definitely will. The only thing I don't have are antibiotics. Aren't they both with prescription now? The only thing I have is Ivermectin, but I don't think that will help with anything. Any idea how to get them? I have an extra large dog kennel. Can I bring her in and put her in that to care for her? I'm not sure where else to keep her. She was on her nest when I left, but I'm going to take her off of it when I get home.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of her feet is swollen and black on top and I'm not sure if it's bumblefoot or not. I intend to soak it and see if that helps, but it looks like rot to me and I'm not sure of how to proceed other than that? She's really dirty so I cannot tell what's dirty and what's injury. She's shaking and ate a little and pooped. Her beak is black, but also I can't tell if that's dirty or not. She's clearly been broody so I think she's hungry and out of it.

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it! I candled all three and didn't see anything inside. I haven't seen her in about a month so I'm assuming she went broody and has been on her nest since then. I'm grabbing everything i need right now while I'm out to treat her and hopefully get her back on the right track. She's so pitiful! It breaks my heart!

Omg thank you so much for this!!! You're the best!! I really appreciate it! I definitely will. The only thing I don't have are antibiotics. Aren't they both with prescription now? The only thing I have is Ivermectin, but I don't think that will help with anything. Any idea how to get them? I have an extra large dog kennel. Can I bring her in and put her in that to care for her? I'm not sure where else to keep her. She was on her nest when I left, but I'm going to take her off of it when I get home.

Welcome To BYC

When you get her cleaned up, can you please post photos of her foot so we can see it better?

Yes, I would crate her and keep her in an area that is around 70-75F.

If you bath her, dry her well, use a hairdryer on low.

Take note if she has lice/mites while you are cleaning her up.

Hopefully the foot injury is fairly minor and will heal quickly.

Give the foot a good cleaning with Chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) or Saline. Once dried, apply a thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment.

What do you have to feed her? Ideally Gamebird feed, but you can feed her some chicken feed if that's what you have. A bit of scrambled egg for extra protein.

She's probably dehydrated and has not been eating well since she's been broody and her owners moved.

Hopefully she'll perk up with some warmth, a cleanup and food/hydration. Get photos of her poop if possible.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[casportpony]

Omg thank you so much for this!!! You're the best!! I really appreciate it! I definitely will. The only thing I don't have are antibiotics. Aren't they both with prescription now? The only thing I have is Ivermectin, but I don't think that will help with anything. Any idea how to get them? I have an extra large dog kennel. Can I bring her in and put her in that to care for her? I'm not sure where else to keep her. She was on her nest when I left, but I'm going to take her off of it when I get home.

I think a dog kennel is a great idea.

 

[casportpony]

**Amoxicillin (crush tab)

• The dose is 13.1–17.4 mg of pure amoxicillin per kg of body weight, once daily, for 3 days.

The most common amoxicillin dose for poultry is 125 mg per kg of body weight twice a day for 7-10 days.

 

[Darthdame]

Hey, guys. She didn't make it. Her entire right wing was necrotic and so was her foot and she had a spot on her chest as well. I guess the one on her chest affected her heart. Thank you all so much for your advice. I really hate what happened and wish I had found her sooner. She was the best girl. Thank y'all for being kind and helping me out. I appreciate you more than you know.