Turkey had weird sack around heart

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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That is really interesting... and you might have something there. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6743362

Very cool. Things that make me go, hmmmmm.....

thank you for the link!

 

[flocksalot]

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Sorry but I have no pics. My camera is still packed away somewhere in limbo land. Sold our home, building on our farm, meanwhile living in a tiny apt with most of our belongings in storage. Believe me I've looked everywhere for it, but it seems to have disappeared during the move. My phone takes the most awful pics that are not even recognizable as to subject. I've tried that when I questioned the hernia, as that I've never seen on a turkey either. I should have kept at least the heart in the fridge, but we are limited for space there too. I think I will let the hatchery know about the weirdness just in case there are more. They may want to consider getting in some new stock. I'm really surprised that he survived and fared as well as he did with all the strange things he had going on. He was by far the largest tom. I think the others are around 35lbs, but that is undressed. They will stick around until purchased or we get hungry.

I'm not sure that the hatchery would even entertain the idea of a double yoker, but stranger things have been known to happen. I guess it's always a possibility, but I'm leaning towards some type of genetic mishap. I had more turkeys with black feathers poking out hear and there and many of them have blue or half blue eyes this year. Eva one of my girls has a black primary feather on each wing and on blue eye and one half blue eye. She's also in love with my husband and he pays her no attention poor girl. Every time she sees him on the roof she turks for him to come down. She gets so upset she goes into the house looking for a way to get to him. I would keep her, Gracie and Big Boy if I could. TT was a cool turkey to have around and I enjoyed him while he was here. Thankfully I still have 20 birds left to play around with for at least another few weeks. I miss having turkeys all winter and look forward to the day when I have a permanant winter coop for them.

 

[flocksalot]

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That is really interesting... and you might have something there. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6743362

Definantely could be a possibility. I'm starting to think I should have taken him to the university for them to study. I just have a hard time throwing away perfectly good meat. I think I better at least let the hatchery know about it. Replacement stock would be my first suggestion. He did have a grest personality though and from what I've come across that is genetic. I have another tom that I will be butchering soon as he also appears to have a heart condition. He is always gasping and appears to not get enough oxygen. I've treated him for gape worm to no avail, and from what I see it appears that he has heart trouble. He still runs around eats/drinks and professes that he's gonna fight the other toms. It's just that once the fight starts he looses quickly due to gasping for air. Most often I can get him settled down and away from the other boys. I'm wondering what his heart will look like? Also wondering if they have the same genetics?

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Quote:
That is really interesting... and you might have something there. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6743362

Definantely could be a possibility. I'm starting to think I should have taken him to the university for them to study. I just have a hard time throwing away perfectly good meat. I think I better at least let the hatchery know about it. Replacement stock would be my first suggestion. He did have a grest personality though and from what I've come across that is genetic. I have another tom that I will be butchering soon as he also appears to have a heart condition. He is always gasping and appears to not get enough oxygen. I've treated him for gape worm to no avail, and from what I see it appears that he has heart trouble. He still runs around eats/drinks and professes that he's gonna fight the other toms. It's just that once the fight starts he looses quickly due to gasping for air. Most often I can get him settled down and away from the other boys. I'm wondering what his heart will look like? Also wondering if they have the same genetics?

I wonder if they could be related?

Might be worth a call to the university anyways, any tissue sample can provide genetic study. do you have any of the entrail or blood waste you could scoop up and freeze for them? Skin? Feet?

 

[flocksalot]

6chickens in St. Charles :

Quote:
Definantely could be a possibility. I'm starting to think I should have taken him to the university for them to study. I just have a hard time throwing away perfectly good meat. I think I better at least let the hatchery know about it. Replacement stock would be my first suggestion. He did have a grest personality though and from what I've come across that is genetic. I have another tom that I will be butchering soon as he also appears to have a heart condition. He is always gasping and appears to not get enough oxygen. I've treated him for gape worm to no avail, and from what I see it appears that he has heart trouble. He still runs around eats/drinks and professes that he's gonna fight the other toms. It's just that once the fight starts he looses quickly due to gasping for air. Most often I can get him settled down and away from the other boys. I'm wondering what his heart will look like? Also wondering if they have the same genetics?

I wonder if they could be related?

Might be worth a call to the university anyways, any tissue sample can provide genetic study. do you have any of the entrail or blood waste you could scoop up and freeze for them? Skin? Feet?​

I buried everything yesterday. I'm not sure I want to dig it up at this point as the temps have been around 80 degrees and I'm leary of what I may find. I also dumped a bunch of rotten tomatoes and some chicken poop in the hole. That seems to keep the coyotes and coons away. Even the rats are hesitant to dig up that mess. I could give them a wing I guess, but I think that there is cellular damage if you freeze them. I will give them a call tomorrow. Now I just hope they will take it in Madison as I have no interest in running over to Milwaukee area. I'm really not even sure where they work with turkeys through the university. I know they do chickens near us though so I will see.