Turkey keeps flipping on to his back.

[sunrise.superman]

Maybe something he ate that's sticking with him? An old piece of lead metal or something? Cattle get what is termed hardware disease here...which is just that they ate something metal while grazing and end up carrying it around. Doesn't cause trouble if it's not lead or something toxic and it stays lying still. They feed them magnets to keep it all in the bottom of the gut and not causing trouble. Don't know if he could eat something like that and have it stick with him?

Can you change the water to something that can't be pooped in by other wildlife? Just to rule it out?

Use a more potable source of water as a test to see if that helps? It could take many weeks of that though to see a difference if something has built up in his system and his body has to clear it if it can.

I hope he improves for you.

 

[Fairview01]

Is his companion a hen or tom? Large male poultry have a hard time righting themselves once flipped over on their back. 0nce on their back for any length of time they will suffocate. Big cocks that get in a scrap attempt to flip their opponent on their back.

 

[Le Moth]

Is his companion a hen or tom? Large male poultry have a hard time righting themselves once flipped over on their back. 0nce on their back for any length of time they will suffocate. Big cocks that get in a scrap attempt to flip their opponent on their back.

His companion is a year old boy.

 

[Le Moth]

Maybe something he ate that's sticking with him? An old piece of lead metal or something? Cattle get what is termed hardware disease here...which is just that they ate something metal while grazing and end up carrying it around. Doesn't cause trouble if it's not lead or something toxic and it stays lying still. They feed them magnets to keep it all in the bottom of the gut and not causing trouble. Don't know if he could eat something like that and have it stick with him?

Can you change the water to something that can't be pooped in by other wildlife? Just to rule it out?

Use a more potable source of water as a test to see if that helps? It could take many weeks of that though to see a difference if something has built up in his system and his body has to clear it if it can.

I hope he improves for you.

I don't know how to keep the Sparrows out of the water. I considered a nipple but he is a very particular bird and not terribly smart if compared to his companion. In the past if his companion takes his particular spot on the roost he doesn't jump up on it and stays on the ground.
He has in the past occasionally displayed the circling but never lost his balance and only did that when over stimulated, nothing like now.

 

[sunrise.superman]

Ah, so he's been having issues for a while then, just not to the point of seizures and losing his balance? So could be something congenital or an old brain injury or....and just now progressing perhapa? To the point of being noticeable to you and more challenging for him to cope? Definitely a mystery unfortunately.

 

[sourland]

@R2elk , do you have any ideas about this ?

 

[Le Moth]

Ah, so he's been having issues for a while then, just not to the point of seizures and losing his balance? So could be something congenital or an old brain injury or....and just now progressing perhapa? To the point of being noticeable to you and more challenging for him to cope? Definitely a mystery unfortunately.

I did wonder that a little, he had a rough start to life, his mum (a wild turkey) was inexperienced and left her day old brood behind to go eat. A flock of toms came through and killed them. Brittany was the sole survivor with no apparant injuries, except he could not walk (that may have saved his life). His legs seemed weak, i assumed he hatched like that as he was a distance away from his dead siblings. He was up and walking within a few days.
The circling and just being a general weirdo only appeared when he was 2, other than that he was a normal poult.

 

[Le Moth]

Okay, I just finished talking to the vet, good news and bad news.

Good news, we know what it is.
Bad news, it's a definite brain injury and there is nothing more that can be done for him except waiting.

The vet reccomended keeping as close a eye as possible on him, since he recovers between episodes and he may or may not get better in a few months.

He is currently strutting about as if nothing is happening though. So I guess as long as he has some quality of life between episodes I will remain hopefull and give him a chance.

 

[sunrise.superman]

Poor guy. :-( Might sound weird, but maybe try CBD oil if you can get it. Helps w seizures in people that have brain abnormalities and injuries.

 

[Losobug]

I have a 15 year old dachshund that started having seizures at 7 years old. She takes doc Ackermans anti seizure powder and I give her taurine powder to keep her brain healthy through the episodes. She is still totally with it brain wise and health. She was still having occasional seizures until I started her on melatonin at night. It has been at least 6 months with no seizures, not one after melatonin..keeping my fingers crossed for her and your turkey.