turkey makes a slurping noise - normal?

[junkprospector]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC9TCOZnOFg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

i recorded him making the noise. it sounds mostly like a slurp. he doesn't do it all the time - mostly when he is not strutting. is this a normal turkey noise? or does he have some kind of a respritory thing going on?

 

[Celie]

Looks and sounds like he is sneezing to me, but I could be wrong. I have raised a few hundred turkeys and have never heard this sound coming from any of them. It does sound sort of like the high pitch tweet of a very young poult, but not exactly!

 

[junkprospector]

hmmmm - the fact that you've never heard that sound worries me a little. He's not lethargic or anything like that, still gobbles and struts and has normal turkey behavior, coloration is good, etc.... so maybe i'll just keep an eye on him. Thanks for the feedback though

 

[junkprospector]

i was talking to some friends - i think the sneezing may be caused by some severe smoke from all the forrest fires around Boise. visibility is maybe 3/4 of a mile here, severe smoke and super poor air quality... i bet this could cause the sneezing and his gobble is weaker this afternoon. Just as a precautionary measure, i'm going to put some ACV in their water...

 

[junkprospector]

OK - so the smoke has cleared out and the turkey has been on ACV for a few days now, but still making the same slurping noise. Does anybody have some recommendations? Should i let it ride - maybe its just part of his charming personallity? Should i get him on some type of antibiotic? Do turkeys get colds, like he's just sneezing or something? if so and its viral, you just have to let it run its course, no?

Symptoms:

• Makes a 'slurping' / sneezing noise as captured in the video clip. I really don't know how else to classify the noise...
• He seems to be a little sleepier than normal.
• Still strutting
• Coloration is normal
• No shortness of breath
• Poops are normal.

 

[wafflechicken]

I have no help for you but I'm so glad you ave the update. I have a hen that's not quite as reliably wheezing as your tom but is still gurgling.

Like yours he poop is normal colored, she's eating fine. She seems a little lethargic but it's been hot so it's tough to say.

I hope for both our sakes someone has some info.

Good luck.

 

[Celie]

A lot of allergies seem to be going around with turkeys this year and can go into Sinusitis, so watch for any swelling that can go into an infection. Good luck and let us know how it turns out? You can find recommended medications and dosages here on BYC In Forum: Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures I personally would use Tylan if infection occurs, but I am no expert on meds. Maybe KuntryGirl or Arielle will chime in for that!

 

[junkprospector]

yeah, thats what i'm hoping for... a little feedback from them would be excellent.
I've been keeping an eye out for swelling around the eye and sinus cavity, discharge around the nasal passages, etc - but so far none of that.... it sounds like tylan is a good thing to have on hand - IF he begins tylan and then dies while receiving treatment, is he safe to eat?

I just want to know - the whole point of raising him is to eat him and at about 30 lbs i could butcher him and have a nice thanksgiving turkey in the freezer...if the tylan treatment results in an unedible turkey in the instance that he does die in the course of treatement, i think i'd just let him try to fight it off and if things get too bad, butcher him early...

 

[junkprospector]

Just an update - in case others have a turkey making this noise. I think it was a respritory infection of tsomething. i started to give tereacyclene (sp?) - he's at day 9 of 10 in the treatment and sounding and looking ALOT better. WAY more lively and chipper, strutting, etc. much more turkey-ish behavior.