Turkey not eating

auntphibian

Chirping
9 Years
Jul 20, 2014
65
4
91
Ashland City, TN
View attachment 1147091 Okay, my neighbor has a turkey under a year old. A little over a week ago, I was informed that he had Black head disease (diagnosed by my neighbor). He said he had yellow poop and he had stopped eating, but still drinking and still up and around.

Some background: He had this guy's brother, but recently rehomed him. He has one small pen and he keeps 3 goats (which are fairly new, turkey got sick after they arrived), many chickens, including 3 small chicks, a young goose and 1 guinea hen, yes being housed together. Being the bird person I am, I mixed a powder formula that included cayenne pepper and other good stuff (having cared for a sick bird for 15 months in the past) and started syringe feeding him, as much as the neighbor would call me, so he could catch and hold him while I fed him. So, not a lot of food. I haven't heard from my neighbor for 2.5 days, so the turkey hasn't eaten for that long now. He is still up and around, his wings are drooping more than usual. He drinks water. He is very thin now. He seems to pant all the time, but no respiratory distress like coughing, wheezing, etc.I don't know if it's normal, but his head is hot. I heard an unusual noise when I went over tonight and I am pretty sure it was the turkey making a chirp sound.

I have looked the bird over for any infection or lesions (if Blackhead) and there are none. 1 time we smelled rotten eggs, but not quite sure if it was him. Looked for mites, ticks, etc, but could not find any.

Today, I went to check, thinking he died, but no, he is still alive. My neighbor was ready to call his father-in-law to shoot the turkey, since he isn't eating. I offered last week to bring him home as I am home all the time and could make to syringe feed him regularly and see what happened. I saw a very watery green poop on the deck, but only drinking water, I expect watery poop and green is a sign of not eating.

I fed him my powder mix and added coconut milk and yogurt, to try to give him the good enzymes and put weight on. He ate 96 cc at first feeding and seemed very interested in the food, just had to be syringe fed. He then pooped very large amounts of green poop, that seemed fairly normal. Bigger poop than I have seen in a week because this is the most food he has gotten in one sitting. Neighbor said he only saw yellow poop. I only saw 1 yellow poop in the days I've been going over there. I am not convinced it is Black head because no lesions and yellow poop is not consistent ad not foamy.

Tomorrow I will look at his poop under the microscope to see if there are any parasites. Any suggestions to what else I could do or any idea what this might be? I would appreciate any help. I would just like to give him every chance to live. As long as he isn't ready to give up, I'm not going to. Thank you. I'll answer any questions I can!
 
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See this very good information that would have help me now if this message was answered. Because, this is exactly what my turkey is facing. I have cried for help many times and what do I get? Nothing!!!

well, am soughting for alternative. I wish we are save from this. @auntphibian
 
View attachment 1147091 Okay, my neighbor has a turkey under a year old. A little over a week ago, I was informed that he had Black head disease (diagnosed by my neighbor). He said he had yellow poop and he had stopped eating, but still drinking and still up and around.

Some background: He had this guy's brother, but recently rehomed him. He has one small pen and he keeps 3 goats (which are fairly new, turkey got sick after they arrived), many chickens, including 3 small chicks, a young goose and 1 guinea hen, yes being housed together. Being the bird person I am, I mixed a powder formula that included cayenne pepper and other good stuff (having cared for a sick bird for 15 months in the past) and started syringe feeding him, as much as the neighbor would call me, so he could catch and hold him while I fed him. So, not a lot of food. I haven't heard from my neighbor for 2.5 days, so the turkey hasn't eaten for that long now. He is still up and around, his wings are drooping more than usual. He drinks water. He is very thin now. He seems to pant all the time, but no respiratory distress like coughing, wheezing, etc.I don't know if it's normal, but his head is hot. I heard an unusual noise when I went over tonight and I am pretty sure it was the turkey making a chirp sound.

I have looked the bird over for any infection or lesions (if Blackhead) and there are none. 1 time we smelled rotten eggs, but not quite sure if it was him. Looked for mites, ticks, etc, but could not find any.

Today, I went to check, thinking he died, but no, he is still alive. My neighbor was ready to call his father-in-law to shoot the turkey, since he isn't eating. I offered last week to bring him home as I am home all the time and could make to syringe feed him regularly and see what happened. I saw a very watery green poop on the deck, but only drinking water, I expect watery poop and green is a sign of not eating.

I fed him my powder mix and added coconut milk and yogurt, to try to give him the good enzymes and put weight on. He ate 96 cc at first feeding and seemed very interested in the food, just had to be syringe fed. He then pooped very large amounts of green poop, that seemed fairly normal. Bigger poop than I have seen in a week because this is the most food he has gotten in one sitting. Neighbor said he only saw yellow poop. I only saw 1 yellow poop in the days I've been going over there. I am not convinced it is Black head because no lesions and yellow poop is not consistent ad not foamy.

Tomorrow I will look at his poop under the microscope to see if there are any parasites. Any suggestions to what else I could do or any idea what this might be? I would appreciate any help. I would just like to give him every chance to live. As long as he isn't ready to give up, I'm not going to. Thank you. I'll answer any questions I can!
Good morning..what a mess I have..well I got 7 grown turkeys and I also had a cochin hen hatch 2 baby turkeys, Well I have around 20 chickens in a huge barn with the turkeys I free range them so they can go wherever they like, A friend of mine brought me 4 red hens one of the hens sounded like she had a cold or something so I treated her with Vet Rx I only kept then hens for 4 days and my friend came back and got them, Anyways I noticed a few of my chicks getting sick like with cough and shaking their heads like it was like a respiratory infection, So I put antibiotics in their water,a few days later I lost 2 grown hen turkeys I had went to the barn and one was almost dead the other started flopping all over the ground and then she died, so then i noticed 2 of the Turkey babies with a cough and sneezing and also a few baby chicks doing the same thing,So I got one of them and took the chick to the Vet he gave me medication called lincomycin-spectinomycin I have been putting this in their water for 3 days now. I lost the 2 baby turkeys then the other baby Turkey got sick and it died..Now my Gobbler wont eat he stands there with his wings down his a big boy and weights around 30 pounds idk what else to do in worried that I'm going to lose him,he hasn't got a cough no sign of a respiratory infection, I do believe he has scaly legs though yesterday I cleaned his legs with vinegar and water and brushed them good with an old toothbrush then I applied lots of Vaseline on his legs. What should I do any help would be appreciated very much thank you and God bless
 

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