turkey poult has bloodied neck and throat - HELP!

chickenannie

Songster
12 Years
Nov 19, 2007
3,152
43
231
Pennsylvania
She was fine when I put her away last night. She is 5 1/2 weeks old and has just one companion in her pen -- a chick the same size. I saw no evidence of where her injury came from -- no blood in the pen, no blood on the other chick.

At any rate, I don't think I can wash it since it's under her throat and on one side of her head, and part of her neck. The skin looks scraped off as if it was peeled away and is very raw. It's definitely a serious injury, but if I tried to wash it and clean it I fear it would get worse because it's so the throat wound is so fragile and I know she would fight every step of the way. The blood has already dried and she is very difficult to keep still -- I have separated her into her own pen. She "seems" kind of OK, walking and chirping, but she's scratching a bit at her own neck with her toes and she's trying to crane her beak down to pick at it but can't quite reach it. I wish I could keep her from doing that. If I put her in a tightly confined space I think she'd fight it and make it worse too. I am thinking the best chance she has is to be left alone in her own clean pen and for me to let it heal on it's own. I could give her avian antibiotics and vitamins.

Any suggestions?
 
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I don't have a good feeling about this -- she's trying to eat and drink but it's obviously extremely painful and I'm not sure anything's going down. She has some froth in her beak too.
 
Even though no one "out there" has responded, yet, I'll keep posting in the hopes that someone has some ideas.

I came home at lunch and the wounded turkey is up and walking around although I don't think she's eaten anything. Don't know if she drank (it's a really really hot day). I fear trying to force water into her throat with an eyedropper may tear the wound more. So hard to know what to do.

Now she's resting and looks weak again.

Does anyone know how to keep her from using her toes to scratch her neck?
 
I'm not sure of anything you can do to keep her from scratching, any device may just stress her out more. Can you perhaps clip the points off her nails? You can put reg. asprin in her water, I believe 5 reg strength asprin to a gallon of water (asprin only, no other type)for pain. I would try to squirt some saline in the wounds, just to help clean the area and perhaps find a antibotic spray so you won't have to touch it. Fluids are key, so try to keep her hydrated, I use Pedialite type, try some scrambled eggs to keep her eating. Poultry and such can heal very quickly, it's amazing what some of mine have healed from.
 
Well, she's still alive, and seems to be doing better!! She had a beak full of dirt at noon, and I kept dipping her beak in water, and suddenly that made her want to drink!! Yay. So she's been drinking and eating a bit now. She's not as droopy and is walking around despite constant scratching at her throat area. I think she's better. Hopefully she'll pull through! Chickenzoo, the spray is a good idea. Is Saline just salt water I make myself?? Or is it something i buy?
I gave her scrambled eggs but she didn't eat any. tonight I'm putting her back withher pal Brownie and she's now eating side by side with him. I had separated them thinking he might make it worse, but she seems much happier being with him, so I may keep them together and see how she is in the morning. She's definitely NOT going back in the old pen anymore. Someone suggested a rat might have gotten in and bitten her.???
 
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You can use saline in the contact/eye section of WAL. Or their is a post on here of how to make your own. Salt water boiled etc. I believe, but I don't cook anything hardly so I don't remember,HaHa. Also a beadine spray(sorry bad speller) will help. I have a Roo that almost had all the skin tore off his head and neck.You could see his bottom Jaw tips poking out! I thought he was a goner, but he still ate nd drank so I flushed the wound and applied Sprays etc. and he is almost back to normal, feathers and all. Just keep her eating and drinking.
best wishes-
hugs.gif
 
Chickenzoo, so sorry to hear about your pigeon. That sounds awful. Sorry you had to experience that. Glad to hear that you roo is surviving his injury.

This morning my turkey poult is still alive, walking and eating, so it looks like she might end up ok. Her head and neck are still crusty with blood, but she slept with her entire head and neck buried underneath her fluffy chick pal last night. What a weirdo.

Do animals heal faster than people? Some of these wounds and the healing stories from others seem incredulous.
 
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