Turkey Talk for 2014

[K Epp]

One of my hens didn't go running to the food this afternoon when I opened the barn. I gave her food in front of the barn and she ate then. I examined her and found some claw marks in one side. I sprayed them with Bluekote. I also found a swollen puffy soft place in front of her legs on her abdomen. It felt like a abscess my cat has gotten from fighting. What should I do? The turkeys sleep in the barn with the chickens and goats. I can rearrange some and move her and the other turkey hen into the duck house to seperate them or just her. She is a pet if that matters. I want to hatch some off her eggs, but don't plan on eating her.

 

[R2elk]

One of my hens didn't go running to the food this afternoon when I opened the barn. I gave her food in front of the barn and she ate then. I examined her and found some claw marks in one side. I sprayed them with Bluekote. I also found a swollen puffy soft place in front of her legs on her abdomen. It felt like a abscess my cat has gotten from fighting. What should I do? The turkeys sleep in the barn with the chickens and goats. I can rearrange some and move her and the other turkey hen into the duck house to seperate them or just her. She is a pet if that matters. I want to hatch some off her eggs, but don't plan on eating her.

You didn't say whether or not you have a tom turkey. The injuries you are describing sound very much like those that can be inflicted by a tom turkey when trying to breed an uncooperative hen. A very common occurrence such as this can often happen when a tom is trying to breed a hen that is setting on a nest.

 

[K Epp]

Yes, sorry I have 2 toms. No nest as of yet.

 

[chicken pickin]

I agree. My first thought would be a breeding wound from a Tom.

I had a hen get this type of wound, a large gash on her side under her wing. I separated the Toms from the Hens for about 2 weeks to allow her time to heal and then I put them back together. I also since added more hens so the ratio is much better.

 

[chicken pickin]

Yes, sorry I have 2 toms. No nest as of yet.

How many hens do you have for the 2 Toms?

 

[K Epp]

Two of each

 

[chicken pickin]

Two of each

You may want to consider adding a few more hens. The 2 Toms WILL over mate them. I had a 2Tom/2Hen ratio last year and they managed, but one hen was a favorite and she like I said got a large deep gash. I raised up some of their poults and put all the young toms in the freezer and added 4 hens to the breeding pen so I now have a 2Tom/6Hen ratio. I really hope this ratio works out better for me and for the hens.

If you cant add more hens you may want to consider getting rid of one Tom. I hope someone else has advice they can share also.

 

[SilkieSensation]

One of my hens didn't go running to the food this afternoon when I opened the barn. I gave her food in front of the barn and she ate then. I examined her and found some claw marks in one side. I sprayed them with Bluekote. I also found a swollen puffy soft place in front of her legs on her abdomen. It felt like a abscess my cat has gotten from fighting. What should I do? The turkeys sleep in the barn with the chickens and goats. I can rearrange some and move her and the other turkey hen into the duck house to seperate them or just her. She is a pet if that matters. I want to hatch some off her eggs, but don't plan on eating her.

Separate her from the toms. Clean her wounds. If the abscess is really bad you may need to lance & clean it. Start her on antibiotics.

 

[K Epp]

What kind of antibiotics. I have Augmentan (sp) they gave me for a gash from a roo will that work? Also should I bring the other hen out with her?

 

[K Epp]

Oh... I sprayed the Bluekote on the wound.