Turkeys Dying

My two Tom Turkeys had decreased their feed consumption, they appeared sick and sleepy. The one stayed by itself and had yellow droppings, ruffled feathers with dropping trails. We treated them with meds for Blackhead Disease (one received the meds for three days and the other one was on preventative mode). They got better in no time and looked good for about 5 days. The second one started to stay by itself and had yellow droppings again on day 6...so I got him back on meds, feeding system and made sure he drank lots of water. Now he looks much better but he is having a hard time standing on both is legs. Today he is not as bad as he was but still that one leg is bothering him. My turkey were born in July this year and it as been a battle to keep them from the start as the mother died on the nest after 27 days (found the eggs a day after she died)... I intend to keep him on the meds for about an other three days and the others are getting meds in their water. We have 38 chickens...that is when it all started (one week after having them with all birds for a week). Is there anything I could do to help with the leg?
 
My two Tom Turkeys had decreased their feed consumption, they appeared sick and sleepy. The one stayed by itself and had yellow droppings, ruffled feathers with dropping trails. We treated them with meds for Blackhead Disease (one received the meds for three days and the other one was on preventative mode). They got better in no time and looked good for about 5 days. The second one started to stay by itself and had yellow droppings again on day 6...so I got him back on meds, feeding system and made sure he drank lots of water. Now he looks much better but he is having a hard time standing on both is legs. Today he is not as bad as he was but still that one leg is bothering him. My turkey were born in July this year and it as been a battle to keep them from the start as the mother died on the nest after 27 days (found the eggs a day after she died)... I intend to keep him on the meds for about an other three days and the others are getting meds in their water. We have 38 chickens...that is when it all started (one week after having them with all birds for a week). Is there anything I could do to help with the leg?

Having a weak or damaged leg is not a symptom of Blackhead per se; it's possible though that he's got some internal infection on one side of his body that's affecting his leg, or hurts him when he uses it. I don't know what's wrong with his leg, sorry, but secondary infections after Blackhead kill a lot of birds, unfortunately, and it's also possible that something else entirely has become opportunistic while his immune system was busy with Blackhead or while the antibiotics were subduing his immune system. If he's better today than he was yesterday, hopefully tomorrow he'll be better still; if he gets worse or doesn't improve, that would need working on.

ACV is Apple Cider Vinegar; someone asked the same question just above your first post in this page of the thread. ;)

Best wishes.
 
I found a Facebook page and they told me to treat with the fishzole but not to cull for 5 weeks.... Then our local school said absolutely do not eat after treating with it....
I'm SOOOO confused


Fishzole is Metronidazole. It is used at the same dosing level (mg/kg) in turks as it is in humans (sold branded in States as FLAGYL). I wouldn't consume the liver of a previously ill (but fully recovered) turk, but that would be owing to disease sequelae in that organ. Five weeks is more than sufficient to clear med.


My two Tom Turkeys had decreased their feed consumption, they appeared sick and sleepy. The one stayed by itself and had yellow droppings, ruffled feathers with dropping trails. We treated them with meds for Blackhead Disease (one received the meds for three days and the other one was on preventative mode). They got better in no time and looked good for about 5 days. The second one started to stay by itself and had yellow droppings again on day 6...so I got him back on meds, feeding system and made sure he drank lots of water. Now he looks much better but he is having a hard time standing on both is legs. Today he is not as bad as he was but still that one leg is bothering him. My turkey were born in July this year and it as been a battle to keep them from the start as the mother died on the nest after 27 days (found the eggs a day after she died)... I intend to keep him on the meds for about an other three days and the others are getting meds in their water. We have 38 chickens...that is when it all started (one week after having them with all birds for a week). Is there anything I could do to help with the leg?


Are the turkeys completely separated from the chickens (in another run, at a good distance away)? If this is Histomoniasis G/M (and it sounds likely) even though the turks get better the constant chance of reinfection owing to exposure to the infected (though asymptomatic) chooks, remains.

The Protozoan that causes `black head' is taken up by the cecal worm Heterakis gallinae, this vector is often taken up by earh worms. Chickens eat the earthworms and the HG proliferates in the chooks (kinda like bioreactors). The chook droppings become loaded and nearby turkeys can then get a heavy dose. Unlike most chooks, the turks are sensitive to the protozoan transported by the chooks.

Fenbendazole will kill the cecal worm that serves as the primary vector (in both chooks and turks). In order to prevent reinfection liming runs and substituting several inches of sand over the now amended soil (in well drained runs), a regular worming schedule and separation of turks from chooks will minimize exposures.

Keep your lame turk on soft bedding and prevent its attempts to roost (if any).
 
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Here is the update on my Tom Turkey,

We finished the meds (FLAGYL) yesterday after a 5 days treatment. All droppings are normal, he is eating well and responds when calling him. Everything is back to normal except his one leg. When he stands he keeps his one leg up. I read about "Mesosilver" and "Poly Vi-Sol" and started him on it yesterday...I don't know how long I am supposed to keep him on it or if it will help at all!!! I am thinking about putting him outside with the two other Turkeys and see if it will get him to try to stand (the longer he stays laying on his side less chances he as at walking again). My husband is starting to think we have to let him go... Help!!!
 
Here is the update on my Tom Turkey, 

We finished the meds (FLAGYL) yesterday after a 5 days treatment. All droppings are normal, he is eating well and responds when calling him. Everything is back to normal except his one leg. When he stands he keeps his one leg up. I read about "Mesosilver" and "Poly Vi-Sol" and started him on it yesterday...I don't know how long I am supposed to keep him on it or if it will help at all!!! I am thinking about putting him outside with the two other Turkeys and see if it will get him to try to stand (the longer he stays laying on his side less chances he as at walking again). My husband is starting to think we have to let him go... Help!!!


Wouldn't know about silver preps. Polyvisol Enfamil (without iron) is usually admin in decreasing doses over a week (3 drops a day for two days/two drops a day for two days/etc.). The lameness may not be related to the acute disease process. To examine: have one person wrap arms around tom from behind (wings firmly folded) and lift tom up (back of tom firmly against chest of assistant). Compare the movement/swelling/toe curling between legs - observe for any obvious injury.

You might try Aspirin (rec. dose: 2.5mg per pound - however, we dosed our lame roo, for years with 10mg per pound: 80mg BID - to good effect). Crush an 81mg Aspirin and then divide piles equally (keep track of ~mg. per pile), daub up powdered dose with torn up grapes and let turk eat them).

Best of luck!
 

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