Turkeys insides falling out? Warning Graphic!

[paigemn]

The turkey has now passed and I’m am absolutely heartbroken.. but I came home to this. She was perfectly fine this morning.. What is this? This is our first time having turkeys. We have chickens but this has never happened.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Looks like a major prolapse. @Eggcessive @casportpony @Miss Lydia @staceyj
Probably have to cull if it is.

 

[casportpony]

Oh, I am so sorry. She passed already?

I can't tell from looking at the picture if that is intestines or rero-tract, but either way, it's not good and would require a vet. Even with a vet, I think prognosis would be poor.

As for what caused it, I don't know. Had she been laying eggs?

 

[paigemn]

We have another turkey. Is there something we could’ve done or should be doing to prevent this from happening? This turkey was laying eggs perfectly fine. About 1 eggs every 2 days. She had diarrhea this morning but was acting perfectly fine other than that.

 

[casportpony]

We have another turkey. Is there something we could’ve done or should be doing to prevent this from happening?

I think the best you can do if provide proper feed, grit, and oyster shell if they are laying. Where do you live?

 

[paigemn]

They have feed and grit. We live in Northern Wisconsin. We’ve had extreamly cold weather this winter and lots of snow.

 

[casportpony]

They have feed and grit. We live in Northern Wisconsin. We’ve had extreamly cold weather this winter and lots of snow.

If you want to know what happened you could contact this place and ask about having a necropsy done. If you aren't close enough to drop her off you could ask them for their FedEx account number and ship her overnight.
https://www.wvdl.wisc.edu/
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

This is how I ship mine:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

Again, I am so sorry for your loss, my heart aches for you.

 

[paigemn]

Thanks you guys so much! She was my little buddy that always followed me around. We’re new to all of this and this was the first traumatizing thing that’s happened. I’m still in shock and am so heartbroken right now I just want to make sure it doesn’t happen to any of the others either

 

[casportpony]

@R2elk has a lot of turkeys, I think @duluthralphie does too, so maybe they can comment.

 

[Eggcessive]

Others are more familiar with turkeys, but your turkey was vent pecked for some reason, possibly after suffering a prolapse or another being agressive. They pulled out the bowel or possibly the oviduct. The open hole there is a finding of vent pecking damage. Unfortunately some birds will vent peck or feather pick when they are bored, not getting out much, are over crowded, or not getting high enough protein in the diet. When they see red, such as when the vent is visible during laying an egg or with a prolapse, they will peck at that red color. Then if it bleeds, they will continue pecking. So sorry for your loss.