- Jun 8, 2014
- 7
- 0
- 7
I have spent the last 5 weeks researching on the internet but there has not been 1 thing that exactly describes my turkeys ailment(s). First of all, and maybe the most important is that this turkey was born with this defect. It has, however progressively become worse week by week, he is 5 weeks old now.
At first it looked like a crooked spine and inability to lift the head. Looked like a form of wry neck from the moment of hatch. At first, he would try to get to food and water but couldnt stand, always falling over and getting stuck on his side. We would pick him back up pretty much every hour and feed & water with a food dropper.
Then, he became able to stand and would eagerly eat and drink, but still became stuck on his side when he would fall over. Eventually he was able to stand and walk perfectly and not fall over anymore. That lasted for about a week, since he looked perfectly normal, we put him in with the other turkey poults his age and really could not tell him apart from the rest..until the next morning we found that he was down and another baby turkey was standing on him.
We put him back in his own box and since then, his left leg has been wobbly. We thought it was broken, he still gets around perfectly just flinging it where it needs to go, uses it like kick-stand.
By now he is 3 weeks old and the right leg is completely backwards when he is facing forwards, and his intestines are visible on the left side, shown in the pictures. You can actually see them moving and processing food and/or poops in there.
In the next week his condition progresses and he no longer stands fully on the good leg. He kinda sits on the hock and uses his wings and a hopping motion to get wherever he wants to be. The toes are now curling under too.
Here is where I am confused:
Every sign points to Mareks disease - EXCEPT for the fact this poult was BORN with his problems. Everything I read says Mareks has to be contracted and that chicks are born Mareks-free.
This turkey did NOT hatch on his own, he started out vigorous but quit after about 14 hours of trying to hatch,we helped him hatch.
His poop has been great from day one. no problems there.
His appetite and energy level has been terrific, at all times.
He has never had any respiratory issues.
He is bright eyed and active, very relaxed and doesnt appear to be stressed at all.
His intestine buldge doesnt seem to affect him physically at all.
The other poults from this batch (raised separate, but only 2 feet away) are completely fine
I purchased these fertile eggs and incubated them myself. Bourbon Red breed
I used a brand new incubator & egg turner, and washed out first.
Was eating medicated chick starter from birth until 3 weeks old until I read that the protein level was too low for turkeys.
He eats Purina Game Bird Startena with 30% protein for the last 2 weeks. Comes quickly when he hears the bag of dried meal worms.
Vitamin supplements (Poly-Vi-Sol and Sav-A-Chick electrolytes w/vitamins have had no effect on the condition.
Housed on clean pine shavings, was in a draft free rectangular bin with heat lamp at far end, food & water at the other end.
Room stays at 80 degrees or above
Has never been outside, been inside their whole lives
I have no history on the breeding parents, I bought the eggs and stored them for 4 days in about 50 degree temp before incubating
*** I have another turkey poult housed with him for company, and up until 2 weeks ago was perfectly normal also. 2 weeks ago, this other turkey developed wry neck overnight that does NOT respond to the Poly-Vi-Sol treatment I've read about. contagious or Coincidence? I have started putting Oxytetracycline in the water today.
*** The other 6 turkeys were literally raised less than 2 feet away in a different bin, and are vibrant and normal.
I wish I knew what this was, and what to do about it. I want to do whats humane of he is suffering, but the weird thing is, he is not suffering. He is actually a very well adjusted bird that manages to cope with his ailments. He is such an eager eater and is growing well too.
I am concerned about my other turkeys - if this is contagious or not?? I have 3 hens and a tom outside, and 20 chicks coming in less than 2 weeks and need to know if I have a contagious disease going on here or not. I understand that he may not live long with all these ailments, but I also have to keep the health of my other birds in mind and so I'm desperatly trying to find out whats wrong and how to control it and/or correct it as much as possible.
I apologize for the lengthy post, but I think I have a serious problem here, with my little guy in the picture & the other with wry neck - AND - the fact that 20 more chicks are coming very soon.
Not sure if I left any other important info out here. I just need to know what I am dealing with and what I need to do about it. My animals get the best treatment I can provide, so if theres something I can do, I certainly will.
Thank you in advance for any help or insight you might have, and if anyone has EVER seen the intestinal thing online or in person, I cannot find a single thing online about it.
