what to do wih a spray leg poult??

[tibor]

About 10 days ago i went to the feed store and picked up 3 bronze turkey poults. Up to a few days ago they were doing ok but i noticed that two of them were having trouble walking. I tried to hobble them up with yarn and today is there second or third day and they still can't get around to well. What should i do with them? Im not expecting an insta fix but how long should it take to know if if it is going to work or are they going to be messed up for the remainder of their lives?
Thanks

 

[ivan3]

Here are a couple of links with pics:

http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
http://www.sweeth2o.us/Spraddle.html

We lost two of three BBB's early on to this (can be sometimes attributed to too high a temp during incubation/too low a temp in the brooder post-hatch - and, of course genetic propensity). We used hobbles (pipe cleaners) on our third poult. He actually seemed to be cured at ~4 months. He then flew off the back deck (did great right up until he landed).

Hope you have better luck!

Heritage varieties do not develop this nearly as often.

 

[tibor]

Thanks for the reply and links. So I take it that its going to take a while to fix anything if it does. I would love to get some heritage breeds but no body around here sells them and i dont want to order a bunch.

 

[ivan3]

A couple of other things to try: Polyvisol Enfamil vitamins (without iron) 3 drops a day for a week and then taper off (treat any potential lack), make sure they are getting the Gamebird Starter (28-30% protein) if not available, augment diet with crushed hard boiled eggs and meal worms.

Yes, recovery/improvement does take some time and effort and these guys are way too sociable/friendly (more so, in our experience, than the heritage poults). When you leave the area they'll be calling you back, incessantly.

If the plan is to eventually eat them, go to the feedstore and maybe they'll give you a discount on three more.

 

[kuntrygirl]

What are they walking on? Bedding?