Wheezy Turkey

[Oregon Blues]

We are having some smoke issues due to a forest fire. It's pretty bad; looks like we are in a fog bank. It's unlikely to end soon.

One of the young broad breasted white turkey hens is squatting down and wheezing pretty badly if she runs or exerts herself. She looks a lot like she is presenting for breeding, down on the ground, wings slightly spread.

I'm thinking that I need to butcher her before I lose her, but I want to check first to make sure that wheezing is not part of the normal breeding presentation. She is panting and sounds like she is having trouble getting air. She's only doing it coupled with exertion, which in her case involves running.

Last evening, with hot air temperatures and lots of smoke, I could hear her panting. Normally, I can see it but not hear it. It sounded like heavy panting, not like congested lungs. The other turkeys were all panting, but not making any noise with it.

 

[PekinBantam]

Sounds like smoke inhalation... If that's the case, DO NOT butcher and eat her, the smoke toxins may be passed. Sorry I can't help you with advice, I'll ask my dad, he was a fireman before he retired...

 

[Celie]

Is your Turkey any better today? I hope it is. Birds have very sensitive repository systems. That's why miners would bring birds in cages into mines. If a bird died, they would evacuate the mine. hope it is doing better. Can you put it where the air is filtered, or wrap a cage with wet cheesecloth to try to filter the air? I wish I could help you, but I just don't know how. Maybe someone else may have a better idea for you. Sorry

 

[kuntrygirl]

OH no. So sorry to hear what's going on. How is everything going over there?

 

[PekinBantam]

Try to get a vet to give her oxygen...

 

[Celie]

How is your Turkey doing? My husband suggested, wrapping their pen with old bed sheets and putting a mister hose on the outside of the sheets to make a filter for the smoke, if t is still alive. I am sorry I did not think of this sooner ! I hope it is doing better. Please let us know?

 

[Oregon Blues]

She's hanging in there. Sometimes it is better and sometimes it is worse. She appears to be contented and not showing any signs of distress other than the wheezing, so I am watching her closely. If she shows any sign of being in discomfort, then I will put her out of her misery and into my oven.

 

[Oregon Blues]

She's now by herself in the dog kennel. The two turkeys were fighting. She got pretty badly bloodied.

Normally, I let them work it out, but with her reduced lung function, I figured the exertion of a good long fight would probably kill her. Isolating her seems to have helped. She isn't nearly as wheezy. Maybe it is because her stress level has gone down. The two of them do not seem to be missing each other.