Hello. I really need some Turkey advice. I have 3 turkey's (1 stag and 2 hens) who live amongst my ducks and chickens, free range. They hatched out in June. I lost one in December after 3 months of her having about 1 off day a week. She was eating and vocal but walked like she was drunk. There was no discharge from eyes or beak and no frothy poo, squits. If anything, she was a little bit fluffed up. She would be like this for a day or two then absolutely fine again for a week or so. One day we found her dead under the apple tree having started the day off fine. She was plump and I couild not see anything wrong with her at all. Now one of the other girls has started to do this drunk walk. I am worried that it is a deficiency or something. They are all wormed so shouldn't be that. Am very fond of Ethel so welcome any help and advice to stop her having the same fate as Betty! Many thanks.
Poorly Turkey
- Thread starter SusieH
- Start date
chrismahon
Active member
- Messages
- 5,085
- Location
- Gascony, France
Hi SusieH. I confess I know little about Turkeys, if anything! Were these symptoms of a chicken I would immediately think red mite in the coop -generally healthy but disorientated in the morning, pale comb and usually dead in a few days from blood loss. Now these are big birds and if anything i would expect the hens to be more suceptable in that case. But do these Turkeys sleep in the same coop as the hens or do they have their own? I am having to spray for red mite already so it is a possibility even this early in the year.
It may also be a deficiency. Don't know what you are feeding them or what they need. Sounds more like a toxicity problem to me, they are eating something not good for them and it is building up in the system. I do know that the ACS additive in chick crumb is poisonous to Turkeys so is it some additive in the feed for the others?
Appreciate some feedback Suzie. We will be moving to France end of the year and intend to keep a few Turkeys when we get there, so the more I can learn now the better.
It may also be a deficiency. Don't know what you are feeding them or what they need. Sounds more like a toxicity problem to me, they are eating something not good for them and it is building up in the system. I do know that the ACS additive in chick crumb is poisonous to Turkeys so is it some additive in the feed for the others?
Appreciate some feedback Suzie. We will be moving to France end of the year and intend to keep a few Turkeys when we get there, so the more I can learn now the better.
miks
New member
- Messages
- 40
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Hi Susie, fluffing up is a sure sign that a bird is unwell, but is not diagnostic of anything in particular. Take her to a poultry vet if you have one locally, or at least take a fresh poo sample for analysis. An infection or poisoning could give her a drunken walk, but so could many other things.
Thanks for your replies.
The turkeys roost on top of the hen house or in the trees and the houses are all sprayed regularly so don't think it's red mite. I feed them on wheat and pheasant food which is fairly high in protein which I was lead to believe Turkey's needed. They may be eating something dodgy in the garden though. It just seems funny that the others are ok and 5 days out of 7 she is fine.
Must say that I am totally in love with the Turkeys, they are so friendly and a great pet, you'll enjoy their company Chris even if it's only for a short while before the table!
Kind regards,
Susie
The turkeys roost on top of the hen house or in the trees and the houses are all sprayed regularly so don't think it's red mite. I feed them on wheat and pheasant food which is fairly high in protein which I was lead to believe Turkey's needed. They may be eating something dodgy in the garden though. It just seems funny that the others are ok and 5 days out of 7 she is fine.
Must say that I am totally in love with the Turkeys, they are so friendly and a great pet, you'll enjoy their company Chris even if it's only for a short while before the table!
Kind regards,
Susie
Lost the second turkey a couple of weeks ago but the other two seem absolutely fine so who know's what the problem was.
Am going to keep them regularly wormed and hope that they are now old enough to have a good immunity against whatever the others had.
All my other fowl are fine luckily.
Am going to keep them regularly wormed and hope that they are now old enough to have a good immunity against whatever the others had.
All my other fowl are fine luckily.