The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: minibn on August 07, 2015, 05:03:59 pm
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Hi
I have a turkey stag who is pretty poorly. He was absolutely fine yesterday up until early evening. When I went to put them away last night, he was already in the shed. I just thought he had taken himself to bed early and didn't really think anything else of it, as he seemed ok. However this morning when my mum let them out she noticed he was poorly. He was stood with his wings down, as if to help with balance, with is head hanging low. I took him to the vet, ( I wouldn't say they get many turkey's/chickens in so aren't to experienced in dealing with them). He suggested that it could be bacterial,viral or respiratory. Although couldn't say for sure. He gave him a large amount of antibiotics and a few others things, although I'm not to sure exactly what they were.
He is now still stood outside with his wings down, and his head low. It looks like he can't lift his head up, his neck is very tight and tense and looks like it's twisted round to the right. I have not seen this before, not even with my chickens. He seems to be passing very runny yellow coloured diarrhoea. I was hoping he may have perked up by now but that does not seem the case. I did notice he had a lot of lice on him, so I have rubbed some louce powder into his feathers.
He hasn't changed his food, or his environment, he regularly has his shed bedding changed and washed out/disinfected. Could he have picked up something from drinking water, I washed and disinfected their water bowl earlier. He doesn't look like he has been in a fight, as he has no other injuries/symptoms. He is also housed seperatly to my chickens. My female turkey is her normal self and doesn't show any sign of illness.
Can anyone offer any advice. I'm just hoping he makes it through the night. :-(
Thanks for reading
Emily
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I'm sorry I can't help you in any practical way except advising plenty of fluids. But I can send a hope and a wee prayer for him and you.
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Thank you for the reply,
How would you recommend fluids into him. He isn't eating or drinking. Would a small syringe work? How much should I give him at a time, I don't want to do more harm than good.
Emily
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The yellow droppings indicate blackhead (histomoniasis), please get on to your vet or another one asap.
I had an anti-fungus for fish once that would help you but s*d's law I think I recently threw it out, it's metrodinazol, convince your vet to give it to you as they do prescribe drugs for other species even if not licensed.
Google cayenne pepper and turkeys , btw, I have tried it several times and it may have been coincidence but it did help. It has to do with wild turkeys eating those peppers. I would try anything atm as time is running out for him, so sorry. :(
Here's a link:http://http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/134230/hope-this-saves-a-turkey-from-blackhead (http://http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/134230/hope-this-saves-a-turkey-from-blackhead)
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Thank you,
Did you give the turkey the anti fungus fish stuff? Can you remember what it was. I currently have the OH on the hunt for some cayenne pepper. Do you think that black head would cause him to be unable to lift his head and a twist look in his neck? I shall try it, even if it is not, I suppose I can say I tried.
Thanks Emily
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It's metrodinazol / metrodinazole. Didn't give it in the end as too late :(
If they come down with one disease that might allow another one to surface, too :(
Cayenne pepper from the supermarket will do, I ordered a kilo of the stuff off Amazon after that.
Good luck, hope he pulls through! :fc:
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What would you say the dosage would be? He weighs just over 10kgs. I will have to syringe it down as he is not eating or drinking.
Thank you Emily
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Drip fluids into him, drop by drop if he's not swallowing well. Good luck!
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For the meds the vet will know, I had tablets for crushing. As for the cayenne a few big pinches in a 10ml syringe, my birds like it.
I would also ask the vet for Emeraid omnivore, it's a highly nutritious powder which you mix with warm water for crop feeding, gives them a real boost (like having had a 5-course dinner). Maybe also ask them for a tube for crop feeding if you don't have one yet, just in case you find it easier than a syringe.
Good luck, hope it he gets through the night ok!
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any news today on this poorly boy?
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Hi, hes still going. I did some more research about his condition, its pointing straight to a respiratory issue. There was a fellow borborn red on a forum which was identical in looks, because my stag has a crooked neck, which curves round and is very tense. Thie other stag was showing the same problem. My vet treated him for a respiratory infection yesterday. Iv been syringing him electrolights, crushed multivitamin and a nutrient tonic for times of illness. He was drinking and eating a little with a bit of help earlier. He has another appointment on monday at the vets. He ia no worse, he seems a little better today. Fingers crossed he is on the road to recovery.
I shall keep you posted
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Im glad to hear that. Please keep us posted
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Good news, hope he makes a full recovery.
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I suggest you also treat your turkey hen for lice - if he has them, she has them.
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Yep, im on the case. I have coated them with lice powder, im gunna do the shed also. There does seem to be less of them, so fingers crossed its working.
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so are you seeing an improvement in your turkey? I do hope so
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An update on my turkey-
I took him back to the vets for his check up and the vet gave him 3 more injections of various things. He does seem to be making an improvement. Today he seems to have made a very obvious improvement. When I went to let the pair of them out this morning, he had his head up and was looking around, so I lifted him out of the shed and he walked over to the food and had a little nibble. He even made his usual gobbling sound. I think he could have over excerted himself though because he then stood with his head down again. The crooked neck seems to be straighting out though. When I got him back from the vets this morning I held the food bowl up by his head and he was taking a bit of food. They usually have a raised food bowl, so I hope it helps him eat better.
He has to go back to the vets on Wednesday for a further check up and more injections. The vet said that once he starts to eat a bit better he will give me some baytril to give him orally. He was a bit more feisty when the vet was trying to inject him. Fingers crossed he is on the up.
One thing that did amuse me a bit was the look I got from a couple carrying a turkey out from the vets. I don't think they had ever seen anything like it before.
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How is the turkey today?
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Im very pleased to say that he is back to his usual chatty self. He has a further 5 days of oral antibiotics, but he is eating and drinking and strutting his stuff. He doesn't have to go back to the vets again which is good. Iv just got to phone them in 5 days to say how he is doing.
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excellent news. What a relief