[chris3000]

So over the past 2 days we have lost 7 turkeys (2 yesterday and 5 today) and today a chicken (one of the table birds).

After the first couple I had put it down to this awful weather changes, daft Turkeys or 'just one of those things'

But now with so many I have been thinking it must be something different.

Now the only thing that has changed is that the field adjacent to ours has been sprayed with fertiliser 3 days ago ... is it plausible this could be the cause?

For those already typing their response with the questions are the Turkeys and Chickens together  no they are not .. they are at separate parts of the field divded by ducks and pigs 

Any thoughts?

There are no symptoms (that we have seen) and have not noticed any change in water being drunk or food consumption.

[Mammyshaz]

Sorry, I'm not experienced enough to give any advice. I just want to send    it must be a worry not knowing the cause.

Hopefully somebody with more experience will be along pretty soon to draw some light on the issue for you 

[plt102]

How awful for you. I hope you get some answers.

[manian]

hi
how old were the turkeys
what was their poo like
turkeys seem to die even quicker than chickens

may be a gut disorder. otherwise may never know.

it is upsetting and frustrating- we had some (2) die at 18 weeks!!!. just wish we had done it first
good luck

we use orego-stim this year with a bit more success

[chris3000]

They are 12 weeks - have been outside for the last 2 with no problem ... another 4 gone this morning so taking no risks they have all been moved back into the barn and back under heat .... although the temp has not dropped to drastic of late and they don't seem to huddle when we observe. Worth checking.

Hopefully the remaining 50 will be ok

Thanks for all the support

[funkyfish]

You could submit a live one to a good poultry vet (if you are luck enough to have one near you!) for post mortum exam and send samples to a lab to check nothing nasty is going round?

[nicandem]

You could submit a live one to a good poultry vet (if you are luck enough to have one near you!) for post mortum exam and send samples to a lab to check nothing nasty is going round?

not meaning to be picky, but a live one can be checked out, it has to be dead for post mortem (after death )


good luck, hope you find the cause soon

[Mrs Snoodles]

if you ground has not been overused and you've covered them for worming my money would be on the weather change.  Aside from boosting them with something like an oregano based liquid or one of those life guard type liquids that you pop in their drink, I think you have done all you can by moving them inside.   A good thing especially in this weather. Best of luck for your others.

[kegs]

You could submit a live one to a good poultry vet (if you are luck enough to have one near you!) for post mortum exam and send samples to a lab to check nothing nasty is going round?

not meaning to be picky, but a live one can be checked out, it has to be dead for post mortem (after death )

I think Funkyfish means you have to take a live or sick chicken to the vet in order for them to carry out a post mortem immediately after the vet has put the bird to sleep.  It would be a waste of time to take a chicken that has already died as too much time would have elapsed to make a post mortem viable.

[jaykay]

What are they like before they're dying?
What do they behave like?
What is their poo like?

[funkyfish]

Yes, sorry I didnt make it clear! The body needs to be looked at asap after death or there is no point.

[omnipeasant]

When you said the fields have been sprayed with fertiliser, I don't understand. All the fertiliser I know of comes in pelletsor powder to spread on. Pesticides are more likely to be sprayed, so perhaps you should check this out.

Sorry to hear of your losses.

[tizaala]

I was always lead to believe that during heavy rain turkeys point their heads upwards and can drown, I've never kept them myself so don't know how true this is.

[PetiteGalette]

We have turkeys, raised by ourselves, outside every year from a few weeks of age depending on the weather and, no, they've never died from sticking their heads in the air omnipeasant!.

How long have your raised turkeys and are they on the same ground every year. do you run anything on the ground after the turkeys have been on it?

Do you keep chickens and turkeys adjacent to each other?

What do you feed your turkeys? Do you start them off on turkey starter crumbs that contain an anti-cocciodosis? The weather you are experiencing at the mo is just ripe for galloping cocciodosis. I would immediately put an anti-cocciodosialstat in their water - the chickens too.

As other posters have asked (and it is a serious question) what was their poo like? First sign of illness in any feathered friend is in their poo - a long time before you know visually anything is wrong with them.

[Mrs Snoodles]

A good point about the cocci. This really can kick off in damp weather. The growers get wet, cold and stressed and then, what is already in their bodies just multiplies. It can wipe out poultry very quickly if not treated.  We go down the COXOID route and treat the flock (in water for 7  days, usually takes effect in 24hrs)

  You've already moved them in, which is the first step.

A word of caution.... If you think you have this, and treat, you need to get them on fresh ground when they go back out.