# Sick baby turkey, can anyone help



## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok, I have some beautiful Bourbon Red turkey poults. I bought them from a semi local farmer. THey range from 3 weeks old to about 1 week old. THe youngest has the issues. It's out side toes on both feet look to be swollen and red as if they were blood blistered. It seems a little lethargic. When I checked in on them at lunch it was laying with it's head on the sawdust. I picked him up and he held his head up and looked at me. I assume his feet are hurting so badly he is just worn out. His eyes seem bright, but his body language seems to say he is getting worn down. I do give copper sulfate in the water adn vinager as well. 
I just put 2 cups of sugar in the 1 gallon waterer. Hopefully that will pick him up a little, but it wont address the feet issue. THe older turkeys all seem quite healthy and well.
Any advice is appreciated.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

What kind of waterer do you use? Copper sulfate is extremely corrosive to galvanized metal.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Plastic. 


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Two cups of sugar is way too much. 1/4 cup is more than enough.

Where do you live?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Give the poults some boiled egg yolk chopped up on their feed. Take one yolk and mix with some water and make the sick poult drink it. Get as much down as possible.

What feed are you using?


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Wild game starter. 
Ot really seems like those toes are the problem. They are turning black now. The chick is walking poorly. And seems more lethargic tonight. The bigger ones were stepping on it so I partitioned the brooder with chicken wire. I gave the chick it's own food and water. 
I'll boil an egg and try to get it down the chick. 
I am really worried about the feet. 


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

I live in south west Missouri. 


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

The little guy did not make it. Hopefully it wasn't anything contagious. I only have 4 left I definitely dont want to Lise any more. 
I noticed one squirted out what looked like clear liquid. I don't know if that us a symptom or a result of the sugar water. 
I made up the boiled egg yolks for the sick one. But since it died I gave them to the others. 
I read milk or yogurt can be good for them maybe I'll give that a try. 


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

The reason I asked where you live is because fire ants can sometimes get in a brooder. I've lost birds to them, but you wouldn't have any there. So the problem is most likely a methionine deficiency. Egg yolk is rich in methionine. Milk is good too. You might want to get a different batch of feed.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Is my feed bad or just poorly formulated? What should I look for?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

It sounds like it may not be formulated right or was poorly mixed at the mill. Can't really say what to look for because what is on the label is not always what you get. I'd switch brands.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

What do you have for bedding? The reason I ask is because it sounded like it had a foot infection that went systemic.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Oak sawdust. I am not sure it was a foot infection because it was the same toe on both feet and nothing else was effected. I think the feet were a symptom of something else. The outside toes turned black and curled a little. 
I think part of the problem was the age difference of the birds in the brooder. Both young chicks under a week old died the older ones still look healthy. They don't seem to eat as much as they should be though. 
I crushed boiled egg yolks on their food they haven't even touched it. Maybe I should give them some antibiotics. 
I was worried about getting turkeys because I've been told they are difficult to get started. It's proving to be right. I hope I can save the remaining ones. 


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Do you have a baby chick or two that you can drop into the brooder with them? The chicks will help the poults to eat more.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

I have 42 Cornish crosses in the brooder next to it. They are much smaller than the poults but probably not for long. Do you think the finish would be ok in there? Also the remaining poults are completely feathered out. Should I just put them in with the laying chickens?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Just drop a few of the chicks in the brooder with the little turks. I wouldn't put the poults with laying hens as poults can be bullied easily.


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## mommagoose_99 (Jan 25, 2005)

I hatch a lot of turkeys 45 last year and only lost two . I always hatch a few chicks with them. Chickens are so smart and a lot faster than the turkeys to learn how to eat and drink. The turkeys see the chickens and try to copy them so that way they learn about food and water. As soon as the turkeys get the idea and are about a week old I separate the chicks from the turkeys. By week two the turkeys begin to abuse anything smaller than them anyway. Do not give your turkeys water with anything in it after a few days from hatch. I only put a Tablespoon of sugar in a quart of warm water for my hatchlings. Give medicated feed for a month and then cut that out too. Be sure the turkeys have feed with at least 20% protein or more. Rinse the food containers and water containers with chlorinated water once a week BUT be sure to rinse all the chlorine out before refilling with clean water.. Keep the turkey chicks clean, warm and dry and you will be successful.
Linda


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok I put some of the Cornish in with the turkeys. Here's a pic.

















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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

That seems to have done the trick. Every time I checked on the turkey brooder the turkeys were eating. I dont know it was the competition for feed or they just weren't sure what to do. 
They did pick on one of the larger Cornish chicks. He looked like they were plucking his back feathers out. I put him back in with the chicks. The others looked fine so far. I'll keep a look out and probably separate them in a few days. 


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

I wonder if your youngest turkeys toes were pecked by the older ones. They get curious ad peck at many things and lots of times will grab toes. If they are the same age- no biggy- they are large enough to take it and defend themselves but the younger ones can suffer damage. I would suggest separating younger turkeys. Also, I use mollasses in the water for a boost. One "glug" per qt of water. I use it when I have poultry shipped and newly hatched for the first 48 hours. After that I stop as I find it increases the chance of pasty butt. It gives them energy until they are eating well. I also use it for poultry that is down or ill...no matter the age. I also make sure to have at least one chick in with new poults. I don't separate them until the chicks are ready to go out (I keep baby turkeys in longer as they tend to get into trouble).


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Yes that's what I thought.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok, I have moved the turkeys outside a few days ago. Well I moved them to the chicken coop from the brooder box , with free range to go outside during the day if they like. ANyhow, one of the older turkeys is kind of droopy today. i put some bounceback (cattle electrolyte) into a syringe and I am giving a small bolus every half hour or so. I may give him an antibiotic. I have heard tylan 200 is good for turkeys but no one around here has any., I did call a local vet supply and they have dimethox. Should I give that? 
the bird is just kind of droopy. he prunes himself some then tucks his head into his wing. He wont eat. He doesnt care for the boluses. Any guesses what may have made him sick? he stays dry and has shelter at night. HE has had feed available. I have him in a separate box now in my office to give him the electrolyte every so often, and I have a heater outside the box to keep him warm. I put yogurt on his feed but as I said he wont eat. 
All my poultry have access to fresh water with copper sulfate in it.
also if I give the antibiotic, should I give it to all of them? I was hoping to be anitbiotic free, but I am responsible for these animals welfare, and I would take care of them than let them die out fo principle. If I only give one antibiotic how is the best way to mark it permenantly so I know hwo got it. I'll feed him to my family and sell the antibiotic free ones to my customers.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Well I have been giving him the electrolyte, and his chirp is louder, he is standing beter, but still pretty closed up. He had a very liquid BM its brown. I assume its liquid because of the boluses of electrolyte watering him down. As i type he just started eating, or pecking at the food anyway. I gave him a non medicated 24% wild game starter from manapro. I mixed in some vanilla yogurt. Hopefully that will help. Ill give him some boiled egg yolks tonight.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I would only medicate the one who is ill. Can you get some fish zole (Metronidazole) ?


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

I called everywhere and the only thing available around here is the dimethazol or something like that. I sent my wife after it 25 miles each way. I hope it works. It's a powder you mix with water and feed them. he ate about a table spoon of the feed yogurt mix. Just from the electrolyte boluses. So hopefully a little medication will speed him along.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

He's doing much better tonight. He had eaten most of his food and is drinking on his own. I put more bounceback in his water along with copper and his antibiotic. I'll keep that up for a few days and reintegrate him to the population. In a sad note his three healthy siblings decided to venture out today and are no where to be found. Hopefully they survive tonight and return home. 
I guess I'll keep my turkeys locked up until I have chicks to put out with them. I don't think I'll free range any Cornish cross. I think I'll just pasture them in the pens I have built. But I have 30 jersey chicks set to hatch in the next day or two so when they are feathered I'll put them all out together. I have 5 new turkeys I bought Sunday 2 to 3 weeks old. And I have the one sick guy who appears to be getting better. And I am hopeful that the other 3 will return. 
Wow I am terrible at raising turkeys. 


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Glad he's better and hope the others show up soon.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

spoke too soon. He was dead this morning. It's really weird. He was up chirping and eating well. I thought he was through the woods, but then this morning well, he did not make it. Still no sign of the others either. So I have 5 left, I'll be very careful with those, but my track record is not one that lends it's self to me raising many more turkeys. Maybe some people just arent cut out for it. I am pretty discouraged today. Not to mention I have a bottle calf with pneumonia. He ahs been very weak the whole time, but today the crackleing when he breathes. Not good. So I ahve lost over half of my turkeys and now Iwill likely lose my first calf. I have really babied him too. I dont know what else I could do. Thats the frusterating part.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Sometimes you just have a run of bad luck. Doesn't make you a bad farmer. We all have a learning curve and we all have times when it seems nothing goes right at all. Some yrs you hatch mostly cockerels and some yrs you hatch mostly pullets. Hang in there! Hope the calf gets better.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Sometimes baby poultry can be touchy. Since the baby was sick when you got it, maybe the care where you bought them wasn't deficient.

Maybe that farmer bought a box a poults shipped in and sold some and kept some. Shipping can be hard on them and there are usually a few loses with shipping.

Whatever you are giving the calf, it isn't working. Switch it to a different antibiotic.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

I went home at non to nurse the calf. HE could not stand, so I tried tostand him to feed electrolytes and a new antibiotic. He gasped and gurgled and his eyes went glassy. So I have a pould that did not make it to morning and a calf that died today at noon in my arms. I prayed for him, and for me to give better care in the future. 
On the upside, 2 of the three lost poults did come back at noon. I did not see the smaller one, but he may have been in the barn with the chicks. Or he may not have fared well over night on his own. But atleast 2 of my 5 to 6 week old poults are back and seem well. My 5 other poults I bought Sunday seem good. The smallest one lays flat on the brooder floor, but when I alerted him he bounced up and was not droopy, so maybe he was just tired. I also observed him eating after that, though evidently that is not a be all and end all good sign. Any way some good some bad. Hopefully I can get 2 hens and a Tom to survive to breding age so I can build a herd of Turkeys. I'll probably try to buy in an unrelatede Tom, but I figure I'll keep one until I find a suitable replacement. Hopefully within a year so the current one can go in the fryer.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I'm glad that the turks came home! Sorry about the calf. Very well may be that there was something wrong and he would not have ever done well. It happens. Sometimes with the very best care, we lose some. I lost a lovely doe to a rattlesnake bite this spring. Broke my heart. I did all that could be done, to no avail. That is part of farming.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a tom. Watch Craig's List and maybe put an ad in for one.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I'm glad that the turks came home! Sorry about the calf. Very well may be that there was something wrong and he would not have ever done well. It happens. Sometimes with the very best care, we lose some. I lost a lovely doe to a rattlesnake bite this spring. Broke my heart. I did all that could be done, to no avail. That is part of farming.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a tom. Watch Craig's List and maybe put an ad in for one.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Thanks Cyng and everyone. I am feeling much better today. My two wayward Turkeys are free ranging today. They seem to stay in proximity to the Jersey chickens. Neither seems to bother the other. I am hopeful they will return to the coop this eveing. Last night I put them in the coop just to be sure, but they appear to be staying close and going in and out during the day. 
My (5) 2 to 3 week old baby reds seem to be doing well in the brooder with the CX's. The CX's are ready to go out in the pastured pens, but I think bad weather is coming this weekend, and I will be out of the area for our churches Family Camp. so I dont need Chickens out side in a snow storm. I ahve the baby Jersey rir crosses ready to go in teh brooders, so they will go in a temporary brooder until after this weekend, then when the CX's go out the Jerseys will go in with the 5 baby turkeys. Hopefully the Jerseys will teach the Bourbons to act like chickens. The Jerseys are very good foragers, and pretty good survivors. 
I will come home Saturday morning to bottle feed calves and check the poultry. Then coach a soccer game, and return to family camp until Saturday evening. BUt If the weather is fine I'll let everyone out Saturday.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

How do you sex a bourbon red?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You have to wait till they are several months old to be sure, but many times the little Jakes will start strutting very early. This isn't 100%. It sure would be cute if you could grow a pigeon size turkey and watch it strut!

When they are older the Jakes will stretch out their necks and gobble if you whistle. The Jennies will not do that. Jennies get hair like feathers on the tops of their heads, Jakes are bald. Jennies will have smaller snoods and will grow slower and be more dainty looking.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Thanks. Mine are 5 to maybe 6 weeks old. Ill grab a pic tonight, but i am guessing it's still to early to tell.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Here are a few. They are quite friendly little critters. Following me around like I am their dad.






















I have a great stand of grass they ate in an area that formerly was a play area with weed nature and rubber mulch. We moved the mulch in march but I haven't planted there yet. I'll get the drill out Sunday. And get it planted. 


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

Don't use IPhone and tapatalk. It auto corrects your text then when you try to edit is says your session timed out and won't let you correct spelling errors. So you end up sounding pretty stupid. Any questions read my nonsensacle post above. 


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