# Turkey chick with swollen leg



## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

I have a bunch of turkeys that I ordered from Privett.

Lost three right off the bat. (Tractor Supply reimbursed me for them) Now a few weeks later, one of my white broad breasted chicks has a leg problem. Seemed fine the day before.

It is swollen at the big joint--guess that is the knee?

It is about twice as big as the other one

Is there anything I can do? Noticed it yesterday.

It can get up and stand, though it is with difficulty.

They are in a big brooder, so there is lots of room they are not all on top of each other.


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## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

Does anyone have any ideas?

I would hate to lose this turkey. 

Thanks


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## farmerstac (Mar 16, 2005)

What breed of turkey do you have? If its the broad breasted white or bronze, they are notorious for leg problems. They have been bred to grow so fast their bones can't keep up.

You need to be feeding a high protein diet. You also can add water soluble vitamins and electrolytes to help. Its not a cure though. There isn't much can be done that is truly effective.

Unfortunately, it comes with raising turkeys you will loss some.


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## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks.

I know the Broad breasted have their draw backs and are harder than regular turkeys to raise (have had my problems with those--but have that under control now). This chick is still little, so was hoping not to have that sort of problem so soon.

I have them on 24% protein--Dumore feed.

I had a regular chicken with a leg problem from birth (didn't know how to fix it then), the older he got the worse he got, at the end he was so twisted it was pathetic. I cried when we butchered him, and we decided not to eat him he was so twisted and boney. I would have to hold him so he could eat and drink.

I don't want this one to go through what that chicken went through. So far it can get up.

thanks


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Leg problems in a small poult are either "they'll grow out of it" or they will go down and you'll have to cull it. The kind of leg problem I see with turkeys is generally a slipped hock, or perosis of the hock.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/220/slipped-tendon-perosis

If it's perosis, you will save yourself time and grief by culling it now. They never grow well, and they live a hard life (being trampled on by the others), and if you can even get them to an age when they can be butchered, you get a small bird with one usable leg.

As to the Dumor feed, which I call Do Less feed, I think that stuff is awful, and I will never, ever feed it again. If you want to kill off some birds, or have a bunch do poorly, that's the stuff to feed. I was trying to save money a few years ago, going to Tractor Supply and getting the cheapest feed, and the birds weren't doing well. Finally went back to the Blue Seal feed I'd been using other years and POOF! problems over. Birds started doing great again.

I strongly suggest you try using a better grade feed for awhile if you are seeing problems like this, and find out if that can correct things.

BB type turkeys are growing machines, and they need high amounts of protein and vitamins and minerals. 24% is low protein for a turkey poult. I'd feed 28%.

Good luck with these poults! I do love my turkeys.


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## Karen in Alabam (Jul 21, 2010)

I have never heard of Blue Seal--I know the Co-op had a higher protein--which is what I was feeding my Cornish Rocks and they did great on it--but after a month I lost 5 within a week--everyone said heart problems. All the rest are doing great now.

I was going to get Purina Flock Grower--which I like, and have used on my heritage turkeys--but I looked a the protein and it was only 20%.

Thanks


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