Sick Turkey

[CALB00]

I have a 2.5 month old turkey who's been acting sick these last couple of days. Hunched over/droopiness, ruffled feathers, pale, definitely weak and not as active as usual, some weight loss (from loss of appetite), and this weird green diarrhea. She's such a sweetheart I would hate to lose her. Any ideas?? I have a couple other turkeys and they’re acting completely healthy and fine it's just this one.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. Is a vet an option? If not, I would start treating her for blackhead, e. coli, coccidiosis, & worms. I would also put her in a warm room/cage (80-85 degrees is ideal), and I would start tubing fluids, then food.

 

[casportpony]

Turkeys are super susceptible to blackhead (histomoniasis) and this is what my vet recommended:

• Metronidazole at 23 - 27 mg per pound orally once a day for 5 days.
• Enrofloxacin (Baytril) is also needed to treat the E. coli infection that they get with blackhead. It's not actually the blackhead that kills them, it's the secondary E. coli infection that does. Give 7mg per pound orally twice a day for 3-5 days.
• Fenbendazole (Safeguard/Panacur) will treat the cecal worm. Give 0.23 ml per pound orally once and repeat in 10-14 days
• Toltrazuril at 11 mg per pound once a day for 3 days

If they aren't drinking & eating, they need to be tube-fed.

Step 1:
Bring the bird inside and place in a warm room, 80-85 degrees is ideal (watch for signs of over-heating).

Step 2:
Weigh the bird

Step 3:
Once warmed, correct hydration, and this should not be done until the bird is warmed up. Tube warmed (102 degrees) Pedialyte or Gatorade at 14 ml per pound of body weight, wait 60-90 minutes, and repeat. If no poop is produced by 3 hours after the first tubing, repeat once more.

Step 4:
Once the bird is pooping you can start tubing warmed Kaytee Exact baby bird food or a non-lay crumble (lay crumble has too much calcium). Start by tubing 14 ml per pound of body weight and increase a little at each feeding. Do not exceed 23 ml per pound of body weight. Sick birds are tube fed 2-4 times a day.

 

[R2elk]

Welcome to BYC. Is a vet an option? If not, I would start treating her for blackhead, e. coli, coccidiosis, & worms. I would also put her in a warm room/cage (80-85 degrees is ideal), and I would start tubing fluids, then food.

I would be more inclined to suspect coccidiosis.

 

[casportpony]

I would be more inclined to suspect coccidiosis.

One could treat for that too.

 

[CALB00]

Welcome to BYC. Is a vet an option? If not, I would start treating her for blackhead, e. coli, coccidiosis, & worms. I would also put her in a warm room/cage (80-85 degrees is ideal), and I would start tubing fluids, then food.

Unfortunately a vet is not an option, I would 100% take her to one but I live in a smaller town and my vet (and surrounding vets) don’t treat poultry. Thank you, I will for sure be bringing her inside tonight and making sure she has complete access to food and water, she still drinks water thankfully but I have been tubing her some throughout the day. She eats occasionally but not enough to actually keep on any weight or fill her crop.

 

[CALB00]

I would be more inclined to suspect coccidiosis.

This definitely crossed my mind, her stance and behavior reminds me of how a chicken acts when they have cocci. I just didn’t notice any bloody stool but I know green poop is a slight indication for it.

 

[casportpony]

This definitely crossed my mind, her stance and behavior reminds me of how a chicken acts when they have cocci. I just didn’t notice any bloody stool but I know green poop is a slight indication for it.

If she were mine I would treat her as explained here. Are you able to buy medications and pay for overnight shipping?

 

[CALB00]

If she were mine I would treat her as explained here. Are you able to buy medications and pay for overnight shipping?

I actually have everything on that list besides from Toltrazuril, is corid okay to use instead since they’re both used to treat coccidiosis?? If she has cocci instead of blackhead disease will all of that treatment hurt her at all??

 

[casportpony]

I actually have everything on that list besides from Toltrazuril, is corid okay to use instead since they’re both used to treat coccidiosis?? If she has cocci instead of blackhead disease will all of that treatment hurt her at all??

Wow, that's wonderful! Yes, you can use Corid. It doesn't work as well, but it won't hurt anything.