Swollen Turkey Snood

[shilobee]

Hello Everyone! I fairly new to the "backyard chicken/turkey" concept, and am here to beg for your assistance and knowledge! I moved to a new home with acreage in August. The home came with chickens. Since then, a friend had to relocate and asked me to take her turkey. That was in December. It has been SO much fun and I am absolutely in love with him! He gets along great with chickens, dogs, people, you name it! He's so much fun and is teaching me a lot! He is not quite a year old--he's probably about 9 months. He eats regular game bird feed, free ranges in the yard, and also gets fed veggies, fruit, shrimp, and other various snacks of the week. His weight is good and he loves to walk around the yard. We have kept him pretty steady since his arrival. He has had no health concerns so far.

Yesterday evening, I came home and went outside to do our normal evening walk, snuggle, and play time. My husband pointed out that the bottom of his snood was very purple, swollen, and had a little scab area on it. I have no idea how this happened. He is the only turkey and is not fighting with anything that I am aware of. He is a fenced area during the day--a large run area. He also gets to roam free in the evenings and on weekends. Then, he sleeps in his little fenced and covered area. I am working on building him a special kennel with a roof, and making sure that nothing can get it. Right now, there MIGHT be mice/rats that come in that area, but I haven't seen any, and the traps never catch any....

I did some research and the only thing I could find is possible Erysipelas, unless he somehow injured himself. I went to the feedstore, bought Penicillin, and injected him with 2mL/cc of that. So far, there is no change, but he is eating, drinking, walking around, and being his usual snuggly self.

I am new to this, and am really just grasping at straws. I want to the right thing. I have struggled to find a vet in this area that will see a pet turkey. I really want to see him happy, healthy, and thriving. We have no desire to eat him---he is definitely our pet!

 

[R2elk]

Hello Everyone! I fairly new to the "backyard chicken/turkey" concept, and am here to beg for your assistance and knowledge! I moved to a new home with acreage in August. The home came with chickens. Since then, a friend had to relocate and asked me to take her turkey. That was in December. It has been SO much fun and I am absolutely in love with him! He gets along great with chickens, dogs, people, you name it! He's so much fun and is teaching me a lot! He is not quite a year old--he's probably about 9 months. He eats regular game bird feed, free ranges in the yard, and also gets fed veggies, fruit, shrimp, and other various snacks of the week. His weight is good and he loves to walk around the yard. We have kept him pretty steady since his arrival. He has had no health concerns so far.

Yesterday evening, I came home and went outside to do our normal evening walk, snuggle, and play time. My husband pointed out that the bottom of his snood was very purple, swollen, and had a little scab area on it. I have no idea how this happened. He is the only turkey and is not fighting with anything that I am aware of. He is a fenced area during the day--a large run area. He also gets to roam free in the evenings and on weekends. Then, he sleeps in his little fenced and covered area. I am working on building him a special kennel with a roof, and making sure that nothing can get it. Right now, there MIGHT be mice/rats that come in that area, but I haven't seen any, and the traps never catch any....

I did some research and the only thing I could find is possible Erysipelas, unless he somehow injured himself. I went to the feedstore, bought Penicillin, and injected him with 2mL/cc of that. So far, there is no change, but he is eating, drinking, walking around, and being his usual snuggly self.

I am new to this, and am really just grasping at straws. I want to the right thing. I have struggled to find a vet in this area that will see a pet turkey. I really want to see him happy, healthy, and thriving. We have no desire to eat him---he is definitely our pet!

Your tom got his snood injured most likely by rubbing it against the poultry fencing or one of your chickens grabbed hold of it. It is even possible that he bit it himself. I prefer not to use chicken wire around turkeys since the wire is fine enough that it can cut parts on the head very easily. I have seen tom's that have practically rubbed their snood completely off on chicken wire.

He does not need any medicine. It will heal on its own.

Since he is an adult, he will do well on a quality 16% protein chicken feed or a good all flock feed. I would not recommend feeding him a layer feed.

I strongly recommend getting multiple hen turkeys to keep him company. It is or is rapidly approaching breeding season and you do not want a lone tom with your chickens during breeding season.

 

[m1chelle1]

Your tom got his snood injured most likely by rubbing it against the poultry fencing or one of your chickens grabbed hold of it. It is even possible that he bit it himself. I prefer not to use chicken wire around turkeys since the wire is fine enough that it can cut parts on the head very easily. I have seen tom's that have practically rubbed their snood completely off on chicken wire.

He does not need any medicine. It will heal on its own.

Since he is an adult, he will do well on a quality 16% protein chicken feed or a good all flock feed. I would not recommend feeding him a layer feed.

I strongly recommend getting multiple hen turkeys to keep him company. It is or is rapidly approaching breeding season and you do not want a lone tom with your chickens during breeding season.

Really great advice

 

[shilobee]

Your tom got his snood injured most likely by rubbing it against the poultry fencing or one of your chickens grabbed hold of it. It is even possible that he bit it himself. I prefer not to use chicken wire around turkeys since the wire is fine enough that it can cut parts on the head very easily. I have seen tom's that have practically rubbed their snood completely off on chicken wire.

He does not need any medicine. It will heal on its own.

Since he is an adult, he will do well on a quality 16% protein chicken feed or a good all flock feed. I would not recommend feeding him a layer feed.

I strongly recommend getting multiple hen turkeys to keep him company. It is or is rapidly approaching breeding season and you do not want a lone tom with your chickens during breeding season.

Thank you for your help!

We don't use chicken wire, currently. We just have a fence made out of the field fencing for their run. Then, they (chickens) sleep in their secure coop at night. We also feed him separately from chickens so that they get their oyster shells and layer feed, and he gets the game bird protein. I will also look into your recommendation! I am glad to know that his snood isn't too concerning!

 

[memphis]

Shilobee...welcome to the wonderful world of turkeys. They are tons of fun & such sweeties! But take R2elks advice to heart & get him a few turkey girlfriends. He could kill a chicken hen trying to breed. Think of Hummer running over a Mini Cooper.