Whats wrong with my baby turkeys legs?

[Betty bearden]

My 5 week old turkey was running around doing fine and I put it in a cage for about 20 minutes to do something and when I returned it could not walk on either leg..can someone help..is this some kind of disease?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I don't have an answer for you, but I would look at injury or vitamin deficiency as a possible cause. Can he stand, are his legs limp or toes curled, or does he sit on his elbows or hocks? Look for bruising or swelling in the legs feet and joints. I would start poultry vitamins or a B Complex tablet crushed and dissolved into a gallon of his water daily. Avian encephalomyelitis, viral arthritis, botulism, MS, and lead poisoning could all cause lameness. Here is some reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/9/avian-encephalomyelitis-epidemic-tremors
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis

 

[huntseat]

You can put nutri-drench right down the throat as needed...sounds like they either can't/won't walk on wire or are having a vitamin deficiency.

http://nutridrench.com/

I can buy it at a local feed store or tractor supply.

 

[Betty bearden]

@Eggcessive

My turkey wont stand at all and his toes are curled and he also sits on his hocks..ive given him 3 doses of nutri drench and its in his water also so I guess Ill just wait and see what happens

 

[peacockfeather]

Hello! It might be the flooring or vitamin deficiency. I heard if it's bad you can tape the toes in the position you want using two cut sticky parts of a bandaid. his bones may reset that way, but I'm not 100% sure because he's 5 weeks old already. Best of luck, hope he gets better!

 

[Eggcessive]

Hello! It might be the flooring or vitamin deficiency. I heard if it's bad you can tape the toes in the position you want using two cut sticky parts of a bandaid. his bones may reset that way, but I'm not 100% sure because he's 5 weeks old already. Best of luck, hope he gets better!

Sometimes if this has been going on for awhile the vitamins don't help, but if it just started, and it's a vitamin deficiency, it may help him. It sure sounds like riboflavin deficiency. Use the Poultry Nutridrench as directed on the label since some vitamins can be overdosed. Please give us a follow up later about how he is doing. Good luck.

 

[nsa19]

My birds were on wire when I bought them a week ago I brought them home and noticed leg issues (they looked bow legged and tripped and stumbled often) I started a daily nutridrench and niacin (a little less than 1/3 of a pill..its a powder capsule from Walmart). 2 turkeys seem to be improving the third is better but still has a ways to go.

 

[Eggcessive]

My birds were on wire when I bought them a week ago I brought them home and noticed leg issues (they looked bow legged and tripped and stumbled often) I started a daily nutridrench and niacin (a little less than 1/3 of a pill..its a powder capsule from Walmart). 2 turkeys seem to be improving the third is better but still has a ways to go.

Sounds like a possible D3 or phosphorus/calcium problem. Here is a link to read:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/mineral_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/123/rickets-hypocalcaemic
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html