turkey wobbles and falls over

18 years ago

I have 2 hens and 2 toms raised successfully from poults. They are raised in a fence surrounded by trees. Funny enough, they will stay in the fence during the day, fly into the trees to roost at night, then in the morning, hop down the limbs to the ground and walk around the farm until someone puts them back into their pen. They are quite friendly and follow us and sit with us.

Anyway, one of the hens has started to wobble and fall over. Almost constantly. She is very unsteady but still eats and follows the others around. This has been going on for a few weeks.

Does anyone have any idea of what could be wrong? Many thanks - Rise'

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Comments (5)

velvet_sparrow
18 years ago
What you are decribing could be an injury or it could be one of several conditions: 'Crookneck' or 'Limberneck' (caused by Avian botulism), or another condition called 'Star Gazing' or 'Twirling'. Both are caused by nutritional problems, although Stargazing is less understood. Good site on Limberneck here:

http://www.sare.org/sanet-mg/archives/html-home/36-html/0309.html

Good site on Stargazing/Twirling here:

http://petcaretips.net/stargazing-bird.html

If you do an Internet search, especially on Google images, you will find sites with pictures and descriptions so you can see if it matches your situation. There are sites on Stargazing that are mainly aimed at finches, but a bird is a bird and the info can apply to poultry.

If it is an injury, about all you can do is keep the bird warm and quiet to guard against shock. Some breeds are more susceptible to head injuries (Silkies and Polish chickens for example, since they have skulls that are open on the top) and there is a treatment using Selenium and Vitamin E that I know of that helped save one of my Silkies. Let me know if you need it.

Good luck!

Velvet ~:>
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berrygood1
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks Velvet - I read up on botulism and stargazing or limberneck, and I don't think it is one of those things. At first I thought she had an injury and was waiting for it to cure itself, but nothing has improved. Seems like botulism would have killed her by now. Its been three weeks or so. She dosn't do anything funny with her neck or head to make me think limber neck. So maybe a head injury...It is just so sad to watch her! She gets off balance and staggers backwards, or falls sideways. She does quite well catching herself with her wings, but, I guess there is nothing much to do but wait and see. Thanks for answering!
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velvet_sparrow
18 years ago
It may be a head injury and I'm going to email you the info on how to treat it using Selenium and Vitamin E. It's worth a try, I hate to think of your poor bird suffering. :( Since the amount used is calculated for chickens, I'm going to ask some poultry breeder friends about the doseage for a turkey though...how much does your bird weigh?

Velvet ~:>
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berrygood1
Original Author
18 years ago
Velvet - Thanks for e-mail on how to treat this hen. I have to update you on how she is doing! She really was at the point that I thought there was no use trying - I was going to come home and find her keeled over somewhere - she was that unstable. But she was determined to follow her little flock around tho and has been eating currants (black and red) from the garden, also has also been eating dry cob (barley, corn and oat). I didn't try the vitamin supplements on her as I thought it was too late, but she is now significantly better! She can now run behind (and keep up with) her flock and is only wobbling a little. I think she will have a full recovery. Now I am just wondering if these small dietary changes helped or just time. Who knows...Thanks for all your help!
Rise'
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velvet_sparrow
18 years ago
Glad to hear that she is improved! :)

Velvet ~:>
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turkey wobbles and falls over

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turkey wobbles and falls over

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