Tukey diseases from chickens?

[kelliszoo]

So I am thinking of trying turkeys again, not sue what breed yet, but in the past I have tried them twice and they just dropped dead on me both times.

Have only had 2 to 4 at a time, kept them separate from the chickens, but would have had contact through my footwear etc. They were all heritage turkeys, bourbons, blacks etc. and they hatched and grew up fine, then when they got a couple months old, they just dropped dead one by one. No symptoms, they were in good weight, seemed healthy, would literally be up eating acting normally in the morning then by lunch time dead in the pen.

Not sure if there is maybe something the chickens carry that they could have caught, but would expect some sort of symptoms if that were the case, almost seemed more like a heart condition, but they were all different breeds, but from the same farm, brought in as hatching eggs...

Before I go and get any more turkeys, what do I need to know? Don't want to go through that again.

[Killerbunny]

Blackhead is a potential problem but you need to have the whole life cycle possible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackhead_disease
A few folks here have info on control.

[kelliszoo]

Had thought of that maybe when I researched after it happened but there was no blue tinge to them, and their was normal, so it if was, they didn't display the usual symptoms, and the chickens are fine.

[Killerbunny]

The chickens don't usually show any symptoms unless the load is very high.
No ideas here then.
WWW did have a BSW turkey hen that went down with it and last I heard she was doing better unless she caved later. The is usually the giveaway.

[windwalkingwolf]

Yes, my chickens all have blackhead. I've lost dozens of turkeys to it over the years, always had the tell-tale yellow and circular scarring on the liver. Never any blue tinge, and it doesn't affect the chickens at all unless they're already ill with something else and very old. Killerbunny, she did recover, she's the picture of health now :) :) :)
With ideas and advice from members, I have no intention of losing any more...I will be dosing all the chickens and turkeys with Safeguard in the Spring to kill cecal worms, and I've got a supply of Fishzole just in case. I can't do anything about earthworms, but I can keep the load down in young and newly introduced turkeys until they develop some resistance.
Kelliszoo, the age/timeframe of your turkey deaths is right for blackhead, but it's VERY rare for it to be that sudden, and even when it is, there's always fluorescent yellow poo.
My first thought was a heavy worm load that died and caused a blockage. Heart issues are a possibility, but unlikely with heritage breeds unless it's a genetic inbreeding issue, and then I would think there wouldn't be enough eggs/poults to spare any lol
Aneurism, probably not for same reasons as above. Next thought would be poison from fly bait, rat bait, fertilizer, insecticide or even just mould--turkeys are highly sensitive to things that chickens just shrug off. One time I was brooding poults in the house and opened the lid of the hot tub for the first time in a couple of months. Chlorine fumes came out that I didn't think we're that bad, no worse than opening a washing machine with a bleached load of laundry in it: but I thought the baby turkeys were going to die, they were almost choking. Had to run them outside in December, and they sneezed and coughed for over an hour afterwards. I also have to move turkeys outside the barn or to the loft if I'm running the gutter cleaner. Something in pig manure makes them sneeze and I envision horrible respiratory damage being done LOL. Wow, I'm verbose today. Anyway, trouble-free birds they are not, though the Beltsville is as close as I've ever had. Tough tough birds as turkeys go. I would say to give turkeys another try, and if one dies as before, take it apart. Necropsy is an invaluable learning experience even if you don't know what you're looking for.

[kelliszoo]

thanks, was thinking Beltsville, but not really fond of white birds, wish they came in a different colour LOL

[Home Grown Poultry]

I breed beltsvilles as well, I have somewhere around 15 or so right now. the have always been with the chicken and I have never had a single health issue with them at all in the last 3 years since I got them. they truly are great birds, will hatch and brood there own quite well, being the second smallest turkey at 16-21 lbs full grown, they will never out grow the roasting pan. I've shot n ate one young wild jake a couple years back, absolutely delicious, BSWT are exactly the same, and we ate an old tom last xmas and he didnt taste anything like an old bird, moist, juicy and fall of the bone good! mmmmmm

They might be white birds but it dosent have any negative effect on them at all.

[Killerbunny]

I have them too and the main downside is the visibility to predators and the fact they are somewhat "challenged". Sweet, loving and a bit dense.

[Home Grown Poultry]

I like to think of white as being the best camo for when predators are there most desperate during the winter. I have lots of white birds and never lost them anymore than I lost the other colors. yes they are a bit dense.