# Crippled Turkey



## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

Ok first you need the story behind this madness . Ok at our school we have an ag site full of animals either as pets fair animals or for eating purposes. Out of these animals there were to turkeys 1 fine and 1 slightly crippled. The lady who owned them kept them on wood (knowing pigeons on wood alone mess with there legs I told her). No one thought it was the same but as its feed diet gain in protein it fastly grew waight as to go to fair. And sadly its legs worsened. Although it is still young and is fixable it might have slightly un-normal legs no matter what. So I talked to the teacher and she said it was to be uthanized but as she knew I was experienced with crippled animals she is giving me a chance to save its life and maybe even keep hie (I named him turk). She had no clue there could be any way of fixing them so she said to send her tons of pics. So I sent her this in an email ill add the pics soon 

Feel free to give me recomendations or what ever .





I started but cliping some of his feathers that were broken.


Picture 2 was the first step. I took an old shirt (FFA Chevy one) cut two holes for his legs and stuck the legs threw.

Picture 1 was the second step. As you can see in picture two his legs were both going in different directions (not normal). So to try to correct them from growing apart I used medical tape and wrapped them together.

Picture 3 was step 3. I taped his feet to the bottom of a plastic box. But placed him toward the back of the box to leave room for his feathers to grow straight. Also leaving enough room for him to use the bathroom so it wouldn't hit the back of the box or dry on to his rear.

Picture 4 is the final product. I taped the lose ends of the shirt to the out side of the plastic box (making like a Hammock) which allows him to put some wait on his legs to regain muscle along with taking enough pressure off him so that he doesn't worsen his legs.

For the feed and water. I am currently feeding him game-bird crumble which looks like the same stuff he was being fed, but in case their wasn't enough protein or nutrient's, I mixed Prime into his water which gives it a yellow tint.

So far so good


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

Thank you for fixing it Im really sorry.

Picture 1










Picture 2









picture 3
Is gone ???

Picture 4


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

On the same day I was walking to school and saw somthing yellow fly into a chain link fence I ran over and it was a golden finch it had it its head and neck in the link and it died in my hand 










My poor wild bird friend


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Well done, Michael .. that is a very creative and good setup for the little turkey chick. What a shame you and it have to go through this. You will have to keep a very close eye on things to be sure that nothing is getting circulation cut off or anything like that .. they grow so very quickly.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm sorry about the Gold Finch .. I had a run last week of Black Headed Grosbeak's hitting windows .. three of them .. all either DOA or dead within minutes .. very, very sad. 

Terry


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

Im sorry you went through that too  it was soo pretty, well im gonna hit the hay good night


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

That is a great setup for Turk. He seems comfortable in his hammock. I hope his legs will be corrected.
So sorry about little Finch.

Reti


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Michael, you have a heart of gold. Thank goodness you were able to save Turk and give his legs a chance to straighten out. The set up looks good to me but like Terry said, be sure to check the legs every day for circulation problems. The legs and feet should be warm and his toes able to flex. You can always loosen the bandage every few days.

I'm sorry about the finch. It was so beautiful. We don't have them here in NC.

Hope school and track are going well and, of course, all your "critters".


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Michael,
you're headed in the right direction, I think, but you don't want to keep poor Turk's feet taped right together. If any thing, have them separated a few inches. Maybe that's what the "invisible" picture shows. You will want to do physical therapy on his legs and feet daily, and try to keep his weight manageable. If this is a meat type turkey (and I'm guessing he is), then they gain weight very fast, mainly in their breast area, and have problems walking before they are turned in to someone's dinner. Don't starve him, by any means, but feed him good quality food, and plenty of greens, veggies and fruit. The sling is great, you need to set him up in something with wheels, so he can have some weight bearing on his feet/legs, and get to move, too. We have a pet turkey, too, but she's a heritage breed turkey, and will never get big and heavy like those meat birds do. Oh, and those meat type turkeys can't even reproduce naturally. So much for Man's interference. Should have left turkeys the way they were in the first place.
daryl
Keep up the good work, and holler if you have any questions. If this doesn't work out, you still have a lot to be proud of, your ingenuity, your kindness, your sensitivity, your ability to know and do what is right.


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## Fancyfowl4ever (Oct 6, 2006)

From what I can tell(since pic #2 doesn't show the hock joint) this turkey suffers from "Slipped tendond", the achilles tendon will slip off the heel there for the legs will point either very far outward or inward.
Since this turkey is a meat turkey it grows unbvelievably quick, too quick for its bones to harden in time to keep the tendons in place. Too much protein makes it only worse cause then he grows even faster.
You cannot fix a slipped tendond. There would of been a chance if the bird was under 2 weeks old since then the bones were still soft, but now the bones have hardened and the tendond cannot be moves.

That is a common problem in these "mutant"(meat)- turkeys and chickens, they grow too fast for their own bones and hearts and at around 6 to 10 months they die of heart failure(that is a time range for turkeys, meat chickens go at around 8 weeks to 5 months).
Makes me sick to think that this is what you buy in the super market..... I love the fact I raise normal poultry and not genetically engineered monsters.

Another problem with these meat mutants is they are so darn lovable and sweet, I tried to keep 8 meat turkeys alive for more then 6 months, had to butcher some cause they had broken bones due to their weight and others died of heartattacks.

I hope your lil turkey will live a long life for a meatbird!!

Sure looks like a sweety. Makes me think of my Pet meat turkey hen, she lived very long(4 yrs), she wattled like a duck, had the legs of an elefant(you could swear the ground vibrated with her every step too) and only got a few hands full of grain a day and table scraps if we had any. She couldn't jump or run and frollic like my Royal Palms(heritage turkeys), her life mostly went by sitting by the feeder and biting any bird that came too close to her. She would only go out of the coop to graze(when she was out she loved it) if I chased her.
Silly thing... She passed away 3 weeks ago on heart failure cause I had to add gamebird grower to the feed to get my young Royals to grow, that of course was too much protein then her heart could handle  it was all my fault though, i should of known better, I was hoping it wouldn't affect her that badly.......

Anyways, good luck with the lil guy, sorry about my long post, I hate how I like to ramble on and on......

FF4E


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

(Mutant) Hes my mutant baby and I love him!! 

 unfortanatly he has to go back home when and if he gets fixed and sadly will wind up as a meat turkey. But as they wont live long im really sad  but at least god wants him possibly more than me so I hope god takes good care of my friend Turk when he does go.


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

I would also like to say that my sister and I ran for officer of the Chapter FFA amber got sentienal. and I got slated for president.

Elections were to night 

Amber got what she wanted and...

I am next years President.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Congratulations to you and Amber, Michael! Very well done!

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

stach_n_flash said:


> (Mutant) Hes my mutant baby and I love him!!
> 
> unfortanatly he has to go back home when and if he gets fixed and sadly will wind up as a meat turkey. But as they wont live long im really sad  but at least god wants him possibly more than me so I hope god takes good care of my friend Turk when he does go.


Michael,

If Mutant's fate is to end up as a meat turkey, I don't think it is right to try and "fix" him only to meet that end .. better to have him euthanized now. It is very stressful and very uncomfortable for young birds to go through the process of having splayed legs or slipped tendons fixed. I just can't see putting the young turkey through it only to be killed ..  This is JMO 

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm sorry for the loss of your pet turkey, Fancyfowl. Sounds like you really loved this big bird.

Terry


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

I dont want to give Turk back

" If Mutant's fate is to end up as a meat turkey, I don't think it is right to try and "fix" him only to meet that end .. better to have him euthanized now. It is very stressful and very uncomfortable for young birds to go through the process of having splayed legs or slipped tendons fixed. I just can't see putting the young turkey through it only to be killed .. This is JMO "

I might get to keep him for the duration of his life then I would be really happy  cause I love him


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

stach_n_flash said:


> I might get to keep him for the duration of his life then I would be really happy  cause I love him


Then go for it! I guess I misunderstood. I thought Turk was going to go the way of a meat turkey regardless .. sorry if I did misunderstand.

Terry


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## Fancyfowl4ever (Oct 6, 2006)

Ya, she was adorable, although I don't think she was ever really happy. My mom of course liked her cause she could push Frizzy(cause like many meat turkeys she didn't take care of her feathers) around because Frizzy was too fat and slow to do anything about it. 
These things get heavier then a fully grown Emu or Rhea. Over 20 kgs at least.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Michael, you are ONE TERRIFIC HUMAN BEING!!  

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR SISTER! Your peers couldn't have elected a better pair!

I am sorry the Finch didn't make it! They are such beautiful little birds!!

Your compassion for taking care of Turk is wonderful! Because of young people like you, my faith in the goodness of the "younger" generation is alive and well!

Mr. Squeaks and I say, BRAVO!!!   

LOVE, HUGS and SCRITCHES TO ALL! 

Please keep us updated


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

mr squeaks said:


> Michael, you are ONE TERRIFIC HUMAN BEING!!
> 
> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR SISTER! Your peers couldn't have elected a better pair!
> 
> ...



I'm 100% in agreement. I couldn't say it better.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hey Michael

I just read about the FFA elections. Congratulations, Mr. President. I'm happy Amber won also. 

I sure hope you can keep Turk.


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## Fancyfowl4ever (Oct 6, 2006)

If you're keeping turk, then make sure s/he doesn't lay around on his/her chest too much. Esspecially when s/he reaches the 20-30 lbs mark. Laying too much on the chest will give him/her a water belly, that is pretty much just like a blister that surrounds the complete breast area of the bird, a very painful thing and very common in meatbirds(since those things just sit around all day and eat).

I hope Turk is a hen, hens usually live longer then Toms.
You would also get some nice big eggs if its a hen and lives to next spring(turkey eggs are pretty tasteless, but are good for baking).

FF4E


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## YARDBIRD (Mar 27, 2007)

*adopted a broiler*

We adopted a broiler rooster that was full grown.
We were told to make sure he got enough exercize and to feed him as you would an overweight human- lots of veggies including greens for the calcium.
No junkfood (corn.)
He had the thick almost twisted ankles. So sad that humans could be so cruel.
He was bigger than my turkey and was not afraid of hawks. We used to watch him guard the other chickens from small hawks. We loved him to death.
He finally met his end when a red-tail hawk took up residence for about a week. It flew under the poultry netting over the gate and got to him before we could get there. 

You know, you could keep the turkey and just say he was not better just yet....


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I had a fryer named Matilda. She was the most precious creature and of course it is a long story. No matter what we feed her, she just got bigger and bigger.
She was 15 lb when she died from heart failure at 2 years. 
She passed over during the night. It broke my heart.


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