Question on Turkeys and possible malady (not a happy ending)
 

I am looking for an explanation to a very strange (and sad) event we had on the farm this afternoon. It involved a young adult bourbon red tom turkey.

He was having a mild conversation with another tom through some slats. Both were puffed up (they stay that way most of the time for the girls) and doing some occasional gobbling and puffing. I walked in and petted the bourbon red and went to get some feed. As I was putting together some feed the red sneezed a couple of times. I thought it strange and turned to look.

He had lost all his puffing out and seemed to have a strangled breathing. He sneezed and then flapped and fell over. My Wife tried to clear the airway and give CPR but he just expired.

Wife did a field autopsy. There was a small bit of hay in his sound box but the airway was otherwise clear. Lungs appeared clear. Heart appeared good.

This is a guy who was covering hens day in and day out for the last 10 days. He belonged to a neighbor. He appeared overall healthy. He flew up into trees and strutted all day long. We have no ideas other than a heart attack or a genetic issue?

Any thoughts are appreciated!

After cooking, what does it taste like? Goes well with mashed tatters!

Necropsy didn't show any inflammation in the airways or constriction of vessels? I'd guess snake bite or herbal issues.

Zero inflammation or constriction on dissection.

There were no snakes at that time, I have not seen any poisonous snakes here, FWIW. He was eating same as everyone else. No other issues.

Neighbor gave me another clue. Birds full brother had a similar "fit" with same end result several months ago.

I just cannot believe the small bit of hay would have constricted enough.

Old hunters tale: Toms will get so excited in mating season they will gulp so much air they burst inside and die.

I hope it is not herbal issues! Everyone has access to the same food...

Bump for any input?

these are domestic birds? total guess...i bet he had a heart attack? boy turkeys get all sexed crazed..tough on the ticker.

There's your problem. This guy was screwed from the get-go.

At least he is now resting peacefully in his gravey....

:p

Do you have any farmhands with strange sexual habits?

Yes, domestic cross. We thought heart attack as a possibility. More thrown by the gasping for air.

Sexed to death? Heck of a way to go. Guess I never tried hard enough?

Baked. No gravy but potatoes.

No farmhands, but we could use volunteers!


Heart attack? Wife is thinking it might be a congenital heart condition and he worked himself to death.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1968Cayman (Post 5359523) Do you have any farmhands with strange sexual habits?

or boilermakers?

Consulted my brother...likely over-excited for extended period and had a heart attack...possible annuerism in lung causing HA which would explain the sneezing sound due to congestion in lungs. Also a remote possibility of genetic defect due to inbreeding of pedigreed turkeys. Best he could do unless you want a full blown autopsy. Nothing you did wrong.

Sorry you had to eat Tom. Was far from Kobe turkey. (If there is such a thing. I don't think there is.)

Jim,

Thanks! Wife and I kept going back to choking due to symptoms and just first impressions.

We can live with it. All the girls actually gathered around him after he expired, rather strange but animals can sense things too.

Milt,

We were sure there was no toxicity, liver was most healthy and so very little fat anywhere on his body! Heart appeared healthy as well. We don't have any poisons lying about and don't use anything to control mice other than the chickens and a stray cat that is hanging about (rather healthy looking one at that).

Neighbor was not at all upset. We are giving him a chicken he was wanting to buy and everyone is happy.


Guys: on a general note, you really don't want to watch chickens when they catch a live mouse, it is NOT pretty! We no longer have mouse and mole problems.

nice!! you ate the bird. nothing fun about plucking a bird. i hate it.

just 3 days ago, i had to put down a chicken..she was BEYOND egg-bound, and developed an infection. it was gross. i picked her up, and she vomited a bloody puss-ie, mess.

Thanks. I think I'll skip breakfast now.

Best laugh of the say...

I was mid bit! Darn you vash!:mad:

sorry.

call it a diet?

was recently at the museum with the wife and upon seeing the skeleton of a t-rex said "man thats a big chicken!" and then told me about her chickens tearing apart a mouse.