My friend Carol has a pet show turkey named Honey. Honey is the sweetest thing and has been happily living among chickens for years. Today is the third day Honey can't seem to use her legs. She eats, drinks and poops my friend says, but her legs woun't hold up her body. Carol says Honey's layed two eggs before this happened. Honey is a spinster, no male turkey around, well those with feathers anyway. Honey lives in Central Texas and there are snakes around, thus far though Carol says she hasn't seen anything that would point the finger at a snake bit. Any suggestions/ advise???? Thanks a bunch in advance - elke

-- elke hutto (elkeshut@yahoo.com), April 01, 2002

Answers

We once had a huge tom turkey. He got so very big that he just couldn't walk around that much...too fat ?? Is that her problem ?? I'd call the vet. Ask them about her...do you think it has something to do with her laying eggs...do eggs get "Stuck "?? You might just have to take Honey in to see the doc !! Good Luck !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), April 01, 2002.

Is there any algae growing in the water that Honey has been drinking from, if there is then this may be the cause, as algae can cause a neuro toxicity that seems to first show up in the legs. If the chickens are using the same water, then would expect it to show up in the chickens also. If the chickens are not affected and are on the same water, then rule out the algae as a cause.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), April 01, 2002.

I wonder just how old the turkey is, and what breed? For any of the broad breasted types (white or bronze are the two I know), it is not unusual for them to get too heavy for their legs to hold them. Usually this happens anytime after the first year; some make it to two years, a few to three. Their breed was developed with the dinner table in mind. They put on much more breast meat than a wild turkey, but they are also meant to be butchered at an early age.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifier.com), April 02, 2002.

This makes me think of our own Mrs. Turkey (actually, she doesn't have a mate so I guess she's Miss Turkey). Anyway, she is almost a year old (end of April). She must be 35 lbs. at least. Broad Breasted White, she is. She is the lone surviver of her species after her housemates were either taken by a bobcat or died suddenly. She's now a pet with pheasants and guineas as roomies. If you were to tell me that she suffers or is in pain because of her weight, then I wouldn't want to keep her as a "pet". What about the Cornish chickens...I'm thinking of keeping a hen/rooster pair to supply us with hatching for next year's meat chickens. Any thoughts of this?

-- Cheri in NY (t.asprion@worldnet.att.net), April 02, 2002.