Health

Turkey health

The health and welfare of a turkey flock is a top priority. Happy, healthy birds will perform to their full genetic potential. Birds should be examined daily for overall health status. To correctly identify, analyze, and control health challenges in the barn, examine bird behavior.

  • Appetite
    • Are birds losing weight or eating less than normal?
  • Water consumption
    • Have birds stopped drinking water suddenly?
  • Activity
    • Are the birds showing signs of aggression? Are they moving slowly or sitting down more than usual?
  • Sounds
    • Are the birds abnormally loud? Are they more quiet than usual?
  • Mortality
    • Are you noticing a sudden increase in unexplained mortality?

If you notice any behavior that seems out of the ordinary, take note of your concerns and contact your local veterinarian for help.

A large component of bird health is protecting against pathogen transfer, both from outside and within the farm. By stopping pathogen transfer, you will be well-equipped in keeping your farm safe and disease free. External risks include managing insects, rodents, wild birds, and visitor traffic. Internal risks include cleaning and disinfection after each flock (downtime), farm entry procedures, and water sanitation.

Click to learn more about managing external risks

Click to learn more about managing internal risks

Vaccinations are commonly used as preventative care for turkeys, based on the recommendation of a veterinarian. Water, spray, and injection are all methods of vaccination that should be followed with assistance from a veterinarian or vaccine manufacturer.

Click here to learn more

Turkey welfare is everyone's responsibility and goes beyond providing basic necessities such as food and water. It includes animal treatment, bird handling and overall turkey health.

Click here to learn more about our animal welfare policy.

To learn more about common turkey health challenges, download any of our info sheets below.

Downloads

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