Urgent! Turkey leg injury - how to fix??

[ssagee]

Baby turkey (about 1 week?) was unfortunately placed with ducklings and received a leg injury. He was promptly removed and placed in a separate box. At the beginning, he balanced on one leg, and held the other up with toes curled. I put cardboard on his toes to straighten them out, and Internet search made me think it.

Now he sticks that leg behind, like doing "splits", and has a very hard time moving around. He can no longer walk, only flaps around. How can I fix this? Is his hock swollen? Is this splayed leg and should I take together under him with bandaid? Ty

 

[ssagee]

Also should I keep his foot in cardboard with tape to keep it flat?

 

[R2elk]

Looks like a slipped tendon. Treating it as splayed leg will not work.

You have to manipulate the tendon back into the groove on the back of the hock. Then you have to secure it there. It will likely require a support that can be taped in place.

Poults require a high protein turkey or game bird starter that has the higher levels of protein, lysine, methionine and niacin for proper development. Improper feed can contribute to the development of slipped tendon.