# Beulah acting weird



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

My female turkey is acting unusual.Instead of roosting at night, she is laying on the chicken nest. During the day I often find her laying in the barrel out in the yard that they all put their eggs in. She is not acting broody though, she has hatched out chicks for me before and this is different. 
She is a 4 or 5 year old heritage bronze, she is my only turkey just here to give me omelets during the summer. I need to look at her closely tomorrow but, what should I be looking for?


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Do turkeys get egg bound ?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Yep, I'd check her over really well. When was the last time you got an egg?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Also, check her feet/legs and be sure she can roost...but seems funny she'd pick nesting spots to lay....I'm leaning more toward her being egg bound or a weird type of broody...


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm thinking she's gone broody. She looks great, seems to feel fine, and runs to eat like always. Now, how do I stop her? She always ends up breaking the eggs or crushing the chicks.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Do they get bumble foot ? maybe thats why she isn't roosting…
Or maybe a toe injury ? Just a thought


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

She does have Bumblefoot, but, they are healed up clean right now and no swelling of her feet.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I know! I have no idea how turkeys survive their mom's....anyway, there are a few things you can do. One....keep her from having access to the nests. Two...put her in cold water baths a couple times a day (some people use ice water) This will take her body temp down and stop the broodiness. Three...put her in an elevated cage and blow a fan on her underbody...chest area. This also helps cool the temp and break the broody cycle.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Putting a 30 lb bird into an ice bath is sounding fun :lol:

Okay, I'll take away all the wooden eggs and fix the nests.
How long do turkeys live anyway?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

about 10 years ...usually less


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

what...holding her in an ice bath sounds like good entertainment to me :lol: so long as you're doing it!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

:lol:


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Can we get a video play of this Jill , pleeeeeasse :slapfloor:


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## Greybird (May 14, 2014)

LOL- Poor Beulah!
If she's a broad-breasted variety (which is what it sounds like, based on her weight) then her life expectancy isn't as good as a heritage turkey. She will be very lucky to make it to 7 or 8 and she may become somewhat crippled as she ages. Keeping her on a diet will help her immensely.

As for stopping a broody turkey .... it ain't easy! Removing all signs of her nest, especially any eggs of any kind, is probably the best way.

I definitely wouldn't put her in a wire-bottomed cage since it's very hard on their feet and the heavy breeds already have a tendency to suffer from foot and leg problems.

My turkey girls only weigh about 12-14 lbs and the boys reach about 25-30 lbs at the most. The good news is : they are *somewhat* easier to handle and they hatch their own eggs; the bad news: they can FLY!!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

My heritage breed Tom cannot fly...and the girls don't either.My girls weigh almost 30 lbs. and my Tom weighs close to 45 lbs. They are 4 years old. The lines can be different in poultry just like in any animal.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Turns out that Beulah had broken the small bone at the tip of her wing. It healed a bit crooked so she looks pinioned now but, she's up acting like herself again.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad she is ok.


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