Dead Peacock! Should I Worry for Others?

[C-Bee-A-Pea]

Pea People,

I awoke this morning to find that one of my 9 month old Peacocks is dead. My other birds look great. I free range my chickens and peafowl, and put them up at night. Last night I noted that the Peacock was very unsteady on his feet, and was pooping a deep green and yellow. He also did not want to flock with the rest of the birds. He kept on walking away from the rest of the birds an just laid down. I figured out that this peacock was sick when (for the first time ever) he let me pick him up. He felt underweight, is this from worms? This also just happened in a day or two, because Monday he was acting just fine, eating, drinking, flying from place to place, etc. So I am just wanting to know if my other peas are in danger of dying, if so what should I do?

Thanks for any help!

 

[zazouse]

Sorry for your loss.

Someone should be along to answer your questions about the poop but can you tell us a little more like what do you feed them.
Do you have close neighbors that might have put out ant poison or anything toxic that may have been sprayed on plants like weed killer, etc?

When was the last time they were wormed and what did you use?

 

[C-Bee-A-Pea]

I do have neighbors that live close (They also like the birds). I don't know if they have put out poison, but as far as I know my bird have not gone into the neighbors yard.

I have not wormed them because of all of the snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and really wet conditions. My plan is/was to worm the birds this month, now that we have pushed into the 50s. What wormer has worked the best for you?

As far a feed I usually buy a bag of Game Bird 24% protein, and mix it with a bag of 18% chicken feed. About a week and a half ago I wanted to try out a new bag of chicken feed, because I was not happy with 18% chicken feed. So I changed to a 16% and they ate that. The Peas and Chickens don't get a lot of treats besides bread and boiled eggs. They also only get treated every couple of weeks or so.

I just went out and picked up some of my other Peas and they seem to be a normal weight. It was just that one Peacock last night that seemed really underweight.

 

[casportpony]

Deep green and yellow poop could be a combination of blackhead and e. Coli. If I were you I would de-worm the rest with Safeguard liquid or paste, .5ml per 2.2 pounds and I might even treat them with metronidazole just to be safe. If you still have his body, and you're up to it, a necropsy will probably tell you what he died from. If you need help doing it, just let me know.

-Kathy

 

[C-Bee-A-Pea]

Kathy, thank you SOOO much for the information!!!! Could you please send me a link to the Safeguard and the metronidazole I would like to make sure I get the right stuff. I know that there are many different types of Safeguard!

 

[casportpony]

Here is one source for metronidazole (fishzole).
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07300-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here is one for Safeguard
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/safe-guardreg;-goat-dewormer-125-ml

You can buy any liquid or paste Safeguard, they're all the same... All are 10% Fenbendazole, but the better value for your money is the liquid, not the paste.

-Kathy

 

[C-Bee-A-Pea]

Thanks Kathy!!!! I do have one more question though, how do you go about using the metronidazole on Peafowl?

 

[subhanalah]

Thanks Kathy!!!! I do have one more question though, how do you go about using the metronidazole on Peafowl?

if it's the metronidazole I've bought for fish, you can make it into a gel food and feed it to them that way. Make up a batch of water, their regular feed and some gelatin prepared as if you were making jello with it (don't use jello brand) and take a small portion that's about bite size and mix if with the dose you need, before you chill it. Chill the individual serving and then you can dose each peacock that way.

Maybe there is a better way, but this is how I medicate my dogs when I get powdered medication.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks Kathy!!!! I do have one more question though, how do you go about using the metronidazole on Peafowl?

I buy it in pill form and give it orally. If they're big enough, like 3kg or more, I give one pill orally once a day for five days. My really large turkeys get 4 pills. Haven't had to treat any of my large boys, but if I did I might give them two pills, but I guess I'd weigh them first.

-Kathy