DewberryJam
In the Brooder
- May 14, 2024
- 16
- 16
- 29
Hi. I have two peachicks, a 16wo girl and a 15wo boy. They have been doing terrific. They are currently housed outside in a large pen that’s under cover and on concrete with pine shavings on the floor. They eat a mix of chick starter and game bird starter and get meal worms for treats fed by hand most days. They are both very social/friendly, though that totally includes the pecking at us and trying to eat our freckles and fingers (and hat brims and key chains and anything g they can peck at pretty much). We do have also chickens that free range.
Today, when I went to tend to the pea chicks and give them some mealworms, Charlie was NOT acting like himself at all. He usually scarfs down the meal worms, but he was just standing there, and even when I put mealworms right up to him, he wouldn’t eat them. He wasn’t pecking at the worms, my hands, anything. When I would pet him, he wouldn’t fuss at me (he’s very social, but would usually fuss if you tried to pet him or (God forbid!) try to pick him up! (And then he’d be right back for more attention! Lol!) But today, he isn’t eating and isn’t fussing and is totally not himself and is just standing quietly in a corner, eyes closed, unless you’re messing with him. The peahen Skywalker is just fine and was happy to eat all of Charlie’s neglected mealworms.
My daughter thought he wasn’t breathing well, so we felt him up and looked down his throat but couldn’t notice any obstructions. We then syringe fed him some water, which he did swallow, but he wasn’t happy about it. He’s now resting over in a corner again, sometimes eyes closed, sometimes preening a bit, and then just resting again, eyes closed. He’s usually a frisky fellow and eager to chomp on everything.
Any advice???
Today, when I went to tend to the pea chicks and give them some mealworms, Charlie was NOT acting like himself at all. He usually scarfs down the meal worms, but he was just standing there, and even when I put mealworms right up to him, he wouldn’t eat them. He wasn’t pecking at the worms, my hands, anything. When I would pet him, he wouldn’t fuss at me (he’s very social, but would usually fuss if you tried to pet him or (God forbid!) try to pick him up! (And then he’d be right back for more attention! Lol!) But today, he isn’t eating and isn’t fussing and is totally not himself and is just standing quietly in a corner, eyes closed, unless you’re messing with him. The peahen Skywalker is just fine and was happy to eat all of Charlie’s neglected mealworms.
My daughter thought he wasn’t breathing well, so we felt him up and looked down his throat but couldn’t notice any obstructions. We then syringe fed him some water, which he did swallow, but he wasn’t happy about it. He’s now resting over in a corner again, sometimes eyes closed, sometimes preening a bit, and then just resting again, eyes closed. He’s usually a frisky fellow and eager to chomp on everything.
Any advice???