Can I have Peacocks with Chickens?

[barkerg]

How does that work? Which parasite can they get that way?

-Kathy

With grains such as scratch there is an amount of dirt, bugs and other carriers that get into the mix dead or alive. We have found dead mice in ours on more than one a occasion. The higher protein feed like 28% turkey crumbles is mostly fish and other by products. Everything I just mentioned is a known host, there is really no way to keep your birds safe unless they are peafowl in a bubble, wasnt there a movie about that with a boy? Sorry got off tangent, im back. Parasites will always be around and the best defense is to carry the right meds. The best offense is to deworm on schedule and one of the main things that let parasites fester up is a dirty waterer, we switch out water every day in each cage.

Gerald Barker

 

[Birdrain92]

Something that I would like to address that I didn't see, though it could've been stated, but I'm playing quick catch up so I could've missed it. Blackhead is caused by a protozoa which can be transmitted through a parasite, which can come from bugs or other animals that are near to the bottom of the food chain working their way up. Not saying all earthworms carry blackhead, but there's the possibility that they carry it. Also you need to remember that the animals have an immune system that can fight back, but when exposed to too much then the animal gets sick and starts showing symptoms. You can't go keep putting medicine into them over and over and over. It's wise to space it out, let the animal get an immune system and not rely on the medicine or herb. If you do that you can also shoot yourself in the foot that way too. Remember, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm not saying don't worm your birds, it's good that you do, you just have to find the right balance. You also have to remember protozoa and parasites are living things.Environment plays a huge role. Usually though parasite eggs can survive the winter. For those that have hatched though, if they're not in a host when it freezes they usually die. In my opinion that's why you need to worm when the ground freezes. That way those that hatched out, the host will not be a safe haven. Rather they die by the wormer or they die by the elements. Either way those that hatched, they die. When the ground thaws, those that didn't hatch, if still alive, will hatch, and need a host. If you worm when the ground thaws, they will die by the wormer, or by starvation. They have to have a food source, that's why they need the host. Without a host they die. This method, in my opinion, and understanding of parasites for right now, makes it so they only way they can get in, is through an intruder. Like a grasshopper, mouse, barnyard cat, dog, etc. Not all parasites though can jump from one species to the next, some are species specific.

I've never really though of parasites being able to pass through the feed that we buy in a feed store. I'm not entirely sure of how true this may be, I've never tested it out, I hope not, because the feed I use for my peachicks has animal based protein in it. Wouldn't be surprised if it had fish in it, the feed has a bit of a fish scent to it. Though I would expect the feed companies to sterilize it during certain parts of the processing it. After all if they didn't that would be one of the easiest ways to have a Salmonella outbreak across large parts of the US and other countries. In my opinion they animals need a little exposure, not enough to make them sick but enough to build up an immune system. If you really want to spend a lot of time thinking on it, we along with animals are in contact with pathogens of some sort. Thinking of the door handle, the ground, everything you buy from the store. For animals it's the ground, maybe a perch or scratching post. But our immune systems, if we take care of ourselves properly is strong enough to fight them off. Most diseased caused pathogens happen when some part of the body is under more stress than the body can hold back. Then it needs help to push back and rebuild. This can be done in multiple ways, wormer, antibiotic, probiotic, vitamin supplement, nutrient supplement, electrolytes, increase the temp of the surrounding area, and one the most people might not like to hear bleeding. Bleeding is a way for your body to push out bad, dirty blood (not really dirty but not clean), and let the body be filled with good, clean blood.

 

[Birdrain92]

I'm not trying to correct anyone, just touching base on certain points that may have been missed.

 

[KsKingBee]

I'm not trying to correct anyone, just touching base on certain points that may have been missed.

Cecal worms are the carrier for blackhead. Control the cecal worms and you control the blackhead. If you don't have the luxury of being able to run fecal exams to know the worm load then a regular deworming program is a necessity.

 

[Birdrain92]

Cecal worms are the carrier for blackhead. Control the cecal worms and you control the blackhead. If you don't have the luxury of being able to run fecal exams to know the worm load then a regular deworming program is a necessity.

I thought it was a Protozoa that is carried by Cecal worm that causes Blackhead? My worming plan is worm when the ground freezes and when it thaws.

 

[casportpony]

Here are a couple of screen shots of the CAHFS (California Animal Health & Food Safety) newsletter. Note they say no approved treatments/no effective theraputic drug, and that's true for food animals, but metronidazole will treat it if caught soon enough. Add Baytril if not caught soon enough, 'cause they will usually have a secondary E. coli infection.







-Kathy

 

[KsKingBee]

I thought it was a Protozoa that is carried by Cecal worm that causes Blackhead? My worming plan is worm when the ground freezes and when it thaws.

Read it again, that is what it said.

 

[Birdrain92]

Here are a couple of screen shots of the CAHFS (California Animal Health & Food Safety) newsletter. Note they say no approved treatments/no effective theraputic drug, and that's true for food animals, but metronidazole will treat it if caught soon enough. Add Baytril if not caught soon enough, 'cause they will usually have a secondary E. coli infection.







-Kathy

In my vet book it mentions that there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry for the treatment of Blackhead. But it does recommend worming and Metronidazole to help. I think they state it that way because there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry to treat it. Of course it's similar with wormers. The ones that are approved are not as effective compared to those in other animals.

 

[KsKingBee]

In my vet book it mentions that there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry for the treatment of Blackhead. But it does recommend worming and Metronidazole to help. I think they state it that way because there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry to treat it. Of course it's similar with wormers. The ones that are approved are not as effective compared to those in other animals.

That is a CYA statement, the distinction is between meat birds and ornamental birds.

 

[casportpony]

In my vet book it mentions that there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry for the treatment of Blackhead. But it does recommend worming and Metronidazole to help. I think they state it that way because there's no medicine approved by the FDA to be used in poultry to treat it. Of course it's similar with wormers. The ones that are approved are not as effective compared to those in other animals.

It's because the medications that are effective, like metronidazole, dimetridazole, and ronidazole, etc. are banned for use in food animals.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/pharmacology/antibacterial_agents/nitroimidazoles.html

-Kathy