HELP!! Sick 4 month old peachick, help!!!!

[bdfive]

One of my 5 high percentage 4 month old Spalding chilcks is ill. It's eating and drinking but keeps it's head tucked into it's chest with head and chest way down. It's not lively, mostly laying around and sleeping preferring to be by itself. Yesterday we dosed them all with 2/10th cc of Ivermectin in the beak and let them swallow it. He seems about the same this morning. Don't know what to do now but give it some Tylan 50. I'd say it is half to maybe a little more the size of a grown pea. Would 1/4 to 1/2 cc be the appropriate amount? Is there anything else I can do? I've been highly socializing with these 5 chicks. They jump up in my lap in the pen and I can pet 2 of them. They're like pets. It will break my heart to loose one or more.

Thanks so much,
darlene

 

[chickenzoo]

was that one sick before you dosed with Ivomec? I don't do it down the throat in birds, I have read somewhere that it can be hard on the kidneys/liver as it is absorbed faster internally than through the skin? Do you have them on the ground? If so, coccidia could be a problem.... any other symptoms? any wheezing in chest?

 

[bdfive]

Yes, was sick before I gave them the wormer. I normally give it to peas in water for a couple days but figured if worms this one needed it quick due to condition. Are you saying I could have just put it on the skin instead of in the mouth?

I had to make a call as to what to treat for and since they are on the ground and I don't have chickens worming seemed the best choice. I wormed them something over a month ago with Safeguard.

No other symptoms I can see.

Thanks,
Darlene

 

[chickenzoo]

Yes, it is most often applied to the skin and absorbed that way... with liquid Ivomectrian, .......paste Ivomectrain you can dose in mouth, Safeguard is safe to dose in the mouth also. Could he have gotten into any moldy feed? Their is a illness that is caused by moldy feed or mold ingestion that will cause them to hunch over like their head is very heavy and can't be held up. They have trouble aiming at food and controlling head and neck... is this what your's is doing by chance? I believe you can do a molasses flush or epsom salt flush to try and push the toxic mold out of their system. Go to the search key and search molasses flush and also moldy feed... and it should give you some examples if you think it may be the cause. Sometimes feed can look fine but still harbor mold spores.

If that doesn't help, I would try some Sulmet - would work on coccidia and respiratory illness. Wild birds or your soil can carry coccidia, don't need chickens nor to see blood in poo. Coccidia they normally sit fluffed up in a cornor, eyes closed, depressed, pick at food but not really eat alot and lose weight... but that mimics other thing also, I know. Tylan is for respiratory, but can help with other things, but you may need something bacterialfighting like Baytril... but it is a hard call w/ out looking at the bird. Also check throat, as peachicks are known for swallowing all kinds of stuff. Do they have hay or long grass near by? any type of string or bird netting missing? they often swallow stuff, get it wrapped around tongue or get it caught in the intestines. they often will lay about looking droopy and not poo. If so add oil to water and mix in feed or dribble in mouth, to help push and lubricate the bowels.

 

[bdfive]

Sure is stressful when they become ill not knowing what's wrong and what to do. They are just like children eating everything. What is the best bedding to put down for younger birds up to 6 months old that will keep them out of trouble. I've heard sand. No long grass but we have been chipping cedar for a long time and it's in all the soil around here but I raised 3 chicks in there last year without any problems. I'm wondering if India Blue species aren't a lot easier then raising Java breeds. Will virgin olive oil work? Poor little thing screems bloody murder when I catch it to give it the meds. I'm thinking I should put it in a small cage and bring it in the house where it's cool but afraid it'll miss it's side-kicks and stress more. What do you think? We're going into town now. I'll see if they have Baytril at Tractor Supply. Thanks, I'll post how it's going and if anyone else has any suggestions please let me know. I'm desperate to save this baby.

darlene

 

[TerriLaChicks]

You sure do have my sympathy (see my other post for what I just went through with my young ones!) I think I have a few more grey hairs popping out this week.

yes the olive oil will work (and thank you Chickenzoo for posting that -- I had forgotten about the oil trick!)

I have mine on pine shavings - bought them at PetSmart, they are dust-free, large shavings and they have left them alone.

I wonder if adding vitamins to the water would help? like we do when it's a newly hatched chick? I know they make a "stress" vitamin for birds & I've used it on my other birds before & I think it helped. (at work & can't remember the name of it but I bet somebody on here knows-it was a liquid vitamin).

I didn't separate Java from his siblings after our incident since he perked right back up, but I kept a close eye on him & if he had not, I would've definitely brought him inside - it's still in the 90s here & humid as all get-out -- and kept him at least a couple of days in my "hospital" brooder.

Like you, I just adore these birds -- they are so unique -- so curious & fun to interact with! I could not stand it if anything happened to mine! Even my husband is smitten, and he's not a 'bird' person.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Baytril is powerful stuff, and can only be had at places like your vet or a pigeon supply company. I get mine locally and will only use it VERY sparingly and as a last resort. I've heard it can cause sterility for prolonged use and can easily cause kidney damage if overdosed. Make sure you have to dosage correct whomever you get it from if you manage to get it. I use liquid form. Good luck and I wish your pea baby the best!

 

[bdfive]

TerriLaChicks, Just read about the bizarre incident with your bird. So good you caught it in time. How is it doing? I've pulled long feathers out of peachicks mouths several times. I wonder how many they actually manage to swallow.

Last year (my first at the peas breeding) I kept 3 peachicks. They were on wire until 3 months old then put them in the pen the spaldings are in now. I never had a problem but this is my 3rd chick to get ill this year. The first one I took to Kendalia Wildlife Rescue, second I gave Safeguard to with the others and that solved the problem. Now this one that may be showing a little improvement but not much. A lady in San Antonio said she is going to quit breeding anything with Green Java in them....that they are looking for a way to die so guess she's had a lot of problems. I'd like to hear her story. I didn't see anything in it's throat when I dosed it twice but it could have swallowed something big that isn't breaking up. I have grit in there. We're in the Texas Hill Country with sooooooo many rocks. There are cenipedes near a foot long and lots of scorpions so it could have been stung. We had 2 huge old growth Live Oak trees come down in this last storm from the hurricane. They were both growing on rocks....I guess most our trees have shallow roots after seeing these. Now I'll be so nervous when the earth is saturated and there are high winds.

I am giving them electrolytes and vitamins.

The 3 chicks I raised from the egg last year will eat from most peoples hand. They grab things off my lap like my work gloves, LOL!! When work is going on we have to be careful because they are underfoot. I love my peafowl. Watching the hens free range with the few peachicks I left them is a real delight. One of my 4 month old spaldings jumps up and sits in my lap and I pet it on it's back and chest. I'll be crushed if I loose my spalding chicks.

High Roost Ranch, thank you for the information on Baytril. I think I'll leave it alone for now. I'm going to search the symptoms of coccidiosis now. Maybe I need to give it Corid or Sulmet. Probably not good to be giving it so many different meds all at once. DOES IVERMECTIN KILL ALL WORMS OR DOES SAFE-GUARD GET SOME IVERMECTIN DOESN'T?

Thanks Everyone.

 

[chickenzoo]

Worming is rotational, especially in warm climates as one type wormer only gets certain things, and most should be redosed in 7-14 days as wormers do not get the worm eggs. I would try some Corid for coccidia first, as it is easiest on their system. Sulmet would be my second choice as it does both coccidia & respiratory. I would also mix feed with oil to try and cover that base also and hope one of those gets it. I would not re dose with a wormer at this time, until the chick gets stronger and improves for at least 2 weeks. Best Wishes

 

[bdfive]

Can I use the Corid now? I gave them Ivermectin a few days ago. Should I keep giving it the Tylan 50? This is so stressful and it breaks my heart to see it ill. I'm even praying. Thanks.