Peachick issue

[crity]

Our peahen came out with 4 babies around 5 days ago, and one of them was having a hard time even walking. I scooped it up and brought it inside, I was sure it wouldn't last the night. We it did. But I am have a hard time figuring out what to feed it. It is running, hopping up on my lap and basically running my life. First off he (lets just say he for now) will not look at the crumble. I don't even think he sees it as food. So we have been eating (We? I'm losing my mind) sweet fresh corn, bugs, kale, bit of shrimp, sprouts. He does not care for eggs. He is drinking a lot, and loves the muddy water that comes with over filling the horse trough. But I just feel like he isn't eating enough. To be honest the only thing he'll eat on his own is bugs, and he will chase those things down. Even follows me around when I clean and vacuum, gobbling up any bug that is disturbed. Earwigs have been a huge problem. Everything else needs to be hand fed. I think I may be being played. He has had some poop issues, at first he was really constipated and I had to oil his little butt and added some maple syrup to his water, now it's just messy. He is not as big or as strong as his siblings, and if he survives will probably live like the chickens. Instead of roosting in the trees, he'll be put to bed each night with the chickens. I just need to know what to feed him. I just tried shrimp since I read it somewhere. We have had peacocks for as long as I can remember, but the mom always did everything. They basically live like wild birds that just hang out. I had been putting him in a kennel at night in my room and keeping the heat on...it's summer. The light just kept him up. And every morning we seems to go through the dying bird routine, when I first bring him out. But as soon as I point out a bug, he's chasing it down like a little roadrunner. He just seems so small compared to his siblings. I have dealt with chicks for most of my life, but never a peachick. One day all he wanted was kale and water, then the next shrimp, kale and water, today it's sweet corn and water. And always bugs. The meal worms he likes the idea of but doesn't seem to be able to manage eating them, even when I break them up. I'm thinking maybe peachicks don't eat as much as chicks do. Those little guys were always eating.

 

[thndrdancr]

Try some moistened oatmeal and see if he goes for that. Even better if you add Kaytee Exact baby bird hand feeding powder. Put food on end of your finger and wiggle it in front of him.
Those are a few ideas.

 

[crity]

Thanks. He is still gobbling up earwigs and any bug, but then looks sleepy and pathetic if were aren't out hunting. Do they sleep a lot? I'm going to call our local grange to see if they have that power. Thanks again.

 

[crity]

They have it!

 

[thndrdancr]

Aldomake sure he is warm enough, the first week of hatch they need to be kept about 95 degrees or so. That may be why he looks no so good overnite?

 

[crity]

Yeah, I am keeping the heat on and she is sleeping with me. There isn't much I can do, she (we just use she) stresses out so badly when left alone with a heat lamp. Then I tried leaving her in the kennel with the heater on, and she was still not looking great and was stressing out alone.. She slept in bed with me last night, in an easter basket with a silk scarf tied on top then she went under the blankets and I wrap my arms around the basket. Other than making me feel like a complete lunatic, that seemed worked the best, Woke up looking better. My biggest problem is constipation. The first time I gave her maple water and oiled her butt and out came a hard poop and she was fine for a bit. Now she's constipated again and I can't seem to help her. I have also applied warm compresses to her little butt just to loosen things up a bit. She likes to drink, but I sort of have to stick her little beak in the maple water and then she'll drink it. I was worried that maybe she just wasn't getting enough exercise so we went for a walk down the street early in the evening, right before her bedtime.. She runs like a little roadrunner and chases after everything that moves. As soon as we got home, she chased down an earwig and scarfed it down. I'm beginning to think she only likes alive things. But she did eat some parsley and some more sweet corn and then as I was pulling out some sardines for the cat, she went nuts over that. I didn't let her have much at all. The fowl crumble stuff, no way. Meal worms kind of piss her off, until I soak them and break them up. Oatmeal is an insult, and the bird powder is going to take some doing. If she's still with us by Monday, she's going to the vet. I just remembered our vet retired and the new one takes care of exotics, If a peacock isn't an exotic, what is? Right now I'm just really worried about the constipation. She is happy as long as she is chasing down bugs or cuddled up to one of us. Being left alone, just isn't happening, she went shopping with me today, and was fine. I am loosing my mind. We had a friend who had a peacock named Henry that went everywhere with him. When the weather permitted ,Henry would wait in the truck while his human did stuff in town. Thanks for the replies.

 

[thndrdancr]

If sleeping with her works for you then go for it. She is bonded to you so you are now "mom". She will be very needy so hope you have lots of time! Lol. Being separated from you will cause her a lot of stress and anxiety. Be prepared to give her lots of time and attention.

I know tuna has high salt content but if she goes crazy over it, you could try rinsing it off to reduce salt and giving to her just to get her to eat. Whatever works! My peas always love grapes but you have to peel them and chop to small pieces when they are small so try those.

Oops I reread, sardines. Actually sardines would be good for her constipation if they are in olive oil, go ahead and let her scarf them down!

 

[crity]

She's been under the heat lamp, but still dying. I've tried everything to help with the constipation. Maple water. oil on her but. pulling out as much as I can, even soaking her little butt in warm water. nothing has worked. The poor little thing is still struggling too poop. Any more efforts just makes me feel like I'm torturing her for my own selfish need for her to live

 

[thndrdancr]

Do u have any molasses? If u do put some in water if she will drink it. It is supposed to clean out your system, make you go so that might help? Only thing I can think of at the moment. Or if u can get it straight in her.did u try any fruits at all?

More sardines? Olive oil should her go to.

 

[crity]

First off, thank you everyone. I know I must sound nuts.
I read somewhere to give her maple syrup water, I will get molasses tomorrow.

It has been one heck of a day. I'm realizing if I'd had the brains to send you all a pic of her butt to begin with someone would have probably told me exactly what I needed to do. I stuck her in a tub of warm water and swished water up her butt. Dried her best I could than we laid down under the heat lamp. She really looked like she was dying and I know how much she likes to be cuddled. Then she managed to crawl up me to nestle under my chin. That was it, she had enough fight that I just couldn't give up, so I got the courage to go at he butt with tweezer under a strong light. Pulled the first rock plug out. And we did that all day long with nap breaks and sips of watered down baby bird powder. Then finally a huge thing came out of her poor little butt and after that she really looked bad. I didn't know if this time she was dying for sure or just exhausted. I have had the worst time with this heat lamp, but finally discovered I have to keep it really high up. I think it must be for rhinos. Anyway, I had to leave the room for a few minutes,so I put her under the lamp and she just sort of clunked down and did her dying bird thing. When I got back she was screaming at the door. And is now bitching on my shoulder and trying to eat my mole. Now what the hell do I feed her? She hates oatmeal, thinks fowl crumble stuff is bedding. Oh my God! she just did a huge poop all on her own...HAPPY DAYS! I have never celebrated someone pooping on my shoulder. But really what do I feed her. She turned her nose up at trout, figs,and a few other things. Is it ok to just keep feeding her the baby bird powder until she's a little stronger? When shes feeling good she only likes living things, kale and sweet corn and parsley, but mostly live things..I feel like Dracula's underling. Could I give her live worms?
Right now my phone app says it's 94 degrees in her wicker basket and she's just back to looking like a dying baby. But I think she might just be totally exhausted. She may die tonight, but she wont be in the pain she was. The heat lamp has been a total pain to try and adjust. I had read that the lamp was supposed to be 12 to 14 inches. That would have cooked her. Tonight she is warm, de-clogged and pooped twice on her own, i've done all I can for now. This has been very different that dealing with chicks. If they got a crusty butt you just picked it off and away they went. I really should have posted a pic. On some level maybe she knows she was loved and cared for, and will go on her evolutionary way, as a friend used to say. Right now I have to deal with a raccoon that just came in and is eating the cat food...na, just keep the door closed until he's finished, Talk about cheeky. Deal with that tomorrow. Thanks to whomever reads this. I truly appreciate all the help, kind words and advice.