Peachicks Not Eating

[TwoCrows]

Aww...she is a sweet heart. Sounds like she does have a vision problem. One of the things my friend did for her vision impaired chick was leave food all around the floor so the chick was always standing on it. Messy, but she tried to keep it as clean as possible. She said the chick would just stab at the food with her beak, sonetimes getting it in there, sometimes not. She was constantly syringing water down the chicks throat.

Give her lots of lovin!

 

[casportpony]

The eye doesn't look quite normal to me... Can you get more pictures of it?

-Kathy

 

[CarlisleCluck]

My Thermodynamics final was easier than taking "good" eye pictures! I enlisted my husband's help as cameraman...lots of pictures, minimal "good" ones. Here are 4:







Zooming helps. She is dehydrated (although I think better). I see some greyish tones around the dark center. Again, when I wave my hand or finger at her eye she doesn't blink or duck, as though she doesn't see it. I think she sees light - maybe shadows? I am working on finding someone to take over her care...

 

[TwoCrows]

Her right eye looks very dark. I am on board with her having a bad vision problem, hence the dehydration, the not eating well and her runt like nature. Poor baby.

I hope you can get her straightened out or find someone that can take care of her. I know how much time these little ones take, it's not for everyone. It's a 24/7 job for quite sometime that not all of us can do. She may improve over time but will probably never have full vision.

Keep us posted and give her all the lovin'!

 

[CarlisleCluck]

Here is an update on Thiamine, the blind peachick. I am convinced she is blind. There may be some sensitivity to light, but that is all. She can eat and drink on her own, but I have to guide her to the dish (I continue to feed her by sitting with her on my lap and holding either the food dish or the water dish tilted toward her, and guiding her beak to the food/water...so no more prying open her beak, for the most part).
I continue to give her Save-a-Chick in her water, and the Selenium, Thiamine and Vitamin E. She likes scrambled eggs, is ok with the mash.

So - here are my questions, assuming I end up keeping her (can't find anyone to take her):
Is there any point/benefit to continuing the addition of vitamins?
Is a diet of mostly scrambled eggs too much protein? I can try to hold back on the egg and increase the percentage of mash. Or just go straight to crumble.
And since it appears to be a vision problem, can she go back to the medicated feed?

I am considering putting her in with some young chicken chicks I have that are in a small coop. She would have a limited space, possible companionship, and could get familiar with her surroundings. Right now she is in a bin with a heat lamp.

If it is ok to put her in with the chicks...I know there is a whole thing about exposing peas to chickens...does the medicated feed mostly eliminate that issue? The mother peahen and the other 2 peachicks (that I will be selling) have been free ranging a bit on my lawn, and so are definitely being exposed to the chickens. Don't yell at me! Please!! I know that people say to keep them elevated for 6 months (I did that for my adult pair when I got them), but I haven't done it with these chicks. What can I do to mitigate the risks?

I have a mostly blind rooster who is a complete sweatheart (blind due to injury from other roosters)...maybe I should put them together when little Thiamine gets a bit older!

Thoughts?? I will try to get an updated picture of everyone - maybe y'all can give me an idea of colors. One of the chicks was yellow, and is beginning to look like the mom who is black shoulder. The other chick and Thiamine look similar to each other in coloring...so I am assuming they will be India Blue like dad.
Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

The disease I worry about when mixing peafowl with chickens is blackhead, and with blackhead I usually see a secondary E. Coli infection. Best thing to do would be to buy the drugs needs to treat just so you will have them.

Must haves for me are:
metronidazole (Fish-Zole) for blackhead
Generic Baytril for E. coli
Safeguard for cecal worms

If treatment is started as soon as you see symptoms, birds can usually be saved.

-Kathy

 

[CarlisleCluck]

Thanks! - I have all of those meds on hand. She is in with my mostly-blind rooster and some other small chicks and isn't get picked on. Can't seem to find food or water (blind!) but I continue to hand feed her and I do spend some time guiding her around the coop to find the food and water. She eats/drinks pretty well when I feed her. I put her on the roost at night snuggled up to the rooster - sometimes tucking her under his wing if it is cool. He lets one of the chicks sleep on his back.

I am researching "blackhead" so I am familiar with the symptoms.

 

[TwoCrows]

I would always continue with a vitamin regiment on this chic any blind bird. She is no doubt lacking in something and will probably have issues with absorbing nutrients.

I hope she continues to thrive!! Keep us posted!!

 

[CarlisleCluck]

Thanks for the "Ovation"! The peachick is doing ok in with the chicks and my blind rooster. I try to feed her 3 times/day. I did stop all the vitamins, but can restart. She is eating mash mixed with scrambled egg still. Should I be worried about that much protein? OH - and should I switch back to the medicated feed for her, since she is in with chickens? I had stopped because it interferred with the absorption of the thiamine, I was told.

Yesterday she at almost all of the food over the course of the day, which was the most yet. Typically she eats less than have the egg/mash mix. I am hoping today will go as well!

Here is a picture of her (not a great picture!) in my lap during feeding time.




Her 2 siblings are going to their new home in about an hour. Mom did really well with them - I hope we aren't all sad!!

This little one just pretty much sits most of the day. I will continue to work with her to get her familiar with her little coop room and her mates. We will see!!

Again, thanks for all the help.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks for the "Ovation"! The peachick is doing ok in with the chicks and my blind rooster. I try to feed her 3 times/day. I did stop all the vitamins, but can restart. She is eating mash mixed with scrambled egg still. Should I be worried about that much protein? OH - and should I switch back to the medicated feed for her, since she is in with chickens? I had stopped because it interferred with the absorption of the thiamine, I was told.

Yesterday she at almost all of the food over the course of the day, which was the most yet. Typically she eats less than have the egg/mash mix. I am hoping today will go as well!

Here is a picture of her (not a great picture!) in my lap during feeding time.




Her 2 siblings are going to their new home in about an hour. Mom did really well with them - I hope we aren't all sad!!

This little one just pretty much sits most of the day. I will continue to work with her to get her familiar with her little coop room and her mates. We will see!!

Again, thanks for all the help.

Awww....what a sweet heart!!

You are doing a fabulous job with her!! And don't be surprised if her eyesight does improve a bit over the next few months. As I had mentioned earlier, a friend of mine had a nearly blind chick as well and the eyesight did get a bit better over the months as the chick grew.

Yes, I would keep up with the vitamins. Maybe not everyday, but a few times a week.

I would also do away with the medicated feed. Since it blocks thiamine, which she no doubt needs for energy and carbohydrate conversion, I would only use it on her if she does develop coccidiosis (blood in the stool...a lot of white diarrhea, etc..)

Keep up with all the lovin!!! What a cutie pie!!!