Peahen Just Showed Up In My Yard

[Coral Dowsland]

Hi all! My name's Coral and I am brand new to the pefowl world. We had a peahen show up in our yard about a week ago and she hasn't left yet! She stays pretty close to the property and seems to really enjoy our grass and bug selection. I don't know much about her and have been doing a little research, so I have some questions:

1. She seems adequately nourished by the "free-range" eating she's been doing, but I want to put some food out for her. I saw cat/dog food works ok. Any other suggestions?

2. Should I get another pea hen or pea cock to keep her company? Are they lonely animals, or they like their space?

Thanks guys!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Just for info----I had 2 (a pair)show up at my chicken pen area----They too stayed around----I thought they were pretty. They started roosting on the top rails of pen #5 which had some young welsumers in it----Long story shorten---peafowl left after a few nights(found out later the peahen died)Welsumers started getting sick soon after they left---- 6 hours round trip to get a necropsy done, plus expense ----ended up with 28 dead but could have been a lot worse because I had about 1000 at that time in 67 pens. Now if I seen some coming I would---do what ever it took to keep them(or other fowl) away from my flock. Just My Luck!!! Good Luck!

 

[KsKingBee]

It is entirely possible that someone is missing their girl. I would hope that you make an effort to find the rightful owners. In the meantime look at the top of the Peafowl Section page for the 'Stickies' for a thread on basic care and housing of peafowl. There is a wealth of information there that a lot of people have contributed.

 

[BantammChick]

Same thing happened to me! A peahen just showed up in my yard,and she's been here for about 1 month.I feed her corn,oats,and dog food.She likes hanging with the guineas,more than the chickens.

 

[casportpony]

Hi all! My name's Coral and I am brand new to the pefowl world. We had a peahen show up in our yard about a week ago and she hasn't left yet! She stays pretty close to the property and seems to really enjoy our grass and bug selection. I don't know much about her and have been doing a little research, so I have some questions:

1. She seems adequately nourished by the "free-range" eating she's been doing, but I want to put some food out for her. I saw cat/dog food works ok. Any other suggestions?

2. Should I get another pea hen or pea cock to keep her company? Are they lonely animals, or they like their space?

Thanks guys!

Welcome to BYC! Do you have any other fowl?

Ditto what @KsKingBee said, you should try to find her owner.

 

[casportpony]

6 hours round trip to get a necropsy done, plus expense ----ended up with 28 dead but could have been a lot worse because I had about 1000 at that time in 67 pens.

Wow, so sorry! What was the cause of death?

 

[PhilMitch]

We had a peahen leave us about 1 year 8 months after she had Peachicks. As she can hear another peacock in the distance. Maybe she is just looking for another peacock like our peahen was.

As for her being lonely our Peafowl seem perfectly happy going about there day on there own. Though they have other Peafowl at the end of the day and sleep in the tree together. So it's hard to say.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Wow, so sorry! What was the cause of death?

I got several e-mails from the Results---this is one with other e-mails before and after. I know nothing about all these "big" words. The Vet said My chickens were loaded down with tape worms which was causing their immune system to be down, So she sent me this so I could get busy worming them before more Died. The Peahen probably had Mycoplasma as well as other problems but she was not tested(gone by this time)???


Randy, the 3rd dead pullet did not have any scabs or swollen eyelids – but was loaded with tapeworms. 1 live pullet had a few tapeworms in her intestine. Maybe why you are seeing weight loss. I believe this is why she died, with the extensive damage to the intestines. We will know more when the histopath on the tissues come back for both the dead and live pullets.



For tapeworm treatment – you can use Fenbendazole (as Safeguard 10% liquid) – do twice the dose as you would for other types of worms – use 2 teaspoon in 1 gallon of drinking water for 3 days. Repeat treatment in 30 days. Follow withdrawal period below of 30 days.



If the medication or wormer does not say it is allowed for “producing eggs for human consumption” – then the medication is considered off-label useage and you must follow a 30 day withdrawal period for medications given orally. So -- no eating meat/eggs during medication and additionally 30 days after stopping medication.



the birds pick up the tapeworms from eating bugs.



1 live bird had a blood test positive for mycoplasma (both MG & MS) – so this bird may have had past exposure to mycoplasma – this is a screening test and not confirmed. The MS PCR was a suspect test on the pool of the 3 birds, so there is a good chance some of these birds had exposure to mycoplasma.



1 live bird (may not be same as above) also has rising blood titers to infectious bronchitis virus – again a screening test. It’s a virus, you cannot treat for it. they get over it or they die.



Chickens can be carriers of MS and don’t show any problems, however when it gets mixed with infectious bronchitis virus – then you start seeing respiratory problems. And if the live birds also have pox virus (we will see if true in histopath) –then that could be a triple whammy.



See attached for information about the above diseases.





1 dead pullet:

- pullet is in good body condition

- feed located in crop

- proximal jejunum is dilated and filled with tapeworms and mucus

- mid and distal jejunal wall is dark red, vessels are dilated, contents contain dark red material (looks like clotted blood) and debris



Test results:

Fecal exam – negative for parasite eggs

Blood work (looks for past exposure) 2 live birds:

Newcastle, bursal disease, reovirus – negative for antibodies

mycoplasma – 1 live bird positive for MG/MS antibodies (screening test)

bronchitis – 1 live bird with rising titers

Tracheal swab for PCR for (looks for current infection) – 3 bird pool:

avian influenza, newcastle -- negative

mycoplasma – MG negative, MS suspect



Tests pending:

Histopath on tissues

Bacterial culture on livers and eye sinus

Salmonella culture on liver/spleen/cecal tonsil pool

Blood work for avian influenza

 

[KsKingBee]