peahen not eating, shaking head and making strange neck movements

[hvnsnt3388]

Before I decided to post this question, I have searched and have not found a post that gives me any ideas.

My peahen is just picking at her feed. She is always the first to the door to see what treats are on the menu for the day when I head out to feed. Yesterday, she did not meet me at the door and didn't eat any of the hotdog buns I crumbled for treats. Day before she was munching voraciously on her wild nut mix treats. Today she is picking at raisens but not eating the. She picks them up, mouths them and then shakes her head. She is also making a weird head bob as if she has something in her throat. I've seen them do this when they goble down bread without taking a break.

Is it possible she has something stuck in her throat, can peacocks get impacted crops? Somthing else anyone can think of would be really helpful and appreciated.

Poop looks normal, she pooped on me when I picked her up! Normal quantity, smell and maybe a slight bit pastey. She does seem alittle quieter than normal.

 

[chickenzoo]

Peafowl are notorious for getting things caught around the base of their tongue. i had a peahen that was always unthrifty, going down hill with out any real symptoms. I looked her over, checked her throat, etc.. etc... She would mouth food and when she did eat she acted like she was choking and would swing her head and spit out the food. One night I grabbed her and shined a light in her throat, the light caught the slight shine of a very thin black thread around the base of her tongue. When I went to remove it, it was wrapped good and then found out she had a 2X4 inch piece of bird netting caught down her throat being held in place by that thread. She is now a health peahen. Had a young one swallow horse tail hair..... even while in a raised hardwire cloth pen......

, acted unthrifty and depressed. Ended up being constipated by all that hair...... they swallow all kinds of stuff.

Also, when was she last wormed?

 

[hvnsnt3388]

Well now, I haven't checked her throat. Been trying to avoid stressing her. She isn't acting funny other than the picking at her food. I have picked her up and felt along her neck for bulging and such...so guess ill try looking down her throat. Sounds like that could be a possibility. We had a tarp as cover but removed it, however, there are a few" string" of tarp still hanging here and there. We do have horses and it is shedding season and there is a frenzy of brushing and hair flying all over the place.

They were wormed with wazine about 2 weeks ago. I've been reading that wazine really isn't the best to worm with and have considered using a different liquid wormer for them. What is recommended to use?

 

[jennh]

check out gapeworm.

Jen

 

[hvnsnt3388]

What do you do for them if they are constipated? Should I try some olive oil, peas? Im sure with all that horsehair clogging her up you had to do something to help! Is there a recommended way to handle checking her throat? They are quite wiggly! I have worked with geese, so, is it about the same way....just get ahold of them and pry their beaks apart while holding a flashlight in your mouth.

 

[allanimals21]

Quote:
When my guy Sid was plugged I force fed him oatmeal. After a couple of days of oat meal and peas he passed a huge wad of poop and straw he had eaten.

 

[hvnsnt3388]

UPDATE

My peahen is fine!!

Sunday she stole my bag of bread before I could even get in the door! I think maybe because our weather has been extreme it may have put her off her food. The night before she started acting strange, we had a 38 degree night with 19% humidity and then a 78 degree day with 75% humidity.

Thanks for all the advise!!

 

[MinxFox]

Glad to hear she is okay!

 

[Farooqsh]

Hi
My peahen is also making strange positions after picking a little bit of food. She stands straight after eating as if something is stuck in her neck. Its 2 3 days now and she is not eating enough.
I check the throat with flash light but is was clear. Dont know what to do, she is getting weak everyday