Peahen with Head Injury

[Shannon89815]

Our older peahen, that adopted us 3 yrs ago, flew into Glass door in garage. Sat stunned, and bloody headed with 2 swollen shut eyes for 3 days. Did not eat nor drink for 3 days. On day 3 we washed her face, gently getting dried blood and puss away from eyes. Left eye was fine, right eye still cloudy, but she was able to open it. Gave her ? Ccs of water through dropper. Day 4-5 mushed up grapes, sunflower seeds, etc and fed about 1:4 cup by gently opening beak and placing food on tongue - not easy. Very worried now about dehydration. It’s about day 6. Any suggestions? She’s pooping. But not eating or drinking on her own.

 

[Shannon89815]

Our older peahen, that adopted us 3 yrs ago, flew into Glass door in garage. Sat stunned, and bloody headed with 2 swollen shut eyes for 3 days. Did not eat nor drink for 3 days. On day 3 we washed her face, gently getting dried blood and puss away from eyes. Left eye was fine, right eye still cloudy, but she was able to open it. Gave her ? Ccs of water through dropper. Day 4-5 mushed up grapes, sunflower seeds, etc and fed about 1:4 cup by gently opening beak and placing food on tongue - not easy. Very worried now about dehydration. It’s about day 6. Any suggestions? She’s pooping. But not eating or drinking on her own.

Today both eyes look like there they have vision.

 

[KsKingBee]

The first thing you do is as soon as you see or find the bird nearly unconscious you catch it and clean off the blood and examine the body. Give it a pain medication such as children's aspirin at 0.10 ml per pound of body weight and keep the bird contained and warm, at least 85*. The next day you give it liquids via tube, at least 90ml twice per day for a mature pea and continue pain medications. You also need to tube feed the bird Kaytee Baby Bird Food at least twice per day. Food is medicine and a body can not regenerate without it. Since there was also an injury that became infected it required an antibiotic such as Baytril 100 at 1.0ml injected IM once per day for three to five days.

 

[Shannon89815]

The first thing you do is as soon as you see or find the bird nearly unconscious you catch it and clean off the blood and examine the body. Give it a pain medication such as children's aspirin at 0.10 ml per pound of body weight and keep the bird contained and warm, at least 85*. The next day you give it liquids via tube, at least 90ml twice per day for a mature pea and continue pain medications. You also need to tube feed the bird Kaytee Baby Bird Food at least twice per day. Food is medicine and a body can not regenerate without it. Since there was also an injury that became infected it required an antibiotic such as Baytril 100 at 1.0ml injected IM once per day for three to five days.

Thank you for this detailed reply. She doesn’t seem to be experiencing any pain at this point, but we’ll try to get a tube into her. Been trying to look at videos as tube feeding is something we’ve never done and don’t want to insert it wrongly.

 

[Shannon89815]

She is pooping more normally today from yesterday’s berry, grape, chicken food, sunflower seed mash up…even though she only got a little into her.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thank you for this detailed reply. She doesn’t seem to be experiencing any pain at this point, but we’ll try to get a tube into her. Been trying to look at videos as tube feeding is something we’ve never done and don’t want to insert it wrongly.

Kathy @casportpony has some pics and videos that can help you.

 

[Midnightman14]

Keep feeding nutrient dense and high calorie foods. One food that was suggested to me as a option for birds that weren't eating on their own is those little fruit cups you can get at the store. Peaches, pears, etc. you grind them up in a food processor and carefully spoon or syringe feed them. There's alot of sugar in them so it helps the bird maintain energy.