I am not really sure what is wrong with my pied peahen Damsel, but the other day I noticed when she started preening that underneath both of her wings she has patches of feathers missing. Damsel eats out of my hand, but she is spooky about me getting close to her - she has always been this way - so it was hard for me to get a good look and I didn't have my camera on me either. Anyways, I kept watching her and it looks like some areas of the skin also look funny - I guess kind of hard or crusty looking? I feel like I have seen a photo on this site before of a peafowl with feathers on its neck missing and a crusty spot there. She has a small mark on her neck too. I am wondering if she is covered in a lot of bugs? I find it strange that all my other birds have their feathers and are looking very healthy. She shares an aviary with 6 other birds.
I have noticed that when Damsel starts dust bathing, the dominant peahen, Ice, walks over and makes Damsel get up so that she can steal Damsel's dust bathing spot. Damsel usually then walks off and doesn't go dust bathe somewhere else. Maybe she has been forced to stop dust bathing so much that she isn't able to keep bugs off? This year we had a very mild winter, so that might have made conditions favorable for the mites or whatever it is to really multiply.
What do I need to do for her? I was wondering if just catching her and putting seven dust all over her would be the proper treatment or if there is something else I should do?
I really need to start putting seven dust out in their dust bathing spots regularly now. I put some out for them in their dust bathing area at the end of summer last year, but I am thinking with all the little wild birds that fly into their pen and the mild winter I need to start keeping a better eye out for bugs.
I feel so terrible for Damsel. I had noticed some of her back feathers looked funny but I didn't think much of it, but maybe this was the cause of that as well. My poor peahen.
I have noticed that when Damsel starts dust bathing, the dominant peahen, Ice, walks over and makes Damsel get up so that she can steal Damsel's dust bathing spot. Damsel usually then walks off and doesn't go dust bathe somewhere else. Maybe she has been forced to stop dust bathing so much that she isn't able to keep bugs off? This year we had a very mild winter, so that might have made conditions favorable for the mites or whatever it is to really multiply.
What do I need to do for her? I was wondering if just catching her and putting seven dust all over her would be the proper treatment or if there is something else I should do?
I really need to start putting seven dust out in their dust bathing spots regularly now. I put some out for them in their dust bathing area at the end of summer last year, but I am thinking with all the little wild birds that fly into their pen and the mild winter I need to start keeping a better eye out for bugs.
I feel so terrible for Damsel. I had noticed some of her back feathers looked funny but I didn't think much of it, but maybe this was the cause of that as well. My poor peahen.
