Post-fight

[pablo_honey1981]

I have three peachicks, about 5 weeks old now I think. One we call 'Pecky' because his instinct is to peck everything. As a 2 day old chick he pecked the eye of one of the others requiring a vet's visit. Problem solved with Peck Blinders. They're a bit feisty with each other, but generally only minor scuffles. I think Pecky is a male and the others are female based on differences in appearance and nature, but that's just a guess. Normally Pecky and 'PoorlyEye' get on and are usually together. On Sunday they were fine. I went out but when I came back PoorlyEye seemed ill. She was just like my parrot who had recently been hospitalised for a night with pneumonia. She was weak, downcast, dropping her wings, just wanting to sleep. I was surprised by the fact she had seemed fine only hours earlier, but I know birds can drop off a cliff when they are ill.

I thought she might be dehydrated so I rehydrated her with a syringe and started her on the parrots left over meds. She graduallay perked up with lots of cuddles and TLC. I didnt think she would pull through she was just so listless and depressed.

Then my kids told me that Pecky was being really aggressive to her, striking out with his feet, and suddenly it all made sense. I surveyed her for injury but couldnt find anything. I have since separated them and she seems fine now. I had noticed that she was hiding a lot and nuzzling into the corner of her pen.


I have concluded that her condition was simply stress from having lost a fight and her demeanour was psychological and down to release of stress hormones. She has seemingly recovered from her ordeal with some TLC and protection from her aggressor. Does this sound about right?

 

[Waterfaery]

I think they can be feisty and boisterous but I wouldn't think they'd be aggressive to the point of one of them being made ill unless they are under some sort of stress for example due to overcrowding. I assume they have no peahen with them? Do they have plenty of space to get away from each other?

I would be concerned about an underlying issue because birds do tend to try to drive away an individual who is already unwell or weak in some way. But only you know your flock. I would keep a very close eye on it. Do you have meds for coccidiosis on hand?

 

[pablo_honey1981]

I think they can be feisty and boisterous but I wouldn't think they'd be aggressive to the point of one of them being made ill unless they are under some sort of stress for example due to overcrowding. I assume they have no peahen with them? Do they have plenty of space to get away from each other?

I would be concerned about an underlying issue because birds do tend to try to drive away an individual who is already unwell or weak in some way. But only you know your flock. I would keep a very close eye on it. Do you have meds for coccidiosis on hand?

I do have meds on hand yeah. She's fine now and all friends again. Weird