sick pea...help please....

[critters]

have an black shoulder male that's sick...he was born may/june putting him at 8 months or so..

ok....he acts lethargic, his flight feathers are droopy and I did let the others out of pen yesterday
but not him.....(he seemed sick and kept 1/2 in pen) ...he allows me to pick him up (and seems to like me holding him)
...his poop is loose, white and yellow discharge...
he was wormed less than a month ago
has had 2 rounds of Duramycin-10 (tetracycline hydrochloride soluble powder) due to having lost another pea..again in the past month
and I gave him some poly-vi-sol this morning

did notice over the weekend that he was in the prime spot for the heat lamp to do the most good
he has been drinking...seen this....but unsure about eating

any ideas ? Please help...don't want to lose him

 

[PeepsCA]

This is only a guess, but may explain your other loss...

Quoted from UPA's website:
"Histomoniasis, commonly called "Blackhead" is an infectious intestinal disease caused by the protozoa Histomonas meleagridis. Birds are most susceptible between 6 and 14 weeks of age. Symptoms are watery, sulfur-colored droppings, drowsiness, and weakness. The causative agent is shed in the feces of the infected birds and then contracted by susceptible birds as they feed from the floor and litter. Histomoniasis can be controlled by specific medication of a bird or flock at the onset of an outbreak or prevented with the use of a histomonastat, drug specific from Histomoniasis, in the feed. Presently there are no FDA approved Histomonastats. Currently, Metronidazole (Flagyl), copper sulfate, and Histostat are the medications used for the treatment of Blackhead."

This thread has info how to treat it... but I'd want to make sure that's what you need to be treating for first
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/442270/blackhead#post_5522484
​

 

[Bigcreekpeafowl]

Blackhead is a possibility. The birds get very symptomatic and experience the following.

Lethargic
Loss of appetite
Drooping wings
Sleeping all the time
Extreme weight loss
Sensitivity to light
Foul sulpher type odor loose yellow droppings.

When we got started in peafowl we lost 6 to blackhead. They were all yearlings.
At that time Emtryl (dimetridazole) was still on the market. We bought some but lost 2 with 4 more sick before we started treatment.
Foys pigeon supply does have a form of it recently back in stock. Flaygl is often used as a preventative.

But we did not know exactly what we were dealing with until a necropsy. You ought to be sure they do not have worms since cecal worms and earthworms is primary sources of transmission of blackhead. Worms are often the original culprit of most premature peafowl deaths.


Blackhead was enough that we almost got out of peafowl before we got started.

Would add that it would be a good idea to isolate him and do a good cleaning of the floor and bedding of the living quarters.

 

[chickenzoo]

You can order a product called Fish -zole which is metridazole. It is used for treating fish but same stuff. In the 250mg pills give one 2 x day for 5 days. Look and see if any pet stores have it near you as you'll need to get it in him fast if it's blackhead.

 

[6littlechickies]

Blackhead is a possibility. The birds get very symptomatic and experience the following.
Lethargic
Loss of appetite
Drooping wings
Sleeping all the time
Extreme weight loss
Sensitivity to light
Foul sulpher type odor loose yellow droppings.
When we got started in peafowl we lost 6 to blackhead. They were all yearlings.
At that time Emtryl (dimetridazole) was still on the market. We bought some but lost 2 with 4 more sick before we started treatment.
Foys pigeon supply does have a form of it recently back in stock. Flaygl is often used as a preventative.
But we did not know exactly what we were dealing with until a necropsy. You ought to be sure they do not have worms since cecal worms and earthworms is primary sources of transmission of blackhead. Worms are often the original culprit of most premature peafowl deaths.
Blackhead was enough that we almost got out of peafowl before we got started.
Would add that it would be a good idea to isolate him and do a good cleaning of the floor and bedding of the living quarters.

Good point to perform necropsy when specific illness in not found. This can save future birds. Also good to have some of the fish zole on hand if raising young birds. Relatively cheap online.

 

[critters]

I don't know how to preform a necropsy and don't know for sure what killed any of my peacocks that have died...
yea, my peacock died.

do wonder if blackhead is the problem...the symptoms are right on it seems...
Peeps, you might be right about the first ones death...
.one died on the 10th and the second on the 25th...
...
I had isolated both sick birds once I saw they were sick...

this morning I spent 3 hours cleaning the pens' floor, bedding, walls everything and then the floor again...
I don't want to lose anymore...out of 12 peafowl I have 7 left....

still have an Indigo Blue Pied male
Java Green female
Black Shoulder Indigo Blue female
White male and female
Silver Pied Java Spalding male and female

I think I said all their names/colors right...
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INPUT...hopefull I won't need it for another time but at least I will be more prepared.....

 

[PeepsCA]

Sorry for your most recent loss, down to 7 from 12 has to hurt pretty bad

Do you have other poultry besides the Guineas and the Peafowl... like Turkeys or chickens? Have you brought in any new birds lately? If yes to either of these, I would even more highly suspect blackhead... birds can be carriers and show no signs of it, but infect your entire flock. I'd be panicking at this point. Is there a vet in your area that can do a necropsy? Blackhead is treatable, and if that's what is taking your flock you need to find out, and hopefully get it taken care of ASAP!

 

[Yoda]

Almost all pet shops that sell fish carry Metronidazole (Fish Zole). It is used to cure hole in the head disease. I use 3 x 250mg tablets per gallon of water. Be sure there is NO other water available for the birds but that gallon. I do it for 3-4 days, giving a fresh gallon each day.

 

[Bigcreekpeafowl]

I would not suggest anyone other than a qualified veterinarian, preferably a diagnostic vet who performs necropsies to do it.
My vet who worked at Zoos for over 25 years even said that's the way to go.
No guess work.

And it was Purdue Unniversity south's extension lab which was 1.5 hours drive versus 4 hours to Purdue U
It cost $35 for the first one, and 5 days later did a second one for free. We lost 6 birds to blackhead. The vet was a avian diagnostic veterinarian.
He invited us in to witness the necropsy and talked through the entire process explaining his actions and findings.

I do know some poultry people who have done their own. And then come away still not really knowing what killed their bird (s). A necropsy should done by a professional. Often with peafowl they have one foot in the grave before they are symptomatic.
We have a bird die prematurely I want to KNOW why now. Not guess around at it and put the others at risk.

Plus it was a wonderful learning experience for us. The vet spent his entire morning with us explained treatments, medications, and has since been a valuable resource for us if we need his help.
In our case it was a great education boost since we were beginners in peafowl.

Also metronidazole AKA flagyl, fish zole. Same drug. It is also used in humans and goes by the trade name of Flagyl.
Some people use it as a preventative and for treatment.
I have mixed feelings using it Regularly as if you do need to use it for a sick bird it will most likely be useless.
Prevention is worth a pound of cure I agree but do have a uneasy feeling when I know it does cause drug resistance if indeed you do need it for treatment.

Hopefully you do not have blackhead in your peafowl. It's really devastating.

Try to find the source, with us it was newly purchased infected peafowl.
Blackhead is a dreaded disease in peafowl and turkeys. Hard to treat, highly contagious when got a foot hold in a flock, and high mortality even in adults.

 

[deerman]

Reason i hate to see people mix peafowl or turkey with chicken,guineas, both can be carriers of blackhead.

High % of people do without any harm. . That is one disease i have not had to fight. It is deadly to peafowl and turkey.

Keeping birds wormed will help.


Now most people that mix them , DON'T have trouble. but OH MY if they do ,most lose alot before they find out what they have.....it will show up on the liver.....but really most people have no idea what good organ should look like.

I would like to add one thing to all those with mixed flock, don't start to worry now. just be carefully adding new birds.....chicken and be carriers of blackhead, and coryza.....


some disease should never be cure IMO like coryza , because after being cured they all are carriers.


prevention PREVENTION ........Worm all ,