Sick Peafowl- Need Help :(

[ninejw]

Hi all

I have a sick 3 month old India blue peafowl. I noticed that 4 days ago he was hiding in his box and would only come out to cry to his siblings. He has ruffled feathers and keeps his neck down and is underweight. I took him home and put him on a Doxycycline Hydrochloride/psittavet. He's been on that 2 days and there has not been an improvement. He has had diarrhea since I brought him home and now is more frequent. He seems not to be eating too much/no food in all the poop. Urates are now yellow & lots of urine. I prepared some emergency regiment of vitamins & electrolytes in wet food. He liked this but it seemed like he has difficulty getting it down between eating stretches his neck and opens his mouth after a few bites etc. Didn't feel any crop impaction etc. Now I'm wondering worms or blackhead? I've also had coccidia in my chickens but they haven't been mixed together or been on the same ground even. I have meds for most stuff on hand but don't know where to go with it. Can anyone recommend a food to tempt him with to get his eating up? I've tried the basics like yogurt mix and mealworms which he loves... I'm new to peacocks in particular. Any medication recommendations? I'm afraid if I don't figure this out he won't last that much longer. Thanks in advance for help!

Jen

 

[crystalchik]

It sounds like he may have Coccidiosis (is his stool bloody?). This is about the age that peafowl tend to start getting sick. You may try treating him and the rest with Sulmet. You can buy this a local feed shop and it is reasonably priced. They should be treated once every three weeks up until they are adults, then every month. You can mix 2 tbsp per gallon of water and leave him on it until you see an improvement (shouldnt be more than a week), then for prevention leave it down for about 3 or 4 days. You also need to worm them: use 10cc of Ivermectin sheep drench per gallon of water, OR Tramisol tablets and crush 2 per gallon of water. They are little cheaper, but see if you can buy one dosage from a feed store or a friend if you have only a few birds. This should also be done at the same time as the Sulmet. Both can be mixed in the same water.

Try making a mix of HB Egg, soaked cat food, and canned peas. This is all very healthy and they LOVE it! Peafowl need more protien than chickens, and since they dont get that in the medicated chick starter or reg food, this is a great supplement!
Good luck to you and feel free to email me if you have any more questions!!
Crystalchik

 

[ninejw]

Thanks Crystal for the response but unfortunately he passed on early this morning. I put him on Coccistat drugs yesterday but I think if it was that it was too late- he didnt have bloody stool. I was able to get him to eat pretty well to the end and taking probiotics etc. I think since the diarrhea didn't get in check it was too much for him combo'd with the fact he had been going light for longer than I knew. I have plans to deworm and treat my other three peachicks.