sick wild pheasant - can you ID what is wrong and is it a threat to the health of my chickens?

[Perris]

This pheasant approached me this morning on our property. He is clearly very sick (apart from the ticks, overgrown beak etc.) with a swollen foot, which obviously hurts as he tries to minimize putting weight on it. If anyone who keeps pheasants knows what this is, whether it is a threat to the health of my chickens, and what I could do to help this pheasant, do please let me know asap. I have more photos but these are the best.

 

[DobieLover]

@007Sean

 

[Perris]

@Susan Skylark do you have any idea what might be wrong with that pheasant? or pointers where I might look for answers? (I've found nothing useful so far online)

 

[FrostRanger]

I would call whoever is in charge of wildlife management to see if they know of a rescue that can help him

 

[Perris]

I would call whoever is in charge of wildlife management to see if they know of a rescue that can help him

We don't have 'wildlife management' here. There is a bird rescue a few miles away, but before that, I am not sure whether I could or even should try to catch him.

 

[FrostRanger]

We don't have 'wildlife management' here. There is a bird rescue a few miles away, but before that, I am not sure whether I could or even should try to catch him.

I see. I think either way he's going to need help, idk of they're open today or not, but I think it'd be worth calling the bird rescue to see if they'd take him in

 

[Susan Skylark]

Legally you’ll need a wildlife rehabilitator or get in touch with your states game and fish department. Definitely keep him away from your birds, he’s obviously got issues which may or may not be contagious. Sadly when a wild bird is sick enough to allow people to approach they are really ill, it is often a pesticide toxicity or virus like West Nile or sleeping sickness, it starts as being a little dopey or slow and difficulty flying and progresses to seizures and death over a few days, there isn’t a treatment if that’s the case. It could be something else as well but he obviously is suffering from some sort of systemic issue.

 

[FrostRanger]

Legally you’ll need a wildlife rehabilitator or get in touch with your states game and fish department. Definitely keep him away from your birds, he’s obviously got issues which may or may not be contagious. Sadly when a wild bird is sick enough to allow people to approach they are really ill, it is often a pesticide toxicity or virus like West Nile or sleeping sickness, it starts as being a little dopey or slow and difficulty flying and progresses to seizures and death over a few days, there isn’t a treatment if that’s the case. It could be something else as well but he obviously is suffering from some sort of systemic issue.

Iirc they are in Europe

 

[Perris]

Legally you’ll need a wildlife rehabilitator or get in touch with your states game and fish department. Definitely keep him away from your birds, he’s obviously got issues which may or may not be contagious. Sadly when a wild bird is sick enough to allow people to approach they are really ill, it is often a pesticide toxicity or virus like West Nile or sleeping sickness, it starts as being a little dopey or slow and difficulty flying and progresses to seizures and death over a few days, there isn’t a treatment if that’s the case. It could be something else as well but he obviously is suffering from some sort of systemic issue.

thank you for this (but US laws don't apply here in Wales; we don't have West Nile or [I think] sleeping sickness either). I didn't offer him anything when he approached, just took photos, and I have no idea where he is now (except that he's not in any of the coops).

 

[007Sean]

He definitely has mites, ticks and bumble foot, so this is not a wild bird, it has escaped from someone's avariry or they released him because of all the problems with him.

If you can catch him and have a pen you can put him in, away from your chickens and be able to treat him then do so....I don't know the game laws in Wales but he isn't indigenous to Wales.

That bumblefoot has been going on for quite awhile, he was most likely raised on wire. That will be the most difficult issue to treat, that and the scaley leg mites. Mites and ticks can be treated just as you would with chickens.

I wish you the best of luck if you choose to help him to recover!