strange behavior

[chicknmania]

I don't think people have learned enough about poultry yet to determine whether they are permanent carriers of anything. I do know that in most cases they seem to have an amazing immune system. 15 years ago, people looked at poultry as an amusing food source, and no one took any of their birds to the vet for any reason, or tried to save them if they got sick. It's only been recently that there's been the poultry craze, and therefore more intense studies involving poultry. We've had poultry for 14 years and I've seen some interesting things that make me wonder just how much the scientists that are SUPPOSED to know, really do in fact know....

Our peacock appears to be doing extremely well and is making up for lost time in eating. He'll be returning to the flock soon, (as far as I know now) and I'm not going to worry about it beyond that point unless or until I have to.

 

[chicknmania]

Last concern...we checked him today for a final time. Nothing but dead lice to see, but we gave him another topical dose of Ivermec. Canker lesions are gone; at least those that were visible. I considered keeping him confined another day or two to give him some probiotics and vitamins, but he has been pacing in his pen the past few days and very anxious to get out, so we decided to let him out. But he is so hungry. He ate and ate and ate all afternoon, and drank too, like he had not had anything, but he's had fresh water every day and two meals a day plus treats in the afternoon. And he'd been eating like crazy while he was still confined too. And tonight he did not roost on a perch, not even a low one. He is sleeping on the ground. I'm hoping it's just because he is still weak from his illness and not having much exercise; I hope that's all it is and there's nothing else bothering him that we can't see. He was sleeping on a low perch when he was in his pen, but when he was first sick he was sleeping on the ground in there too. I am going to give him his Canker meds in a treat another few days, just to make sure that any lesions that are not visible are gone, but beyond that I really am not sure what else i can do besides wait and see; possibly just put the whole flock on vitamins and or probiotics for a bit...maybe I should see if I can get a fecal done for tapeworm? I haven't seen any evidence of any, and we've never had them in the flock that I'm aware of, but i know most dewormers won't kill tapeworm. His weight is good but I can feel his keel bone, but I always have been able to to some extent; he's really never been fat. I did give him probiotics for a couple of days after he finished the Baytril, but none after the Canker med.(Metronidazole)

 

[chicknmania]

And now he is very much worse again. Unless someone has a suggestion, provided we can catch him, i guess we'll have to see what the vet can do. He wants to eat this morning but can't, not even his favorite treats. He is back to yawning and scratching. He looks very sad. I'm totally confused, because he has been looking great the past few days. I'm just wondering if it is in fact some underlying problem that started with his unexplained lameness over the past few years. That went away last summer when we treated with Prednisone, but he got sick soon after that.

 

[azygous]

He could be carrying a virus that produces symptoms when he's experiencing stress. Marek's comes to mind. The only way to diagnose it is to have a necropsy performed after he dies.

 

[KsKingBee]

Have the vet run a fecal exam so you can rule out some possibilities. Tapeworms can be controlled with Valbazen (albendazole) when given for five days.

 

[chicknmania]

He could be carrying a virus that produces symptoms when he's experiencing stress. Marek's comes to mind. The only way to diagnose it is to have a necropsy performed after he dies.

I don't know, but isn't it an awful long time if it was Marek's? He's been lame off and on for a couple of years, and seemed fine otherwise. I know that parasite infestation can become a problem when the bird's health is compromised otherwise, so that's what I'm thinking, and I believe KsKingbee mentioned a while ago that there could be some underlying cause. I'm thinking more along the lines of some kind of viral cancer that is bringing him down under stress? We are surrounded by farm fields and in light of all the controversy about Roundup lately...it does make me wonde, especially since we lost our other peacock last year. I'm sure there's a lot of blowback from Roundup application, and Lord knows what else they use on the fields. Anyway, I made an appointment for him with an avian vet here for tomorrow, provided we can catch him again. I can't stand to see him suffer like this.

 

[chicknmania]

Have the vet run a fecal exam so you can rule out some possibilities. Tapeworms can be controlled with Valbazen (albendazole) when given for five days.

Thank you, i will look for some poo in his pen from yesterday and take it to our regular vet.

 

[azygous]

Marek's and lymphoid leucosis are both tumor causing viruses, and chickens carrying these viruses can live for years with them, only occasionally showing symptoms if they've managed to develop resistance. Ultimately, tumors will cause organ failure in chickens that have them.

 

[KsKingBee]

I have an older peacock that develops a limp every winter, we assume it is just age and arthritis.

 

[chicknmania]

We are back from the vet and I thought I'd share an update. He has: 1) Vitamin A deficiency, possibly the reason why he is partially blind in one eye. 2) bacterial sinus infection 3) Fungal mouth infection. Don't know if he has any cancer going on, because I did not want to pay for blood work or xrays, but the vet seemed pretty confident in treating what is visible. He got a shot of vitamins, antibiotic eye drops for his sinuses, and stuff to treat the mouth lesions, I'm drawing a blank on what that is, I'll have to look. Anyway, already much better. Funny, he bonded with the vet immediately, I've never seen him do that with anyone new before.