Very Sick peacock...

[AHDoehler]

Hello,
Just joined BYD---this is my first question/appeal for help...
Gus, my 4 year old white peacock is ill...
7 days ago was last time he seemed perfectly fine...then I noticed that he had not roosted in his tree but was sleeping on the ground...next morning he was lethargic, ruffled, not eating or drinking...put him in a dog run and after reading and calling around all day, started him on a 5 day drench routine of Corid...also had Corid in his drinking water..was unable to get him to eat anything---I tried everything---and only saw him appear to drink a couple of times...I squirted additional treated water in his mouth each time I dosed him with the Corid. Each night he'd go into the dog kennel that's in the run and each morning I was thrilled to see him come out. He remained lethargic...not eating...probably not drinking. So yesterday (8/16/13) was last day of 5-day Corid treatment...I let him out of the dog run and he walked around the yard and pond all day...slowly...and then lay down periodically...he even preened some...his peacock buddy Simon never left his side. He actually walked back into the dog run/kennel last night and spent the night there...he came out this morning and has been walking around his usual route...looking at him out the window right now, I wouldn't know he's sick except that his wings are down a bit and his back looks a little ruffled...he's in a field and appears to be eating bugs....I don't know what to do---I think the stress of packing him up and driving him to a vet would do him in. Don't know if he's going to get better on his own---I am so worried about him. No interest in food or treats...
1. He is free range and has never been wormed.
2. No other birds (1 other peacock, 4 guineas and 6 chickens (which are in a separate, large chicken yard)) show any signs of illness.
3. Gus has been around chickens his whole life---was hatched out and raised by a chicken...although I just read that that doesn't mean he's necessarily going to be immune to chicken-related issues...
Please help---I don't know what to do---afraid I'm doing the wrong thing/not doing enough...
Thank you very much.
Andrea

 

[BantamLover21]

You can treat with Corid for 5-7 days, and I would recommend going the two days longer.

If not Coccidiosis, I think that worms could be a possibility. I'd treat Gus with a good wormer, such as Valbazen, SafeGuard, or the Worminator (contains Flubenvet; is what I use). Most of those wormers can be found at a livestock supply store, and the Worminator can be ordered online from here: http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=584. I'd just use the dosage recommended for large-fowl, or perhaps increase it slightly because peacocks are larger.

He needs to eat something, too. If you can't get him to eat readily, tube-feeding might be the only option. Or, you could try dissolving/mixing feed with water to form a thin soup, and then squirting that mixture into his mouth. But you need to get nutrients into him; if he doesn't eat, he will lose strength and be even less able to fight off disease.

Here are some good threads on tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/722041/how-to-t-feed-a-sick-chicken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...h-my-bird-pics-for-visuals-very-detailed-post

Hope I've helped, and that Gus recovers!

 

[AHDoehler]

Thank you, BantamLover21, for the good wishes and excellent information. I will do my best to get some food into Gus and then worm him---I have some SafeGuard on hand. I know 'they' say not to worm a sick animal but I don't think I have much of a choice...
Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[casportpony]

I worry about three things in peafowl, blackhead, coccidiosis and capillary worms. If he were mine I would weigh him and worm him three days in a row with Safeguard at 20mg/kg by mouth, maybe more. If he's a full sized male, that would be .8-1.2ml. I'm not positive, but I think that will get capillary worms, I know it will get other worms.

If it's blackhead, you need to find some metronidazole and probably something for e. Coli which they almost always get with blackhead.

Next I would tube feed him fluids, then fluids with baby bird food. You must act fast or there is Avery good chance he will die, I know, 'cause I have spent the last two years trying to raise turkeys and peafowl with chickens.

-Kathy

Edited worming dose.

 

[casportpony]

Article on worming peafowl:
http://www.unitedpeafowlassociation.org/MoreonWormingandDisease.html

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

If you can, post a picture of his poop.

-Kathy