Yearling Peahen in molt and not eating

[FlightsofFancy]

Yearly Peahen that was fine last week. Started to molt and couldn't fly. (she free ranges on our farm) then we had a really bad storm. Now she won't eat and is seriously dehydrated. She is tame enough to eat out of our hands, but will fly off. Right now I can walk up and pick her up with no protest. This tells me things are getting serious!
I can give SQ fluids but I am not sure how much and where to give. What else can I do? I have tried all kinds of food and she will eat nothing. What about B Complex?
Help!!!!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Before you try to feed her anything, you need to get her rehydrated! Birds who are severely dehydrated cannot process food. There are different places one can do SQ on birds, the one I usually use being the flap of skin behind the leg, where it connects to the body. I'm not sure how much you would give her, though--I'm used to rehydrating small songbirds so it's hard to say how much a peahen would require. I would SQ her every two hours or so maybe five or six times, and then go to every six hours. If she doesn't perk up after a day or two of fluids, there might be something internally wrong with her.

If you're not comfortable with SQing in that location, you can use a syringe to put drops of water on her beak until she swallows, but that will take a lot longer to rehydrate her... I'd try SQing first. If you can, you may want to bring her indoors or in the garage, put her in a dog crate or something with a heating pad on low. That helps if they're having trouble keeping their body temperature up.

Good luck!

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Thank you!!! I am comfortable giving SQ fluids, but couldn't decide on the spot. Under the wing? I like the leg flap and will do it there.
Any other help is greatly appreciated. She is getting worse by the minute!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Oh, poor thing! The leg flap is definitely good. I'd wait to feed her anything until she poops. Is she pooping at all? If so that's a good sign. If not, that might mean she's dehydrated enough that her digestive system is on hold. I'd give her some warm mash, high protein, and maybe some chopped up hard boiled eggs, once she is rehydrated and pooping. Rehydration is the most important thing, though, whenever we get in a critical bird that's the first thing we do. Warm up the fluids if you can. I hope she gets better!

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Her droppings are yellow and white. Definitely not normal.
I have her on a heating pad and doing the fluids. Should I give BComplex? I have the injectable Duravet for Livestock. What would the dosage be?

 

[connerhills]

Are sure she doesnt need wormed ? Does she feel light weight and thin in the breast area ? George connerhills

 

[FlightsofFancy]

It is very possible that she needs to be wormed. Is it safe to do it while she is so depressed? And which wormer would you recommend?

She made it through the night, but no change. She received about 250ml of fluids last night and I am going to give more this morning.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Thank you to the two people who were kind enough to offer help. Apple, our beloved peahen passed this afternoon. We are heart broken!

 

[Pavo Royale]

So sorry, Kelly.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss. You did what you could for her, but it sounds like it was just something that you couldn't fix.