Had a problem with a adoptee peacock

Sandie · **Posted:** Sat May 30, 2009 5:29 pm

Successfully caged one male and his two ladies for 6 months and released them. They were happy as.

About a month ago another very young male turned up and we thought oh wow how cool is this. His tail feathers were kind of squarish. Not the 'eyes' that we were used to seeing on our adult male.

All went swimmingly and they all got along and never fought. Suddenly out of the blue our adult male turned up dead. Not a mark on him. Just dead. Within a day the adoptee also turned up dead. The females are fine and appear healthy and lively. Well they are missing their man. But they have not died. Is it possible that the adoptee bought in a bug or disease?

Will the females be happy without a man? Lord I am trying desperately to find another man for them but they are popular as aren't they.

Dysart · **Posted:** Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:45 pm

Not a peacock health expert but odds on the new one brought with him a lurgy of some sort sounds like you are lucky it didn’t kill the lot. I had a rooster turn up at my place 2 odd years ago and he brought with him a dose of respiratory disease. Now days if a stray turns up we get rid of it

Sandie · **Posted:** Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:55 pm

I really thought we had lucked in with a stray turning up. Now I am going to harden up. No more strays and anything new will be in confinement for a month first. During that month they will be treated for everything and anything known to God and man.

I bought two peachicks on the weekend and the old dear I got them from mentioned she had wormed them that very day. I thought nothing of this until I got them home and when we were moving them from the carry cardboard box into the broody cage I saw what looked like dead earthworms in the poo. They were HUGE. I am shocked. I have never seen anything like this in my life. How could wee chicks be so infested in such a short time?

I will keep them in confinement and away from everything else until they return a clean poo after the next dose.

Lord love us. I had no idea. I have a lot to learn obviously. [smilie=a_withstupid.gif]

Pam Jackass · **Joined:** Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:21 pm **Posts:** 284

How awful for you. I actually think it was just sort of bad luck but my guess is that they all have coccidiosis to some extent. Get some turkey starters or growers, chicken starters or growers if you can't get the turkey ones and feed them this coccidiostat exclusively for a week, I had mine bulk faecal count tested and they were high in coccidia but the vet said it wasn't really a problem. Taking no chances that is what I have done and I am going to do it every three months. Also worm your others. Are you feeding them plenty of protein??? A lot of people don't bother to feed them and I think it is essential. Dry CATFOOD is higher in protein than dogfood, maize, game bird finishers or breeders and sunflower seeds is what we use. Feel free to ring me on 03 57759676 for help. PA knows a lot more than I do but sometimes they are really busy and don't answer you for a while.Cheers, Pam

Sandie · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:13 pm

Blonde question.

What is coccidiosis?

How do I know if they have. I did see a rememdy for that at the seed and feed when I was getting worm stuff but didn't know what it was.

Pam Jackass · **Joined:** Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:21 pm **Posts:** 284

It is a little protozoan parasite that lives in the gut and it kills chooks especially but if you fedd a medicated feed this should be OK. It is particularly prevalent when conditions are cold and wet and I am thinking that this is maybe the case with you at present???? If you have chooks you are very likely to have it around and it can also be brought in. On the worming front I have had success worming free range birds with squirting Ivomec on the feathers at the rate of half a ml but one vet says this will work, the other says it won't, but certainly my worm count was low. For the caged ones there is "Big L" which is good. Good luck. Pam

Sandie · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:52 pm

As all the wild birds and ducks, or a major proportion of them come in to drink. I treat the water I put out for them.

I am off to get some stuff to treat them all.

I had never heard of this disease and yes it is cold and wet here. Hopefully the few deaths, unexplainable, were not down to this. I would feel awful.

I had thought they were dropping with old age or something. But maybe.....

So they will be treated and I will mark my calender and treat them regular. Can this be passed to humans through eggs?

Pam Jackass · **Joined:** Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:21 pm **Posts:** 284

No, not passed to humans. A bloke I was talking to the other day has just had his 35 year old peacock die that was his grandfather's bird so old age is not usually a factor. Don't beat yourself up about the whole thing. If you email me pamajack@bigpond.com I will send you an article I wrote for Australasian Poultry that details all our early disasters! Cheers, Pam

Dysart · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:09 pm

Sandie wrote:

Blonde question.

What is coccidiosis?

How do I know if they have. I did see a rememdy for that at the seed and feed when I was getting worm stuff but didn't know what it was.

Check out this topic, I found it great viewtopic.php?f=32&t=891

Sandie · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:25 pm

35 years old. OMG.

I never realised they lived for so long. So I best make arrangements in my will for the onkeep of my birds. hehe.

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