Help - ailing peahen

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:09 pm

Hello all

I have a hen who has been unwell for some weeks now who does not seem to be getting any better. She has been only picking at her food and appears very listless. She "pants" as she opens and closes her beak as she breathes. Her neck is pulled back, hunched into her shoulders. Her droppings are minute green spots. She seems to be slowly losing energy and has not been on the roost now for a week. Her mate seems fine, although he always has been quite aloof. I have pairs in adjacent pens, as well as a variety of free-range chooks and ducks wandering about also seemingly doing OK. Earlier this year her 3 month old chick who was penned with them succumbed to something which appears similar. She has been fed on a diet of chookpellets, catfood and lettuce as well as what they can find in their 7x4m pen.

Before she started to look unwell I put wormer in their water, so assume she took it and was effectively wormed about 6 or 7 weeks ago. Apart from that she's been treated with lots of TLC and concern, but I really don't know what she might need to help her pick up.

Any advice and guidance on approach, treatment and/or medication would be greatly appreciated.

I really hope those of you with much more experience and expertise than I have will be able to help me (and her) out.

Many thanks

Tom

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi tlloy20, sorry to read about your Peahen. It's difficult to give you an exact diagnosis, primarily because some health issues have the same symptoms. However From the symptoms you have described it sounds like "Worms"

Birds carrying mature worms will show the following symptoms:
Loss or poor appetite, loss of weight, loss of condition, ruffled feathers, drooped wings, diarrhoea, general miserable appearance.
Check your wormer to confirm they treat for the following:
Hairworms, Gizzard worms, Tapeworms, Roundworms, Caecal worms , Gapeworms.

However with a few questions we should be able to narrow it down.

1) are her eyes clear (no discharge or bubbles)
2) is she wheezing (can you hear any sound as she breaths)
3) is she rubbing her eyes on her body (if she's white you should see this on her shoulder)
4) is she flicking her head
5) Have you attempted to worm her orally (tables)
6) do you have Turkeys close to your Peafowl

If you haven't already done so you should isolate her immediately. You can check her droppings for worms or eggs. Keep a close eye on the rest of your peafowl.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

How did you go tlloy20?

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:44 pm

Thanks for that quick response. She is still hanging in there though seems to be getting weaker, spending a lot of time with her head under her wing. The answer is no to all of your questions. I have not yet had the chance to check the wormer, but will investigate to ensure that it covers all of the types you mentioned. I will take their water out of their pen this evening and replace it with wormer in the morning - assuming the wormer I have is sufficiently thorough. Is their a particular brand/type you use/would recommend?

Thanks again

Tom

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Tom, we would recommend you worm her ORALLY as it sounds like time is of the essence. We use the following combination.

Worming Orally

WORM-OUT BY VETAFARM - Comes in Gel Or Tables

Notes:
Oxfendazole and Praziquantel are the actives in Wormout Gel. covers all the major worm species found in birds including Thread Worm, Tapeworm, Roundworm, Caecal Worm, and Hook Worm.

GEL:

Directions:
Treatment by Crop Needle/Syringe
Mix 1 mL of Gel with 9 mL of water - mix - administer 0.05 mL per 100 grams body weight.
Repeat every 3 months.

or

TABLETS:

Directions:
Follow directions on container.

*************************************************************

Worming in drinking water

BIG.L BY SYKES - POULTRY & PIG WORMER

Notes:
Soluble bird wormer.
Levamisole Hydrochloride is the active in Big.L covers the major worm species found in birds, particularly “Caecal Worm”

Directions:
Follow directions on container.

Hope all goes well.

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:40 pm

I've not yet been home to check, but I'm pretty sure that its the Big L that I've used to worm them in the past. I will try to pick up some Wormout to treat her tonight. Unfortunately all my pens are full at the moment so to isolate her she would have to go into a small cage 1m x 1m x 60cm. While she's used to more space I guess she's not moving too far at the moment so hopefully that should be OK. Thanks again for your advice and I'll let you know how things go.

Tom

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:56 am

Yes, it has been the Big L that I've used in the past for worming my birds.

I've isolated my sick girl in an aviary so she has a bit more space - about 8ft square if she needs to move around. I've also managed to obtain some of the Wormout gel from the local vet - not obtainable through the stockfeed suppliers although it or tablets could have been ordered.

However I have not yet dosed her up because I don't have a way of measuring her weight. How much might be a good standard measure? In guessing what she weighs, is it preferable to over or under-estimate and would that approximate dosage if inaccurate be safe. At the dosage rate you suggested, for every kilo she weighs she would need 50ml of mix pumped into her which sounds like plenty. Is that indeed OK to syringe into her? Even that 50ml is 5 doses from my 10ml syringe which would be undoubtedly pretty stressful for her. I have contemplated just dosing her drinking water as per the instructions on the bottle, but since here (near Gympie) we are experiencing the first ongoing significant rain for some time I guess if she decides she doesn't want to drink the medicated water there will other moisture around.

Would you have any further advice on the best way to proceed for her from here?

Thanks - Tom

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Tom, the dose rate for Crop Needle/Syringe should be 0.05ml per 100 grams body weight, Peter forgot the extra 0. Peafowl Weigh between 2.5 - 4.5kg with an average 3.5kg. as a guide, you could assume your hen would be around 2kg as she has been sick for some time. Therefore based on that assumption, the dose would be 1ml. Make sure when you dispense the dose you hold her beak shut and gently rub her throat for several seconds to make sure she swallows it. You may want to repeat this a week later if there's no improvement. Keep an eye on her as the first sign of improvement is a return in appetite.

Good Luck

Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol:

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:35 pm

Hi

I had a go at dosing her up with 1ml of the gel along with 9ml of water this morning. Although she flicked out the last part I think she got most of the dose - hopefully enough to do her some good. I'll continue to keep a close eye on her and if she's still much the same next week I'll try again. Hopefully that won't be necessary and she'll start picking up soon. I'll keep you posted as to progress.

Thanks very much for your ongoing advice - it is very much appreciated.

Best wishes

Tom

tlloy20 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:45 pm

Hi

Sadly, she didn't survive through last night which was the coldest of the year so far. The only bright side is that I've now got a range of worming treatments to give to all of my birds so there hopefully won't be a next time.

However this outcome gives rise to further questions. How soon / in what way should I try to re-partner her mate? The only non-partnered hens I have are first years. Would it be more advisable to purchase in a bird of breeding age. Is there a reasonable chance of compatability? Should I leave him alone for a while or try to find him a friend in his pen asap?
Would it be more advisable to move him out of that pen completely? Should the pen be treated in any way?

Many thanks

Tom

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