Sick poultry please help

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:54 am

Hi every one, am new to this site, so I hope to do this correct.
Just wondering if anybody can help? I recently purchased some malay game and maybe coincedence, but I lost the rooster, he went down on his legs, had runny bubbly poops, also this morning, one of the malay hens died and also a male peacock, all with the same symptoms, as you can guess I am not happy at all,& really need some help.
The birds I did quarantine and all seemed fine, and no meds are helping

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

Hi Danny boy, WELCOME TO THE FORUM, Sorry to read about your losses. It's difficult to be exact as many diseases have similar symptoms, but we will do our best.

There are a couple of questions:

Have you recently wormed the birds (in the last 3 months?)
How long were the birds sick before they died?
Do you have the Malay's & the Peafowl in the same pen?
What have you tried (Meds)

Thanks
P.A :lol:

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:58 am

Thanks for the speedy reply.
The meds are ronivet s active cnstit ronidazole
Also moxidectin
Yes I have the malay in with the peacocks, this will prob be my detriment, bugger!!!!
Also the birds have been wormed, as my avian vet said one of the meds covers all parasites, internal & external, I hope this is true??? & also not sure which med does this as I am in the office at the mo

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:04 am

sorry was trying to do this fast.
The malay rooster was crook for a week, the hen only 2 days, and same for the peacock.
I have sebastapol geese in the yard, guinea fowl, and also a young turkey that I have hand raised, he is about 10 mnths old now, most free range on 2 acres and do mix with each other. I am starting to lean towards this prob being blackhead. God I hope it isnt.
I have kept poultry all my life & now I have set up my own place, have gotten back into it but never had these problems

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

Hi Danny boy, the big concern is the speed from first symptoms to death of only 2 days! This is very unusual, especially for Peafowl.

Ronivet –s targets Protozoan Diseases such as "Canker" "Coccidiosis” & “Histomoniasis” (blackheads disease) but Ronivet is primarily for Pigeons, Budgies, ect.. Did he recommend a higher dosage for your poultry?

Moxidectin is for Internal & external Worms, primarily used for Dog as Heart wormer. Would check to see if it covers Cecal & Capillaria Worms?

We have always recommended not Mixing Poultry, we recommend & go by the "one per pen" Policy, one species per pen.

Your first & urgent step it to separate the birds into Breeds, not mixing any two species together (if possible?) nor any contact what so every.

As your vet has treated them for "Protozoan" (Blackheads & Coccidiosis) & wormed them, we would look at Marek's Disease or Lymphoid Leukosis as the culprit, especially with the presents of lameness and paralysis. The best option would be an Autopsy, this would confirm or not the presents of tumor formation.

There is no specific treatment for Marek's or Lymphoid Leukosis, culling & isolation will help prevent the spread.

Sorry we couldn't give better news.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:44 pm

Ok thanks very much for the help, guess I have a bit of work to do now. Will take the bodies down to bris bird vet Adrian Gallagher, [he has worked on my eclectus with great results and I cant recommend him highly enough for people with bird problems in the brisbane area] for him to do an autopsy and see what it is. I cant remember the dose rate off the top of my head but think it was 5ml per litre of water, as I was oh so lucky to get a miniature pig early in the year that transfered hairworm to some of my guinea fowl, these were the meds he gave me to treat it.
I am sure it was a short time till death as the birds were out on saturday free ranging as they usually do, all was fine, then yesterday the peacock was fluffed up and very thin, and doing bubbly yellow poops, had no energy & wouldnt eat so gave him meds via syringe. The malay hen was fine except before locking them in pens for the night, she seemed to fall down and couldnt walk so I carried her to the pen, and she was fine again eating normal etc but this morning she was on her back extremely weak not really moving so I put her down, her vent was clean, and no discharge from nose or beak. All my normal laying hens have been fine and also the guineas and geese, all other birds look fine this morning as well.

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

Hi Danny boy, if their dropping were Yellow (sulpha) colour then this would be why your vet has prescribed Protozoan treatment, it maybe a case of the treatment has been to late for those in the final stage. As the Peacock was very thin, this would indicate he was sick for some time. It should be noted that Protozoan diseases do not normally cause lameness and paralysis, but the autopsy should reveal the problem.

Please let us know how you go!

Thanks
P.A :lol:

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:02 pm

Have got fingers crossed it isnt to serious. Thats the trouble with bird, by the time they show symptoms it can be to late.
Anyway the birds are down at the vets getting autopsy and will gladly keep you posted with any info and once again thank you for all your help & info. Was going to ask about cinnamon guineas from peacocks aust but think I will wait for these problems to go away.....

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:27 pm

Hope it all works out ok Danny, It's very frustrating to loose birds and you don't know why

Jeff

danny boy · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:34 am

Hi everybody. Well the results are in for the autopsy on my peacock. It was phneumonia?? Very strange! All is looking well with the other birds at the moment alltho one peahen looked a little ill the other day, but has picked up from the meds. If she does die they will do autopsy on her as well just to check if it was something else.
They couldnt take tissue samples ect from the peacock as even after 2 hours in 30 degree heat he had started to rot so thats been a learning curve as well.

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