Ear Problem? In Australian Crested Pigeon

[shan1]

I wonder if you experienced guys and gals can help me. I have a pair of australian crested pigeons. i noticed a couple of feathers stuck to the side of his head near his ear a couple of weeks ago, and though nothing of it, bit since then, one of his ears holes looks slightly more exposed, and brownish? almost like the little feathers around his ear have gone. I havent noticed him scratching at all and seems well in himfelf, however they have had 2 rounds this year, both being blank. could this be due to him fighting off an infection maybe? and what would you suggest is the best course of action? they are slightly skitty birds and dont like being handled too much. Thanks for any advice!

 

p.s ill try and get a picture added tomrrow

[Guest bigda]

sound like he has mites get a rag and dip it in paraffin and then

dab the area or use lighter fuel petrol on a rag

[OLDYELLOW]

I wonder if you experienced guys and gals can help me. I have a pair of australian crested pigeons. i noticed a couple of feathers stuck to the side of his head near his ear a couple of weeks ago, and though nothing of it, bit since then, one of his ears holes looks slightly more exposed, and brownish? almost like the little feathers around his ear have gone. I havent noticed him scratching at all and seems well in himfelf, however they have had 2 rounds this year, both being blank. could this be due to him fighting off an infection maybe? and what would you suggest is the best course of action? they are slightly skitty birds and dont like being handled too much. Thanks for any advice!

 

p.s ill try and get a picture added tomrrow

where abouts are you ???? it could be moult or parasites

[shan1]

Thanks, im in nottingham. Because of the temprement of the birds, and the fact that they drop every feather they can when you handle them, i havent been able to get a propper close look. i will give it a clean out though. will mite spray be ok? also would the stress of this stop him filling his eggs?

[OLDYELLOW]

my first thought would be are these birds at nest as that's where build up of red mites occur they love young flesh check underneath nesting bowls for small brown to red mites , are they scrating at night ??? and i think if these are present then need to invest in some mite powder and poultry spray and perhaps one drop the birds

[shan1]

he doesnt seem bothered by it at all, i have checked the nest and it is bone dry, very clean and full of tobacco stalks, and i havent seen any nest mites. a have mite spray, but il get some powder just incase. would baytril help at all if it turns out to be an infection? ill try and get a photo uploaded. thanks for all the suggestions.

[OLDYELLOW]

it could be a blockage in its ear if got a small seed in there or some other foreign object, i'd imagine if started to ooze then the body is trying to reject the foreign object , i would advise plenty of baths to see if helped remove any foreign object or seeing a vet , don't treat birds blindly only use prescription only medicines under the directions of a vet

[shan1]

Thanks for the advice. Any possible explanations as to why their second round is also blank? they are only a couple of years old, and i read somewhere that if a hen is laying, then 90% of the time she will be fertile. Im assuming the bloke is shooting blanks ive only had them since end of April so im beginning to think they were sold to me knowing they couldn't fill their eggs.

[Guest IB]

On the clear eggs question, you mentioned baytril - a side-effect noted by members is that it makes cocks sterile. Use should be limited, and prescription-only.

 

On the possible ear infection, my advice would be not to guess what is wrong. Injury/Infection/Infestation are all possibles. If the bird is valuable, consult an avian vet.

[shan1]

I did not know that about Bayrtil thanks! I have a small amount left over from when one of my tumbler pigeons got into a scrap with a sparrowhawk! i will give his ear a clean out and check for anyting trapped, give them a spray and get some mite powder. They are not a fan of water like most other pigeons, i guess this is because of the climate they come from, so bathing them regularly if hard. Im determined to breed with them, so i am assuming there must be some internal stress stopping him filling his eggs, and with his ear being funny i will assume its that for now. it it doesnt improve i will take him to the vets.

 

[shan1]

Well 'ear' is the little guy

this is the closest i can get to him without him hurting himself, when i have the right stuff i will go in and treat him. What does it look like to you guys? hard to tell i know, but any tips would be great. The skin around the ear looks swollen to me, there are definitely feathers missing too, but no discharge.

 

..............

[OLDYELLOW]

Well 'ear' is the little guy

this is the closest i can get to him without him hurting himself, when i have the right stuff i will go in and treat him. What does it look like to you guys? hard to tell i know, but any tips would be great. The skin around the ear looks swollen to me, there are definitely feathers missing too, but no discharge.

 

..............

 

looks similar to a collared dove could just be moulting ???? red mites or another parasite

[shan1]

looks similar to a collared dove could just be moulting ???? red mites or another parasite

 

 

i hope it is just mites of some-sort. My initial though was that they were moulting, but its just on the 1 year and has been like this for 2-3 weeks. so ill get him sorted, hopefully he fills his eggs next time! they are similar in size to a collared dove, a bit bigger but are not 'dainty' like doves, they are built much like small racing pigeons, kind of muscley and very srtong on the wing. Behave very differently though, its fascinating!

 

[just ask me]

hope its just the moult

 

 

what a cracking looking bird

[Guest ljb107]

Thanks, im in nottingham. Because of the temprement of the birds, and the fact that they drop every feather they can when you handle them, i havent been able to get a propper close look. i will give it a clean out though. will mite spray be ok? also would the stress of this stop him filling his eggs?

 

Do you have them in with your fancy pigeons? I used to have crested pigeons and a few other exotic pigeons/doves. I had them in their own aviary and they were fine.

 

If you do have them together, then that might be why they aren't filling them.

 

Lloyd

[OLDYELLOW]

lol it also could be that the cock is driving her to nest hence pecking her ear / ear missing feathers

[shan1]

they have their own shed and aviary! and its the cock bird who has the funny ear, so unless they are into equal opportunities it cant be that either!

[OLDYELLOW]

they have their own shed and aviary! and its the cock bird who has the funny ear, so unless they are into equal opportunities it cant be that either!

back to original answer then : could just be moulting ???? red mites or another parasite

[doomanbev]

are you sure its a cock and a hen ,you no some times two hens pair :emoticon-0136-giggle:

[shan1]

Im 100% sure, the cock birdhas his elaorate diplay of shacking, vibrating bowing fanning his tail above his head and flicking his wings, the hen lays............somwhere inbetween something isnt working properly! lol but yeas,i also found out 2 hens can pair up- i purchased a pair of these crested pigeons from a guy at stafford bird show when i was 14....id saved £100 for the pair and a month later i was so delighted when they laid their 1st egg...and their second.......and their third.............and their 4th

[shan1]

..........lesson learned.....however i am now 26 and was flogged someones sterile pair!...but at least theyre a pair!...right?

[doomanbev]

Im 100% sure, the cock birdhas his elaorate diplay of shacking, vibrating bowing fanning his tail above his head and flicking his wings, the hen lays............somwhere inbetween something isnt working properly! lol but yeas,i also found out 2 hens can pair up- i purchased a pair of these crested pigeons from a guy at stafford bird show when i was 14....id saved £100 for the pair and a month later i was so delighted when they laid their 1st egg...and their second.......and their third.............and their 4th

well the only other thing i would try is put the hen with an other cock bird and see what happens ,all the best any way

[blaz]

get the hen turn her over and trim her vent

[shan1]

thanks, i read that yesterday somwhere online and gave her vent a tidy up

[doomaloon]

are they like racing birds and allowed to fly outside the loft