Sick Peach Golden?

[Birdnerd2025]

My male peach golden pheasant is 2 years old. Always been healthy, he’s recently started throwing his head backwards and his feathers are ruffled and keeps eyes closed. I originally thought gape worm, but I’m not sure that’s it. He’s been given dewormer. It’s like his crop is full? What should I do? Has anyone seen this behavior before and know what’s wrong?

 

[muddy75]

@007Sean

 

[007Sean]

My male peach golden pheasant is 2 years old. Always been healthy, he’s recently started throwing his head backwards and his feathers are ruffled and keeps eyes closed. I originally thought gape worm, but I’m not sure that’s it. He’s been given dewormer. It’s like his crop is full? What should I do? Has anyone seen this behavior before and know what’s wrong?

I'm not a veterinarian but sounds like he has a respiratory infection. If his crop isn't emptying, it may be impacted!
If you can find one and afford it, a vet visit would be your best option for treating his illness.

 

[Birdnerd2025]

Thank you for this reply! I have contacted the vet twice, but their knowledge is limited with pheasants and said google and research. I picked up some vitamins to try, but what to do for the crop if that’s it? What to do if respiratory infection? I don’t hear any wheezing, snuffling, or coughs, but this is new to me with a pheasant.

 

[007Sean]

Does it have runny nares? Watery, bubbles in eyes? Tylan 200 would be best to start out treating for the respiratory infection.
I'm going to tag a few experts on 'impacted' or 'sour crop'. They are experts with chickens but a crop is crop no matter the species. I don't have any experience with either, my pheasants have never had an impacted crop or sour crop!

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @azygous

 

[Birdnerd2025]

Thank you for this! He does not have runny nares and does not have watery bubbles in eyes. We treated yesterday for potential gape worm although I’m not too sure what’s going on. He seems to be more alert today with a bit more energy, but he still throws his head back. We gave him Rooster Booster Poultry Cell almost 1cc today hoping that if it’s vitamin/mineral related, it may help? I still don’t know about his crop. I don’t have a camera on him to know if/what he’s eating/drinking. He’s by himself with another pheasant in view.

 

[Eggcessive]

The best time to feel of his crop is early in the morning, after going all night without eating or drinking, when it should feel empty. Let us know how it feels? Does his neck go in a circular motion as if he is adjusting his crop? Any video that could be uploaded to YouTube or a similar site with a link posted here, could be helpful. I know little about pheasants. But @azygous has a good article about crop problems here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I originally thought gape worm, but I’m not sure that’s it. He’s been given dewormer. It’s like his crop is full?

We treated yesterday for potential gape worm although I’m not too sure what’s going on. He seems to be more alert today with a bit more energy, but he still throws his head back. We gave him Rooster Booster Poultry Cell almost 1cc today hoping that if it’s vitamin/mineral related, it may help? I still don’t know about his crop. I don’t have a camera on him to know if/what he’s eating/drinking.

Welcome To BYC

I don't know anything about Pheasants, but if possible, can you get a video of his actions - the head being thrown back?

Upload video to YouTube and provide a link, or you can use the BYC Gallery, just let us know you used the Gallery so we can find it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-upload-videos-to-the-gallery.1631126/

Throwing the head back...a few things come to mind

Wry Neck, could he have suffered an injury to the head/neck, eaten anything rotten/dead or perhaps lacking in vitamins/nutrients.

A Crop problem - check his crop, see if it's empty first thing in the morning before he's had anything to eat/drink.

Respiratory infection as suggested. I'd definitely check in the ears for infection, check in the beak for any lesions or obstructions just to rule out things.

You are deworming, what are you using?

 

[007Sean]

Throwing it's head back is not a sign of wry neck in pheasants. Their heads will be twisted to one side or be bent underneath them....I have never witnessed one throwing it's head back and I have had a few pheasants with wry neck.

 

[Birdnerd2025]

Thank you all for your replies thus far! He is still hanging in there, we have dewormed per vet with panacur, we have given rooster booster poultry cell, we have given olive oil/massaged crop. He has been seen eating and must be drinking to be alive. 2-17-25 he’s been offered poultry cell via water bowl and offered vetrx via water bowl, moved to our bathroom with humidifier. It is definitely respiratory now that we have observed wheezing/rattle sounds. How do you treat respiratory? Thank you all so much!