guinea fowl lethargic and cant make any noise

[critters]

hard boiled egg yolk are a great source of protein
and easy for him to eat and swallow....

 

[teeandtay]

Thanks for all the help. I'll keep you posted for sure. I have a couple of those auto water jugs I can put out and will put one next to where he stands the most. He drank a little so hopefully it'll start working. Thanks again for all the info!

 

[PeepsCA]

Sorry I missed this post... some days I check the forum on my Android tablet and things get all messed up as far as what I have read or have not read once I get back on my laptop...

Have you wormed your birds with a broad spectrum wormer lately? Have you caught him and opened his beak and looked down the throat for Gape Worms, (or any type of obstruction)? Sometimes with Gape Worms (not always) you can see little red thread like worms wiggling in the throat when they open their beaks to try to vocalize. Sometimes they open their beaks quite often, gasp for air, cough and shake their heads and can only squeak from the irritation of the worms in the trachea... but check out this post about diagnosing Gapeworms (or any other throat obstruction) in chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/419463/if-they-have-worms-what-is-the-treatment/10

If you're positive it's Gape Worm, you might as well de-worm all of your birds with a broad spectrum de-wormer, and then treat them all again in 10 days because the worms and their eggs can be picked up in the soil and become a vicious cycle of reinfestation.

 

[critters]

teeandtay, how's your guinea doing?
if it was/is worms guess I was really off the mark...
but I was thinking in the line of breathing,...illness
from infection not worms causing the problem...

let us know....

 

[teeandtay]

He's still alive. Drinking and eating a little. Was moving around a bit more last few days but today he seems to be just sitting around and not moving much at all. It sounds like it could be those worms b/c when you watch him he'll look like he's gasping for air and/or trying to cackle but all that comes out is a little screech. The other one seems ok. I'll see if I can catch him and have a look in his throat. I noticed his poop is runny and kinda green if that tells you anything.
Thanks again for all the help.

 

[critters]

well, glad he is still alive...sounds like he needs worming as well as the others then..
good luck and keep us posted

 

[teeandtay]

He looks worse now than this morning. He won't get up unless you make him, and he's breathing really heavy. My question is will it do any good to get the worm meds at this point or should I put him down. I know that sounds mean but I don't won't him suffering and really can't afford to spend much money on meds if it's too late at this point?

 

[JLeigh]

The best time to catch a guinea IMHO is after dark. They tend to let you walk up and get them then, but hold his wings down. Once he realizes he's been caught, he'll go berserk. Trying to catch one during daylight hours is - at least for me - like Keystone Cops; lots of screaming, bouncing off the pen wire, cursing and going around in crazed circles

- - and then there is the guineas' reaction to deal with. Yep, I catch 'em at night and use a flashlight or just take them into a lighted area for inspection or med administration.

 

[teeandtay]

Catching him at this point isn't a problem. My wife just walked right up to him and pinned him down, he doesn't even want to move, he can't hardly stand.

 

[JLeigh]

Awww. Poor thing. Yeah, he's sick. I'm so sorry. I hope he gets better.