Nellie Rose
In the Brooder
- Aug 28, 2023
- 30
- 29
- 41
Keet hatched on Tuesday, so 6 days old. Arrived Thursday. Ordered from My Pet Chicken. I've never had Guinea hens before but wanted to try them out. I have a tick problem in my yard and wanted to see if they could make a difference.
I Ordered 6 since that was the minimum order quantity, along with 3 new ducks and 1 gosling. Keets shipped separately, but they are all in a large broader together, 6×3 foot. I was worried about them getting stepped on by the gosling but decided to give it a chance and have had no issues. He is the tamest of them all and the most stable, hasn't hurt anyone to my knowledge. Everyone gets along great.
I noticed this keet sleeping the day they arrived, but he woke up with a little prodding and drank before going to sleep again, but woke up frequently to eat and drink. I thought this was normal, as my chicks have always taken frequent naps the first few days.
I was away working for 40 hours between Friday and Saturday, only getting home yesterday evening. I noticed him sleeping but went to bed quickly as I had been awake the whole time at work.
Earlier today I noticed him sleeping again and got worried. When I picked him up he woke up in my hands, but fell asleep. I observed for about 30 minutes, during which he only picked up his head when disturbed.
I have separated him now, and forced him to drink water with electrolytes and vitamins. He is now in a kritter keeper by my bed on paper towels and a heat pad under half his enclosure, water with electrolytes, and all flock raiser feed. I offered him a live mealworm and he ignored it. He is sleeping now, I am about to offer him some more water.
I am thinking this is just a failure to thrive, but still sad.
Picture is below.
I am hoping it is just dehydration and he isn't too far gone, but I don't know, so far he has been completely unresponsive. No pasting, no visible injuries, and all other keets/ducklings/gosling/chicks seem ill, and are getting on great.
All chicks are on puppy pads for extra absorption. They have a plastic reptile cave with a heating pad stuck to the roof, so they can huddle underneath. It is on a thermostat set to 100. They also have a small heat lamp during the day, they pretty much only sleep in the cave. All have access to fresh water at all times, and flock raiser crumbles. I haven't noticed illness in any other bird and all seem to be thriving.
I Ordered 6 since that was the minimum order quantity, along with 3 new ducks and 1 gosling. Keets shipped separately, but they are all in a large broader together, 6×3 foot. I was worried about them getting stepped on by the gosling but decided to give it a chance and have had no issues. He is the tamest of them all and the most stable, hasn't hurt anyone to my knowledge. Everyone gets along great.
I noticed this keet sleeping the day they arrived, but he woke up with a little prodding and drank before going to sleep again, but woke up frequently to eat and drink. I thought this was normal, as my chicks have always taken frequent naps the first few days.
I was away working for 40 hours between Friday and Saturday, only getting home yesterday evening. I noticed him sleeping but went to bed quickly as I had been awake the whole time at work.
Earlier today I noticed him sleeping again and got worried. When I picked him up he woke up in my hands, but fell asleep. I observed for about 30 minutes, during which he only picked up his head when disturbed.
I have separated him now, and forced him to drink water with electrolytes and vitamins. He is now in a kritter keeper by my bed on paper towels and a heat pad under half his enclosure, water with electrolytes, and all flock raiser feed. I offered him a live mealworm and he ignored it. He is sleeping now, I am about to offer him some more water.
I am thinking this is just a failure to thrive, but still sad.
Picture is below.
I am hoping it is just dehydration and he isn't too far gone, but I don't know, so far he has been completely unresponsive. No pasting, no visible injuries, and all other keets/ducklings/gosling/chicks seem ill, and are getting on great.
All chicks are on puppy pads for extra absorption. They have a plastic reptile cave with a heating pad stuck to the roof, so they can huddle underneath. It is on a thermostat set to 100. They also have a small heat lamp during the day, they pretty much only sleep in the cave. All have access to fresh water at all times, and flock raiser crumbles. I haven't noticed illness in any other bird and all seem to be thriving.