4 week old Guinea keets dying

[casportpony]

Not sure, it does not say on the bag or the website but the brand is Nutrena Country Feeds chick starter grower medicated

Pretty sure it has amprolium, which is safe for guineas.

 

[50-45-1]

I am wonderin about any changes that may have recently taken place. Were they always in the location they are now?
Are they alowed outside on a run? Maybe they are picking something up there.
Is this area previously used by livestock or not?
Change the feed to non-medicated and lots fresh water and keep us updated.

 

[Stephjordan22]

They were in a brooder inside.7/11 died. I have since gotten 6 new keets and have fed them non medicated food and they are doing well. Moved them outside about 1 month ago and everyone is healthy and growing.

I am wonderin about any changes that may have recently taken place. Were they always in the location they are now?
Are they alowed outside on a run? Maybe they are picking something up there.
Is this area previously used by livestock or not?
Change the feed to non-medicated and lots fresh water and keep us updated.

 

[50-45-1]

Thats wonderful news!
I was reading some older threds on medicated feed and chick starter does not have enough protein for keets and there is at least one type of medication type that is toxic to keets.
I am glad your keets are now doing well.
I Love guineas!
Below is one of my males on lookout duty.

 

[Cart]

Heys guys. Im a fairly newbie with guinea keets. I have 10 guina keets about 4 weeks old. 2 have died in the last 3 days and have no earthly clue why. They look perfect otherwise. I did notice yesterday the 1 was acting sleepy sluggish. I have sand in the coop, since they have about 3/4 of feathers I still have heat lamp on at night, been hot during the days. Been feeding a chick medicated starter, and maybe thats the only thing I can think of would be the problem, I thought to switch to turkey gamebird feed. Im perplexed. Could they be pecking at the wooden coop which is pine, Ive read pine is toxic. I have no earthly idea why this has happened. Breaks my heart. Any ideas...

I am not sure why but when I ourchased my keets I was told not to feed Guneas medicated food. So I have never done that and they are now 3 years old except losing to predators recently.

 

[R2elk]

I am not sure why but when I ourchased my keets I was told not to feed Guneas medicated food. So I have never done that and they are now 3 years old except losing to predators recently.

This thread is from 2016. The person you replied to has not been on BYC since 2016.

 

[Sydney65]

I am not sure why but when I ourchased my keets I was told not to feed Guneas medicated food. So I have never done that and they are now 3 years old except losing to predators recently.

But to answer your question, there are 2 schools of thought. Some absolutely swear by medicated feed, saying it PREVENTS coccidiosis while the birds are young and developing immunity.
Others feel it best to allow immunity to develop naturally.
I do not use it (and have been told I am wrong not to.)
Medicated feed does not treat active coccidiosis. Coccidia are opportunistic protazoa that quickly multiply in weakened or stressed birds.
The most likely times you will experience it are as soon as you get the birds, from stress of shipping, or improper temperatures in brooder, inwhich case, you have to act fast or the majority of your birds will be dead.
You cannot use medicated feed and tx at the same time, and once they've been infected, if they survive, they develop immunity. But to treat, you need the corid, which should be kept on hand at all times, because of that "act fast" part. Now you have to go buy another bag of feed & are stuck with medicated feed you can't use.
I've only had one adult contract it. She was a singleton raised inside, moved into the coop in the spring with adults. She didn't get it until later on when I moved what had been shipped keets out of the brooder into the coop. I had her droppings tested to confirm, treated her, and she was fine.