deformed necks?

[HarmonyHen]

Hi all,
I have bee mn incubating some guinea eggs laid by my flock. I had 3 successful hatches and the keets are doing well. The 3 that followed a few days later appear tonot be able to lift their heads. One we lost the first night -he also appeared to be convulsing- the other two seem otherwise ok but can't get up and move around because of thus neck issue. weve been helping them get food and wateranyone have experience with this? Anything we can do for them?

 

[Wisher1000]

Did you help then hatch? Dissolve a couple of spoonfuls of plain table sugar in about a quart of water. Make sure they all get some and see if that helps. I think it is likely an incubation issue or vitamin deficiency in the parents. Good luck.

 

[HarmonyHen]

I only helped with the third one because s/he had been at it for 3 days and was nearly out. And I didn't help much, but given the experience with the previous two i was concerned it was a hatching issue...guinea egg shells are very hard. Its the first one we lost - his neck was really bad -, the second two are now about 36 hours old. In doing a little more research, it appears to be wry/crooked neck, which points to a vitamin deficiency. We had a really rainy June here and I'm wondering if the guineas didn't forage as much as a result. that might explain why the first couple hatchlings are OK and the next couple are not. I've started giving them molasses for now. I'm hand feeding/watering at the moment as neither is able to do it on their own. One is worse than the other. we'll see. If anyone has other suggestions, I'm open.

 

[Wisher1000]

I'm not sure about molasses, but Poly-Vi-Sol (baby vitamins) would be better. I have given a drop by mouth three times a day and had good results. I can't remember exactly which vitamin is necessary for wry neck, but I will look it up.

ETA - Vitamin E

"Please note that vitamin E (at therapeutic dosage) is absorbed only in combination with selenium (the two are interdependent on each other)... if there is a mal absorption issue in general this will also affect absorption and therefore it is a good idea to give a general supplement like Avia Charge 2000 ...
Vit A (in excess ) will negatively affect uptake of vit E so you should not use the Polyvisol in combination with the vitamin E/selenium as a general rule."

 

[kuchchicks]

x2. That is exactly what I was going to say. Depending on how bad it is do not expect it to right itself right away. You may see improvement, followed by set back before you see recovery. You may also see a relapse. Stay diligent. You can fix this.

 

[HarmonyHen]

Ok. Will pick up some vitamins tomorrow am and hope ot helps! Thanks!