Emergency: My Guineas Are Dying

Peacockobsessed

Hatching
May 13, 2021
6
3
6
I just lost all six of my guinea fowl. It’s my first time with these birds but I live on a farm with other poultry. They seemed to be doing fine. We had them with three peacocks (one of which died as well). They were very energetic and you could hear them chirping all the time. We fed them a turkey starter. All was going well, but this morning, I woke up to my brooder full of dead chicks. I checked for external parasites, but I didn’t see anything. It was almost as if they flopped over. I’m reading that it may have been the pine shaving I’m keeping in the brooder so I’m switching to straw. I got these chicks from a new breeder who didn’t allow us into the place where they were being kept so I do wonder about that. I’m worried about my leftover peacocks and want to get more guineas. They’ve had some watery poop so I wonder if it’s coccidiosis because I know that can kill quickly. Though as far as I understand it can’t be passed between species. Help please!
 
Hi @Peacockobsessed, welcome to BYC.

I'm so sorry to hear all your guinea fowl and one peacock died...
It sound like it's a good idea to have a necropsy done.

->> Where are you located? <<-

- Please share as much details as you can about there symptoms.
How long between first sign of illness and dead?
How long between deaths? (all in 1 night?)
Which symptoms did they have?
Did they probably have a strange posture after they died?
How long after you brought in your new chicks did this happen?
Did you put your new ones in quarantaine before introducing them to your flock?
How are they doing?
 
Hi @Peacockobsessed, welcome to BYC.

I'm so sorry to hear all your guinea fowl and one peacock died...
It sound like it's a good idea to have a necropsy done.

->> Where are you located? <<-

- Please share as much details as you can about there symptoms.
How long between first sign of illness and dead?
How long between deaths? (all in 1 night?)
Which symptoms did they have?
Did they probably have a strange posture after they died?
How long after you brought in your new chicks did this happen?
Did you put your new ones in quarantaine before introducing them to your flock?
How are they doing?
I’m located in Battle Creek.

There were no symptoms I’m aware of besides watery poop. I hadn’t even realized their poop was watery until after they were dead.

Five of them died over night. I noticed their water was empty and made sure they all got water. The chicks seemed sluggish at this point. I checked on them about an hour later and the last guinea had died.

They did have a strange posture. They were completely splayed out, lying on their sides with their legs outstretched. Their eyes were sunken into their head. Their bodies seemed like they were a bit more sunken as well.

We’ve had them for ten days.

The peachicks and the guineas were being kept in a brooder together. They haven’t been introduced to flock yet as we got them soon after they hatched.

I’ve moved them into a new brooder because I worried about contamination. Of the two peacocks, both are very sluggish. They’re not moving much unless I go into their brooder and even then, they’re moving slower than usual. I checked both of them for external parasites and found nothing. Their poop is also watery. One of them seemed to be walking strangely, almost with a limp. They’ve been sleeping since so I’m not sure if he’s still experiencing it.
 
I’m located in Battle Creek.

There were no symptoms I’m aware of besides watery poop. I hadn’t even realized their poop was watery until after they were dead.

Five of them died over night. I noticed their water was empty and made sure they all got water. The chicks seemed sluggish at this point. I checked on them about an hour later and the last guinea had died.

They did have a strange posture. They were completely splayed out, lying on their sides with their legs outstretched. Their eyes were sunken into their head. Their bodies seemed like they were a bit more sunken as well.

We’ve had them for ten days.

The peachicks and the guineas were being kept in a brooder together. They haven’t been introduced to flock yet as we got them soon after they hatched.

I’ve moved them into a new brooder because I worried about contamination. Of the two peacocks, both are very sluggish. They’re not moving much unless I go into their brooder and even then, they’re moving slower than usual. I checked both of them for external parasites and found nothing. Their poop is also watery. One of them seemed to be walking strangely, almost with a limp. They’ve been sleeping since so I’m not sure if he’s still experiencing it.
I just checked on them and got one of them to eat. They’ve been sleeping all day and seem even more sluggish than earlier. They’re barely moving except to eat and drink.
 
I’m located in Battle Creek.

There were no symptoms I’m aware of besides watery poop. I hadn’t even realized their poop was watery until after they were dead.

Five of them died over night. I noticed their water was empty and made sure they all got water. The chicks seemed sluggish at this point. I checked on them about an hour later and the last guinea had died.

They did have a strange posture. They were completely splayed out, lying on their sides with their legs outstretched. Their eyes were sunken into their head. Their bodies seemed like they were a bit more sunken as well.

We’ve had them for ten days.

The peachicks and the guineas were being kept in a brooder together. They haven’t been introduced to flock yet as we got them soon after they hatched.

I’ve moved them into a new brooder because I worried about contamination. Of the two peacocks, both are very sluggish. They’re not moving much unless I go into their brooder and even then, they’re moving slower than usual. I checked both of them for external parasites and found nothing. Their poop is also watery. One of them seemed to be walking strangely, almost with a limp. They’ve been sleeping since so I’m not sure if he’s still experiencing it.
- Is it possible to consult a vet? I highly recommend this!
Some addresses:
Cedar Creek Veterinary and Exotic Bird Clinic - Williamston Tel. (517) 655-4906
Bird and Small Animal Hospital - Ann Arbor Tel. (734) 913-0003
Crossroads Animal Hospital - Jackson - Tel. (517) 784-1111
Milwood Animal Clinic - Portage Tel. (269) 342-9865

- For necropsy you could contact: https://cvm.msu.edu/vdl

Because they all die so soon after each other, chances are it's something (highly) contagious.. Of course it could be other things like poisoning but let's work with contagious to prevent this possible contagious thing from spreading

Personally I would make sure birds without symptoms are separated from the lethargic ones. And I would disinfect my shoes/hands and change clothing while switching from caring between the two groups.
Don't visit other poultry keepers before you find out whats going on.

One thing for me to rule out, but that's because of my location, is avian flu. Since it all happens so fast. That said, I'm not sure this would be first on your list when you live in the USA.

Tagging some more people since I'm not an expert and only talk from personal experience..
@Eggcessive @casportpony @aart
 
I doubt it was the pine shavings.
How long after you got them did they die?
Coccidiosis is a possibility.
Necropsy may be the only way to know for sure,
double bag and refrigerate(not freeze) the bodies and contact MSU.
 
I doubt it was the pine shavings.
How long after you got them did they die?
Coccidiosis is a possibility.
Necropsy may be the only way to know for sure,
double bag and refrigerate(not freeze) the bodies and contact MSU.
We got them eleven days ago now. Only one peachick survived through the night. We put it on corid and it seems to be doing better, still pretty lethargic but stronger.
 
So, update, we lost all our chicks. I’m really disappointed, but as I’ve done more research, I’ve come to believe that we likely got then sick. Does anyone know any good hatcheries? I don't trust that I can go back to this place.
 

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