feathers ruffled, normal? Added Pic post 5!!

[jtbrown]

I am new to Guineas, just having mine for a little under a month now. Those of you with guineas know what they look like now. However, several of them have "bed head" look on the back of the neck and backs. Their heads are not feathered yet, still have baby head look.

You know what a frizzle looks like? Not silkie ruffled,but "tufted" ruffle look to feathers. I cannot post from my Iphone and I am at work, but I will keep up with this thread so I can look to see if any responses, if I can get a pic tonight and get to my computer to upload it, I will.

Without seeing it, it may be hard, but several of them have it. Is this normal? I am feeding them plenty of clean water, plenty of gamebird feed. I honestly have tried to give them snacks and they think I am poisoning them and run to the corner of brooder to hide from me, so nothing else augmented in their feed. Thanks.

 

[PeepsCA]

It's normal for them to go thru a couple ugly stages while they grow, and their feathers go thru changes... but if they are under a lamp, they may be getting too close and drying out their feathers, causing the frizzled look.

What age are they and what temp is their brooder kept at, if it's heated... and can they get away from the heat?

Pics would be great, when you get a chance.

 

[MoonAngel12]

The "running to the corner" is probably just them being Guineas. I am totally new to them too, but mine started going totally insane anytime they heard me come near, around 2 weeks old probably? I finally just moved them out to the coop b/c I was afraid if they got out in the basement I would never catch them! Mine are probably close to the same age and their feathers look better now than they did a week or so ago, although since they discovered the old chicken run I don't see much of them anymore so that could have changed the last couple of days. They went through a bit of a fluffy back stage, but more of a line from neck to tail... not quite what you are describing. That might start to change though. I have found that they change fast and often so maybe it's a stage they just haven't gotten to yet? I don't know. I guess I'm not much help, huh?

 

[jtbrown]

edited to add this paragraph: Almost forgot, they were hatched beginning of June, I think I got them on 6th, with hatch date maybe Monday the 4th (I asked and couldn't get firm answer, as I had a partial order I shared with someone from feed store).

They are in chicken coop in a 3 x 4 wire brooder with wire top. I had a high watt light on til 10 days ago, then I take light off of them at daytime when coop is warm and put 60 watt light on at night. They have a lamp guard on the light, so hopefully not frizzling them. Also, I have a window fan I keep on top of their brooder, and when coop temperatures hit high (and of course their light is off), I turn on window fan to keep air moving.

On another note, I am thinking with the hot weather coming up in next few days (topping out at 100 for several days predicted), of moving them in to my 12 x 8 grow out pen that has 14 - 7 week old SLW, Buckeye, and Buff Orp chicks in it with 3 broody bantums with 8 chicks they are brooding. I can also open up a 4 x 8 hallway that they would have more room to expand to. I don't know, I just hate having them cooped up in brooder box at nearly a month old when it will be so blasted hot. Any suggestions? I read so much about them being temperature sensitive, that I am not sure.

One thing is, if these were nearly four week old chickens I would have already put them in with my grow out pen, but new to guineas and want to be careful, I've been lucky so far with them.

 

[jtbrown]

Thanks for looking, I hope this helps, you can see where the edges of their feathers just "turn up". Also only 3-4 of the 12 have this. They are frightened of me so, this was the best I could get today. Hope this helps, please let me know.

Also, about my above post, if you have any suggestions on when I can put them in with my grow out pen (3 broody hens, 14 or so 7 week olds, and 8 2 week old chicks, I appreciate it. It is so hot, I want them to be able to move more and get in front of fan if needed.

THanks.

 

[PeepsCA]

Are they on 30% protein starter feed by chance? One year I had several keets that looked like this, and I was raising them on Purina Startena 30% protein Game Bird Feed... I have since switched to a different brand that has just 27% protein and I haven't seen the feather issue since then. You could add some vitamins/electrolytes to their water just in case it is a vitamin deficiency, maybe even offer them some finely shredded romaine lettuce and/or spinach in a treat dish (with grit sprinkled on it)... but more than likely they will outgrow the feather issue once they molt again. They all look great tho, even the keets with the silly feathers

As far as when to move them to the grow out pen... if you have a good sized cage that you can put them in, inside the grow out pen so they are protected from attacks/pecks from the other birds but they can all get used to each other then I'd do that for a while and watch for aggression (for about a week or so, but bring them back in at night)... once you see no aggression you could give integration a try and see how it goes (supervised, ready to step in if needed). It's a good idea to have places for them to hide behind (but not get trapped behind) to be able to use if they need it.

 

[jtbrown]

I am using Purina Game Starter. I don't remember the percentage. What if I cut it with regular chick starter just to knock protein down? I think I will do that.

Thanks for the input on all of the above. I built our coop with 4 separate areas, two 12 x 8 and one 4 x 8 hall way connecting the two large coops and an 8 x 8 garden room in the center front, where I brood, store feed as well as my seed starter stuff for the garden. I built doors so I can close off hallway or connect the two coops. (One coop connects to covered run so that is where guineas will be until fall). I can put them in the 4 x 8 hallway but I have to walk through there to get to the coops, but they have shown me they will gladly run away from whereever my feet may go, so I won't have to worry about "escaping".

Again, thanks, I don't think anything wrong as much as they just look funny, but I will put some electrolytes/vitamins in their water (mixed as appropriate of course).

 

[PeepsCA]

No no no... I'd leave them on the high protein, they grow faster and like I said, they will molt those silly looking feathers soon. It's just a phase, and it's harmless. The reason I narrowed it down to the high protein starter feed being the probable cause with my keets was because the yr before I was hatching eggs from the same exact flock, who are all full time free rangers that consumed barely any commercial poultry feed and I had not seen the frizzy feathers the year before. The only change in the whole incubating/hatching routine was what I was feeding the keets that time. I could be wrong as to the cause, but as I said, I changed feed and the frizzy feathers have been a thing of the past.

The Purina Game Bird starter will say Startena on the label stitched into the bottom seam of the bag, and it's 30% protein. The chick starter is probably medicated (with Amprolium) and only around 20% protein, and if you mix the 2 there won't be enough medication in the mix to do the keets any good, so I'd just keep feeding them the 30% until it's used up then switch them to something like Flock Raiser (also Purina brand). It's a good idea to wean them over gradually to the new feed (mix 25% in with their old feed, then 50%, then 75% over a week or 2), because they get the squirts easily, especially when there's any other change involved at the same time.

Sounds like the keets will be fine in the hallway of your coop... they are gonna run from you no matter where you put them, lol it's just their nature. I'd make sure they have a light (at night) to use if they want/need extra warmth for a couple more weeks.

 

[jtbrown]

Ok will leave them on the high protein.

I was out of town for 3 days, my husband watched the birds et.al. I can't believe how much the guineas changed! They got waddles (beginning at least), their face changed and they grew a bump between head and beak (elongated) and their voices are changing. They have an ear piercing not a squawk but noise I can't describe. It is like time warp, in 3 days they made enormous changes.

I integrated them into grow out coop 7-8 week olds 3 mommas with chicks in there. I just did that tonight. They did well. Also, I didn't know they would roost yet, they Re all 12 lined up on our roosts. Cutest little things. I am home all day tomorrow to help keep the integration going well. If not I will put them back in hallway tomorrow. I have hardware clothe that has been separating them , so nota cold integration.

We had a bad storm here in Ohio yesterday, trees down, but we are sooo luckY. We have power and Internet and only minor damage to report.

Thanks again. I am now loving these little birds so qwarky.

 

[PeepsCA]

Congrats! Glad they are roosting already too, that's a great sign. And yes, the grow like weeds when we aren't looking, lol.