Got my Guineas!

[fowl farm]

I got six guineas yesterday! They're so cute and the adults remind me of Dodos!The only problem is, one has a splayed leg. I think that's what it's called. The man gave us that one for free and told us how to take care of it. He also said if it doesn't heal in a week it won't heal at all. If it doesn't heal, what should I do? ( I love their orange feet!)

 

[CorinneP]

Awww ! Are they pearls or what type .. I have just ordered 18 wont come for a month or so I ordered some or the Deep purples lavenders and whites .. I am busy studying now how to care for them and be prepared . I am super excited ! Congrats !

 

[fowl farm]

I don't know what breed they are. In fact, if some could tell me I would really appreciate it!

 

[livenwpeeps]

Yep they are pearls. Sorry to say but I have never had a keet with leg problems heal. God knows I have tried but as they grow, the problem gets worse and worse. I have tried tape, pipe cleaners, sitting the keet in a little cup, fixing little boots for them, you name it, I have tried it but none have worked. Google spray legs and you will find all kinds of ways to try to fix it. Some have had luck with it and you might be successful but don't get too attached. I hate to sound so negative but I have been there many times. I personaly think it is caused by temp or humidity changes during incubation and it is more like a birth defect. If it doesn't heal you will have to put the little guy down and then that is another thread in it's own. I can't do it. I have a friend animal vet that does it for me. My prayers are with you and let us know how things go.

 

[fowl farm]

The man that I got them from raises guineas, peacocks, and turkeys and he said that it wasn't uncommon among any of them and most of the ones that he had raised with the splayed leg had healed, so hopefully it will work. What he uses is a band-aid to hold the legs together in a natural position. We'll see. Hopefully it will work.

 

[PeepsCA]

As long as you get the keet's legs braced up fast and correctly (and if it actually is just a splayed leg and not a rotated femur or other defect) they are usually fine within a few days. I use a thin strap of vet wrap (it only sticks to itself and I always have it on hand, for my horses), but what you use isn't nearly as important as how you use it, and how quickly you get the legs braced.

Congrats on your new babies! And yes, they are Pearl Greys.

 

[fowl farm]

How would I tell if it is some other defect? And if it is something else, how do I deal with it?

 

[PeepsCA]

A splayed leg is fairly easy to identify, the leg slips out to the side like the keet is doing the splits. Usually the result of injury from slipping on bedding that does not have enough traction or from being on a slippery surface like newspaper, which should never be used for any baby poultry as bedding IMO. Sometimes a splayed leg, (or both legs) can be caused from other keets piling on top of one the keets too (too much weight is put on the the keets legs) and the joint ends up getting stretched out, allowing the leg to splay out. It just gets worse if the legs aren't braced up and held in the correct position for at least a few days.

Other conditions like rotated femur, where the whole leg turns out from the hip is usually a congenital abnormality, (they hatch with the defect it's not from an injury), and another leg issue called slipped tendon is where you can actually see that the tendon does not stay in the groove on the back of the knee hock area when the joint is bent. As I mentioned, splayed leg is fairly easily corrected if caught early enough, but there is not a reliable fix for rotated femur, (other than surgery by a vet and even then it's not guaranteed). It's painful for the keet and the pain worsens as the keet grows and gains weight. Usually keets with rotated femurs are better off if they are put down humanely. A slipped tendon can sometimes be fixed with a very thin strip of tape wrapped around the center of the hock joint to hold the tendon in place and let it heal, but still allow the keet to use the leg. It's not always possible to fix this, but some do have success with it, especially when vitamins are added to the keet's diet (usually to their water) in case it was caused by a nutritional deficiency. There area few other methods used to correct a slipped tendon, but I've never tried them.

 

[fowl farm]

He doesn't look like he's in any pain and seems chipper and active, so maybe it is just a splayed leg. Thanks for the help!