Guinea Help PLEASE!

[friskebluegills]

I hatched out 21 guineas 2 weeks ago. They have all been healthy and active, but starting about a week ago I have started to loose one almost everyday. They have never gotten wet and have been kept under a heat lamp. They have also had grit from day one. I don't know what could possibly be going wrong. We have had this happen to guineas that we have gotten from a hatchery. The ones that did make it are all very healthy. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks

We've been feeding them a 23% layers mash.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

GO TO CHICK STARTER. Treat tham as you would a chicken chick for the first 4 weeks.

They may need the medication in the starter (do not really know), but the high protein may be too much for thier metabolism at this young age. I have never feed a high protein feed (especially layer mash) at this youn an age, so i can not tell you my experinces with it.

Sure hope this helps. I can not think of any thing else unless you have your heat is too high. Guinea keets do not need a 95 deg. run down.

I start my off at 85 and work down every 10 days instead of 95 for a week and 5 degrees less for every week passing like chicks.

I have learned from experience that if you have more than 5 keets this really helps the survive those first 2 weeks of life when they are so very vunerable.

G.G.

 

[Cattitude]

I read somewhere (can't remember the source so I can't verify) that laying mash/crumbles have too much calcium in it for baby birds of any kind. I'll try to find the reference and let you know.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisingChicks.html is one site that states extra calcium causes bone development problems in chicks. Not sure if that's the specific problem with laying feed, tho.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-choose-commercial-chicken-feed.html states that the higher mineral content of laying feed can cause kidney problems in chicks.

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1317/ states: " CAUTION: Laying mash should not be fed to chicks or growing poultry because the high calcium level may cause growth problems, kidney damage, or death."

 

[featherz]

I am using chick starter mixed with a little gamebird starter for both my chicks and keets. So far so good. Would not use layer mash!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Quote:
Yes, yes, i start this when the keets get to be about 4 to 5 weeks old.

I did not know that layer mash is a bad thing for chicks although i have never feed it to anything that does not lay eggs. It is a bit too expensive and degrades a bit too fast unless the hens are laying big time.

 

[friskebluegills]

Thanks everyone. We changed their feed, moved the light and added electrolites to their water and so far so good. We haven't lost a guinea in 3 days.