We had 3 of our original 5 lavendar guineas I bought as keets 3 years ago. They had been laying well, almost daily, for several months each the first 2 years. This year they weren't laying as much, but I couldn't determine who was & who wasn't laying. I'd check their communal nest spots & find only 1 or 2 new eggs, rarely 3.
The other day my 9-year-old son discovered that his favorite guinea named Minnie had a huge prolapse. When he told me I was busy doing other chicken chores & told them to wait a moment. I noticed Minnie standing almost vertically, straining, with only tiny bits of poop coming out.
When I was ready to tend to her she had wandered off to another part of the yard. I told my son to go get her, and he returned holding her by her wing joints, far away from his body. "Why are you holding her like that?" "Because there's all this stuff coming out of her!"
There was goo & fluid & blood coming out of her, and a small shell-less egg, and some stuff that looked like yellow scrambled egg. She had a huge red prolapsed vent, and a second bump that looked like a balloon next to it. I put some antibacterial ointment on a folded paper towel & gently pushed everything back in. It went back very easily. Then I put some Preparation H on another towel & held it against her vent. Then she was put into the hospital pen for the night.
The next day her vent looked fine, but she wasn't eating & kept tipping over her water dish. I thought she might be pining for her sisters & her freedom, so I took her out of the pen. But she was very weak, could barely stand, and it was apparant that she was in decline.
I told my son to come hold her & love on her & say good-bye. I even got to take a few photos of them together for this last time. Then I took her to put her back in the pen. She had a spasm there, and died.
Poor Minnie
How common is this in guineas? How long do they live, how long do they lay? I thought only fat frequently-laying chickens got blow-outs, I didn't expect it in a guinea. It's sad now to see only 2 guineas roaming the yard, we keep looking for the 3rd. What should we do if/when we only have 1 left? Can a single guinea be content in a yard full of chickens, ducks & geese, but no other guineas?
The other day my 9-year-old son discovered that his favorite guinea named Minnie had a huge prolapse. When he told me I was busy doing other chicken chores & told them to wait a moment. I noticed Minnie standing almost vertically, straining, with only tiny bits of poop coming out.
When I was ready to tend to her she had wandered off to another part of the yard. I told my son to go get her, and he returned holding her by her wing joints, far away from his body. "Why are you holding her like that?" "Because there's all this stuff coming out of her!"
There was goo & fluid & blood coming out of her, and a small shell-less egg, and some stuff that looked like yellow scrambled egg. She had a huge red prolapsed vent, and a second bump that looked like a balloon next to it. I put some antibacterial ointment on a folded paper towel & gently pushed everything back in. It went back very easily. Then I put some Preparation H on another towel & held it against her vent. Then she was put into the hospital pen for the night.
The next day her vent looked fine, but she wasn't eating & kept tipping over her water dish. I thought she might be pining for her sisters & her freedom, so I took her out of the pen. But she was very weak, could barely stand, and it was apparant that she was in decline.
I told my son to come hold her & love on her & say good-bye. I even got to take a few photos of them together for this last time. Then I took her to put her back in the pen. She had a spasm there, and died.
Poor Minnie
