Guinea keet listless, won't eat or drink

[Nellie Rose]

Keet hatched on Tuesday, so 6 days old. Arrived Thursday. Ordered from My Pet Chicken. I've never had Guinea hens before but wanted to try them out. I have a tick problem in my yard and wanted to see if they could make a difference.
I Ordered 6 since that was the minimum order quantity, along with 3 new ducks and 1 gosling. Keets shipped separately, but they are all in a large broader together, 6×3 foot. I was worried about them getting stepped on by the gosling but decided to give it a chance and have had no issues. He is the tamest of them all and the most stable, hasn't hurt anyone to my knowledge. Everyone gets along great.

I noticed this keet sleeping the day they arrived, but he woke up with a little prodding and drank before going to sleep again, but woke up frequently to eat and drink. I thought this was normal, as my chicks have always taken frequent naps the first few days.

I was away working for 40 hours between Friday and Saturday, only getting home yesterday evening. I noticed him sleeping but went to bed quickly as I had been awake the whole time at work.
Earlier today I noticed him sleeping again and got worried. When I picked him up he woke up in my hands, but fell asleep. I observed for about 30 minutes, during which he only picked up his head when disturbed.
I have separated him now, and forced him to drink water with electrolytes and vitamins. He is now in a kritter keeper by my bed on paper towels and a heat pad under half his enclosure, water with electrolytes, and all flock raiser feed. I offered him a live mealworm and he ignored it. He is sleeping now, I am about to offer him some more water.
I am thinking this is just a failure to thrive, but still sad.
Picture is below.

I am hoping it is just dehydration and he isn't too far gone, but I don't know, so far he has been completely unresponsive. No pasting, no visible injuries, and all other keets/ducklings/gosling/chicks seem ill, and are getting on great.


All chicks are on puppy pads for extra absorption. They have a plastic reptile cave with a heating pad stuck to the roof, so they can huddle underneath. It is on a thermostat set to 100. They also have a small heat lamp during the day, they pretty much only sleep in the cave. All have access to fresh water at all times, and flock raiser crumbles. I haven't noticed illness in any other bird and all seem to be thriving.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Don't know if this will help anything or if it is just dumb but I'm trying some skin on skin contact with the keet, like what they do with babies who are failing to thrive.

I am going to take her to work with me tomorrow and hide her under the counter with a heat pad so I can keep a close eye on her. I feel like she will likely pass away. But hoping for the best and trying what I can.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Last thing tonight.
Here is a video of her just 5 minutes ago. She started moving strangely so I grabbed my camera and caught this. Neurological issues?
I picked her up and tried to get her to drink after and she was even more resistant to drinking.

Don't think she is going to make it

 

[Nellie Rose]

The keet passed away, I went outside to get my purse from the car and when I came back she was lying on her side and had coughed up the contents of her stomach, which was some feed and water. So I'm not really sure what happened. Perhaps she aspirated earlier, and it just took this long for her to pass from it. Perhaps she just failed to thrive. Perhaps she was injured and had internal damage. I don't know but she passed away unfortunately. I guess this happens, but it's always sad. When you lose a baby like this because she didn't even get the chance to live.

But at least her broodmates are doing good! Hopefully it stays that way.

I'll burry her tomorrow.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I'm so sorry. I think something was wrong with her development for her to go so quickly. Ugh, this is the worst. I would have done everything you did.

Are you feeding them baby game bird crumble?

 

[Nellie Rose]

Hello! I'm so sorry. I think something was wrong with her development for her to go so quickly. Ugh, this is the worst. I would have done everything you did.

Are you feeding them baby game bird crumble?

Yeah, it happens, poor thing. Towards the end it looked like she was having a seizure so who knows.
Since it is a mixed brood I am feeding flock raiser, 20% protien I believe. After doing some more reading I am thinking about offering different bowls of feed, game bird, duckling, and gosling feed, but idk. I've never had a mixed brood before.
Everyone else seems to be thriving, so hopefully it stays that way. I was planning on moving them outside into a separate area within the next two weeks, with heat of course, I did the same a few years ago with some chicks. I'm noticing that the gosling and ducklings are more cold tolerant than chicks and spend much less time under the heating pad or lamp.

 

[SmiYa0126]

You'll need a baby bird crumble for t he keets. They eat less and need higher nutrition

 

[Nellie Rose]

You'll need a baby bird crumble for t he keets. They eat less and need higher nutrition

ok will do. Flock raiser says it is good for keets but I will get to the feed store soon. Anything I can suppliment for the time being. I've got mealworms, super worms, crickets, and dubia roaches. Maybe they'd like the roaches? They are very high in nutrients, I feed them to my lizards.
I have started adding vitamins and nutridrench to water to add a little boost.

Thank you for your help btw, I really appreciate it.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Keets freak out when anything new is introduced. You can try the bugs, but you should also introduce grit.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Keets freak out when anything new is introduced. You can try the bugs, but you should also introduce grit.

Sounds good, thanks! I'll update later and post pics of the other babies!
Staying positive that I did my best with the deceased baby. And hoping it wasn't something I did.
Is 5 keets enough for a guinea flock? I've read absolute minimum is 3, but minimum order was 6 so want to make sure. They are being raised with baby chicks and seem to have bonded well. Ducks and gosling sleep together while chicks and keets sleep together all cuddled up it is so cute.
I have more chicks coming this week as well. I'll likely be keeping them separate for a few days while they get their sealegs.