Guinea talk.

[GlennLee]

Charid & SunHwaKwon - thank you for posting your ideas on the use of technology. It gives me some good ideas to think about. Anything that keeps our birds safe and saves us steps as well sure does help. I'm looking into getting a used golf cart (electric) just to ride around in and check on where they are. Once they get in the grass, I can't find them and have been driving my car on the tractor road. The dog likes it, but I feel like I'm on safari. It will also help with carting water to various spots now that they are out and about. The past two days, I've been able to keep them on our property by using the human monitor system - ME! When they go near the road, I head them off at the pass and turn them around. Eventually they'll get it, but it's going to take some time and from your experience, it will continue for a while, but then get better next year.

Charid - interesting observation about a coop being too large - especially for guineas. That's all you ever here - make it big, make it tall - for guineas. You may be right, especially with young ones and they just don't get the fencing thing. They think if they can see through it, they should be able to go through it. When the keets were little, I lined the crates with cardboard, and then took it out a little at a time. Interesting, they don't mind going into a crate at all now, so if one of them has to be isolated, they are fine in a crate. The adult one I had HATED the crate. It was a jail to him, not home. I do hope baby makes progress enough for it to be a part of the flock. Keep us updated on the progress and I hope this vet ends up giving you better information than the last one you went to. You've had a rough go of it with your guinea fowl with the injuries and predators. It's exhausting, but you're doing a great job .... when it's good it's very good and when it's bad it's horrid - just like the old nursery rhyme. Hang in there!

Patti - we've been canning beans - yellow and green. We do a lot of canning and freezing - fruits and vegetables, jams and pickles. Sure tastes good in the winter and makes nice gifts too. I made a rose hip jam for the first time last year. Very tasty, but it took a while to pick, clean and process the rose hips. I share that special jam with my neighbors - they are so good to us - it makes a nice way to say "thank you". Is Spider's foot all better now? I'm assuming so since you didn't mention it in your last posting. It's good to know that he still hops up on your lap. He must be all grown up now - 16 weeks? I think your two are a month older than mine.

We had to let our handsome adult guinea move on to another home.

Although some of his behavior may have been common between youngsters and adults, it really was bullying and it was constant. He was breaking up the flock into two and tormenting any of the other males who would get too close to the females. It was divisive and unsafe. Sad to see him go, but we really didn't have a choice and had tried to get it to work for quite a while. I'm down to 15 with about 2/3 of them being males. I'm hoping to add 2-3 females to balance it out and that would max out the number I'll be able to accommodate with the new coop. And, speaking of the new coop, we're waiting on some paperwork to come through so that we can get our permit. We're hoping to have it delivered in about a week or so and then have some work to do inside - building roosts, electrical and painting before they move in. As long as we're ready by snowfall, that's all I care about. The space we have for them now is fine as long as the weather is good.

Question for you all on the topic of roosts - we are going to be putting in roosts in the new coop. The ones we have in the current coop are in two rows, like open bleachers - the top row is about 5' off the ground and the next one down is about 3 1/2 feet off the ground. Of course you know what happens - they all want to be on the top roost, but don't all fit. Fortunately, I got rid of the bully, so they just jockey around and make it work. My thought was to have one long roost 18' which should accommodate them all and keep the height close to 5'. I could go higher, but then realized if I had to get them off the roost in the night (for parasite medication, etc.) and for cleaning, it would be easier to keep the height at 5' or less. What are your thoughts? Also, at this point, they still do not fly directly up to the top roost. They launch off their baby roost, up to the lower roost and then finally hop up to the top, so I think I still may have to put in a tiered section anyway.

 

[pattyhen]

Spidermans foot is healed now. He looked so pitiful limping but now he's not limping at all. I was soaking his foot in a plastic tub with epson salts and that didn't go over very well. He kept trying to sit down in the tub. I finally soaked a rag and held it to his foot with the epson salts and that worked alot better. I sprayed his foot with bactine and the next day he was fine. They were 4 months old on the 26th of this month. It doesn't seem that long ago when we got them. They still want to come inside everyday but I don't let them come in unless it's pouring down rain.

I think the tiered perches would be a good idea. That would take some of the jar out of landing if they can go from perch to perch. The big perch we have in the coop is an old banister and they do fine on that. My husband also made a ladder out of tree trunks and they get on that also. I trimmed their wings when they were younger so they don't fly at all. I didn't want them flying over the fence into the neighbors yard.

Take pics of the new coop when you get it I would love to see it. Is it going to be insulated also? I've seen pics of chicken coops with hardwood floors and curtains and bows on the nesting boxes. They were really pretty but it would be hard to keep everything clean.

I've never canned anything before. I love the bread and butter pickles and I don't know what rose hips are. It sounded good tho. My grandma always had a garden and canned fruits and vegetables in the summer time.

Take care and thanks for the update.

 

[GlennLee]

Patti - Glad to hear that Spiderman's foot has healed. He's such a doll and you took great care of him. That's probably why he responded to your nursing so quickly. Hard to believe you've had them for 4 months already. I wonder if you'll be seeing any eggs before the summer is out? Do they continue to change in the way the look or are they pretty much looking like a full grown adult now?

Thank you for your ideas on the tiered perches. I can see why you would need to have them lower with their wings being clipped and the idea of a banister and tree branches sound perfect. Would you say you have it at about waist height or closer to the ground? I think I'll make mine a bit lower than they are now so they can easily reach them - maybe even have just a short section as a hop up. I'll have to think about the height and depth for easy cleaning under them. I will post pictures of the coop when it's done. I've seen some really neat pictures like you mentioned with curtains and all - I don't think I could keep it that clean. The guineas are pretty feisty and create a lot of dust. Putting a high gloss paint on the walls and floor will help. I do think I'll paint the floor a cornflower blue - just to brighten things up a bit and have white on the walls. Hoping the paint will deter insects.

I love the bread and butter pickles too... and we have a great place to get peaches and they can up nice and make yummy jam. The rose hips are the "fruit" of the rose bush. They look like small pomegranate on the end of the rose bush. In the jam it's a bit tart and grassy. Doesn't sound very good, but it IS tasty; I do have to add sugar.

Sad to say, I'm watching 2-3 of guineas with signs of limping and will have to take a closer look when they get in the coop tonight - I hope it's not a repeat of the one I recently lost. If it is, then I'm guessing that we do have a virus - possibly Mareks - and it will be going through the entire flock. I don't think I'll be adding any new ones to the mix until I get this figured out.

I'll keep you posted.

Have a good weekend. We are a bit cooler today and no humidity. Hope you all are getting more comfortable weather too.

 

[pattyhen]

I hope you don't have Mareks. They may have injured the pad of their foot like Spiderman did. I didn't see any cut or anything on his foot when I looked at it. You might try the epson salts soak on a rag and hold it to the bottom of their foot. He did better with the bactine then he did the neosporin too.

The cornflower blue on the floors and the white walls sounds really bright and cheerful. I don't blame you for not putting the curtains and the bows in. I don't think the guineas would appreciate it very much.

I still hope that Mary Jane waits until next spring to lay her eggs. She has squated before when I went to pick her up. A female chicken does that right before they get ready to lay too. She still goes in the little bush out front and sits on top of the duck eggs if they lay any out there. I think she is practicing when the time comes she'll be ready.

As far as their looks goes they haven't changed any for a while now. The blue on the head and the purple and red waddles I just love. They are so colorful and comical. The little horn on the top of the head just sits it all off.

I was sitting out back on the porch and Spiderman and Mary Jane come up to the porch. I started petting Spiderman and he just flopped down on the porch and let me pet him. I have 14 ducks that never want to be held or petted and a guinea that is suppose to be wild and just adores human attention. I told him Spiderman your one in a million and don't ever change.

The temps are a little lower today and the humidity isn't as bad. We have a little break in the weather for a change.

Have a great day.

 

[pattyhen]

Sorry I forgot to mention the perches are about waist level and they don't seem to have a problem jumping up on them.

 

[charid]

GLENNLEE - even my adult guineas needed the tiered perches. They are just, I won't say weak fliers, just not precise landers. Tiered perches help also once the birds get moody. The tiers aid in evasion better. I truly hope it isn't Marek's but perhaps a vitamin deficiency.

The two injured birds were treated 100%. That was one that a coon got a hold of, ripped his middle toe off. He is pretty high on the pecking order too, which is quite strange. I suspect it's because I hadn't separated him for very long and he healed very quickly with the chlorahexidine and corona.

The skunk injured bird was in ICU for 9 days. I took him and put him in the add on before putting the younger babies in there. Because he was so low on the pecking order he was darn happy to have a flock. I was afraid of him going after them but nothing more than mashing out the pecking order. His skin is completely healed except for one spot where his scab fell off. His head is scarred and his helmet and waddle may not develop right because of it.

Baby was doing poorly in his splint. I feel foolish to say but I sent the vet a pretty ...emotional email. I removed the splint and was horrified of his leg position. It looked OK in splint but this was.. I truly believe she was not qualified or trained to treat him or his condition and said so much in the email. He was doing well but the splint definitely wasn't placed right. I kept asking her shouldn't he have his leg under his body. She kept insisting not and that his foot should be taped up into a point. I asked how will he ever bear weight if he doesn't have a foot to set his leg on. No response. I asked about his malnutrition and eye issue. No response. I asked about damage to the good leg from 2 wks of compensation. No response because Im guessing she is not qualified.

Baby has been with his flock. I watch him and he can get into his cubby for safety. But come the day his siblings turn on him or I see the smallest sign of suffering I will have to put him down. He ate 2 cups of feed in one short sitting before I came in. I'm getting some provitasol and see if he improves or grows. As far as I can tell his tendon is in. Perhaps atrophy. I exercised him yesterday morning. We did not go to follow up visit as my faith in the vet is gone. I rescheduled with a different vet in the office but that appointment isn't until Tuesday. After my critique of his partner I don't even know if I still get to come in. My phone is dead weight or I would call...Tuesday I will know what I must do.

 

[pattyhen]

Charid I hope you can find a vet that knows what they are doing. Poor Baby he has really worked hard to get better. I wish him the best.

I have no experience with the perches for the adult guineas. I'm glad you gave Rhonda the advice. Most of my chickens perch in the rafters of the coop but Spiderman and Mary Jane are perching on the perch that is about waist high in the bottom of the coop.

Have a great day everyone.

 

[GlennLee]

PATTI - I think that's funny that Mary Jane squats and lays on the duck eggs. You must get a chuckle out of that. I'll bet their coloring is very pretty now - my French Guineas have a bit different coloring than Henry did. He was a Pearl. Their wattles are more pink than red, but they have a brilliant blue under the throat area. Aside from that, they are pretty much the same.

I think my female has injured the pad of her foot like your Spiderman did. I can see a red spot in the center - it may have been caused by a rose thorn. I am hoping that's the problem and that she will heal back 100%. She was having trouble keeping up with the flock yesterday. Today I gave her a round of treatment and have her confined to a small dog / cat padded carrier. I figured I'd give her a day off of it and keep her in it through the night, then after the flock heads out tomorrow, I can let her loose in the covered run, assess the situation, treat her again and go from there. About how many days was Spider's treatment before he stopped limping? I want to make sure to give her enough time to heal and be able to keep up with the flock and I'm still watching a couple who seem to hop when they run, but aren't showing the same signs of hobbling when walking or laying down to rest.

CHARID - It sounds as though your injured Guineas are starting to turn around with all of your attention and nursing. That's great news! I knew you had problems with racoons, but didn't realize one injury was caused by a skunk. Very scary, but you rallied to the cause for them. Thanks for sharing their pecking order and what you did to make sure they responded to their treatment. My female does have a love interest, so I don't want to keep her away too long, but I have to keep her isolated a bit as the others were starting to peck or they just ran over her. I may have to move one of the dog crates out there again depending on how she responds. I do have a medicated shampoo with Chloroxylenol in it and will use that to wash the foot, along with the Epsom salts. I put Bactine on the area, but I do have Corona as well. There isn't an open wound at this point, so I may switch to the Corona since that has more staying power. How many times a day did you apply the Chloroxylenol and Corona? And, I'm so sorry to hear that you had such bad advice from the vet on Baby. I know you probably wish you could have taken back that emotional email, but sometimes I think those raw emotions need to come out. The vet needed to hear that the treatment didn't work, in fact, it made the situation worse. Many times, our gut instincts are best and you probably know more about your flock and Guinea Fowl than many vets, unless they specialize in birds or have the experience. Hopefully, Baby will recover enough to keep up with his siblings and he'll be able to blend in with the flock. He's made good progress since the first time you reported on his injury, so we'll hope for the best right along with you.

Thank you both for the perch info. I will definitely make 3 tiers for them and will probably keep the highest one at about 4 feet. That way I can grab them easily and still clean under the roostarea. Thankfully, my husband is very good at building things and he's more than happy to help with those types of things for the Guinea Fowl. He's not so keep on nursing them, but that' okay....

Another Question - I keep hearing about vitamin B deficiency for birds and how it mimics some of the viruses. How do you know if your birds have a vitamin B deficiency? Shouldn't the food have vitamin B? Do you give your birds a regular supplement to prevent this?

 

[pattyhen]

Spiderman limped for at least a week. One night we even put a guaze on his foot with neosporin and wrapped it with the vet wrap. The next day we took it off and he was still limping at that time. What worked the best for him was the soak of epson salts on the rag pressed against his foot for about ten minutes and the bactine spray.

I've never used the vitamins for the guineas. With ducks I know they say sometimes they need the extra vitamins or they will go lame. It is one tablespoon per cup of food of the brewers yeast in a cup of food. Use the brewers yeast you buy at the health food store. I don't know if it is safe to give this to guineas.

I think that Mary Jane is maturing faster then what Spiderman is. When she goes in the little bush and sits Spiderman acts clueless as to what she is doing in that bush. They are so bonded to each other when you see one the other one will be close by.

I hope your guinea gets better with a red spot she has probably stepped on a thorn. They do so much walking in one day it's funny. When Spiderman hurt his foot the first day he did alot of resting. After that he didn't seem to rest as much he just limped along.

 

[charid]

GLENNLEE - I have the actual chlorahexidine, prescription strength. I don't know what the potency is on the other stuff in your shampoo. Because it is quite strong I only applied it once a day or as needed. If an open wound got too mushy or wet I would lightly swab the area with the chlorahexidine and then let it air dry. If it was dry I then used a thin coat of antibiotic ointment or corona. There is no S.O.P. If it's wet use what dries it out. Mist with saline rinse, peroxide, alcohol, perhaps witch hazel ( no experience with it buts it is gentler, less drying). If the wound is dry to point of painful cracking I use corona or if I need to pull some infection out or to soothe a splinter or bug bites, Corona. For bottom of foot issues or muscular pain, epsom salts but I think for it to be absorbed for nutritional value it has to be fortified with magnesium.

Don't know how you determine nutritional deficiency. Think it can start with the mother. Also some feeds just aren't good or on random occasions cause problems with certain birds. I haven't had this problem but I have read about it on here. Hope that answers the questions.


Baby is eating and drinking but I have to take him his food as he is immobile now. Come Monday after work I will have to put him down if he is not improved or in pain.

I have been reading on humanely culling but the gas method is by far the worst suggestion ever and vinegar and baking soda?? Have these people ever taken a chem 101 class? I smoke my bees, a little more and it would do it but I want to hold him on his way out instead of trapping him in a bag or box.

I saw on YouTube to hang them in a cone that hugs them and pull the head through, slit jugular and then puncture brain through mouth but baby is very tiny still and this may lead to fumbling and pain. Sorry to be so descriptive but I need to know what to do should that time come tomorrow. Any suggestions on culling a baby size bird? I searched the website. Same suggestions repeated. None of them sound comforting.