Guineas not able to walk

[tim sommers]

Help. I have 10 - 13 week old guineas. I lost a couple that just layed around and did not fly. I kept them inside a big dog kennel and they just would lay there or slide aroud. They ate and drank some. Now I have two more acting the same way. they cannot get up and if they stand its only for a second or two. I am feeding 16% layer food from tractor supply for the last week from 20%. Am I doing something wrong? THANKS TIM

 

[BlueShadow]

That's really low protein for young guineas. How high of protein was the food you started them on? When did you start to drop the protein?

Can you tell us more about your husbandry for them. You say they are in a large dog kennel - how large? How many keets did you start with, and how many do you have now? What kind of footing do they have? How clean is the bedding? How much heat are you offering them? Where do you live and how cold is it there? Do they have continuous access to fresh clean water? Any other details on how you are caring for them?

Also, more about their behavior. When did they start to act like this? Have they been starting to fly? Are the others active? How do their eyes look? Is their breathing okay? Are their vents (tail ends) clean or dirty?

 

[tim sommers]

I was going by Tractor Supply feed bag. I started out with Dumor Starter feed 24% for guineas. dropped to Dumor 20% at 9 weeks and bag say go to layer feed crumble 16% at 12 weeks. I started out with 16 keets and kept them inside for 4 weeks under a heat lamp. 95 degrees 1st week and i dropped 5 degrees each week until i moved them outside in a 3' x 4' dog kennel for 4 more weeks and on the 9th week I stareted leaving them roam free in my goat kennel which is 80' x 60'. I feed a little in morning and more at dusk and they started roosting in trees around 3 weeks ago. I lost 4 guineas that were 8 week old in kennel when the birds smothered 4 of them in a feeding dish. It was only a few inches deep but when they ate the feed they must of slept in the dish and got smothered by the others. I lost two that were acting the same way 3 weeks ago. The two that are not moving much are in the dog krate with clean pine shavings and food and water always. Dog krate has a metal tray slide that i pull out and clean a lot.

 

[tim sommers]

I live in Montgomery Pennsylvania and I built a 12' x 13' metal roof over the guineas with 2" x 8" boards that they roost on and trees that they roost in also. The nights get cold but everything I read says they like to roam free and roost where they choose. They stay in the 80' x 60' fenced goat area at night and go out a little opening during the day. They stay on the ground during the day and roost as soon as it gets dark.

 

[Pyxis]

You should not be feeding them layer feed at this age at all. They need higher protein to grow. The guidelines on the backs of those bags are for chickens, not guineas, and even then I don't think chickens should be on layer feed at 12 weeks old - a good two to three months before they will start laying.

So your protein is way too low, and your calcium is way too high. You've been feeding them food that contains way more calcium than they need. Too much calcium causes liver and bone damage, kidney failure, and, eventually, death. Switch them back to a grower feed with more protein immediately.

It might not be the feed causing the issue, but from what you're saying it's the only problem I can see in your husbandry, so short of a disease I'm not sure what else could be causing this. Is it possible they're getting into and eating something they shouldn't be while free ranging? How does their poop look?

You should also be leaving feed out free choice for them so they can eat as much as they need now while they're growing.

 

[tim sommers]

THANKS. I was just following the feed bag and tractor supplies advise. I will get some starter grower feed tomorrow. That is what i started with. It was 24% Grower/Starter.

 

[BlueShadow]

Yes, guineas need very high protein. Yours have been on basically "bare minimum needed to survive," and now aren't even on that. At this age, they should have at least 20% but given their weakened condition, higher protein would probably be helpful.

I also will second the recommendation to leave feed in their pen at all times, so they can eat as much as they want.

I am not sure exactly what is causing the trouble with your guineas, but the low protein levels won't help. Low protein makes it harder for them to grow and be healthy. So maybe the low protein has made them succumb to some disease that normally would not have affected them.

If I had chickens of this age and symptoms, I would wonder about coccidia. However, I am not sure if there is any medication you can use for that with guineas. I know some types of birds are sensitive to medications. So I do not recommend treating them for coccidia unless someone more knowledgeable than I can suggest a safe medication & dosage.

 

[tim sommers]

Hi Blue Shadow. My guineas are no better. I switched them to 24% protein but it's not looking. I now have another laying on the ground a lot. I do not know how to post a new thread so people can see it. I just pick up a reply on a post. Can all the Guinea people see my post. I was hoping someone was close to Montgomery Pa 17752 that could help me before they die

 

[tim sommers]

Hi Blue Shadow. My guineas are no better. I switched them to 24% protein but it's not looking. I now have another laying on the ground a lot. I do not know how to post a new thread so people can see it. I just pick up a reply on a post. Can all the Guinea people see my post. I was hoping someone was close to Montgomery Pa 17752 that could help me before they die

 

[tim sommers]

Originally Posted by tim sommers View Post

Hi Pyxis My guineas are no better. I switched them to 24% protein but it's not looking good. I now have another laying on the ground a lot. I do not know how to post a new thread so people can see it. I just pick up a reply on a post. Can all the Guinea people see my post. I was hoping someone was close to Montgomery Pa 17752 that could help me before they die