Help! Guinea keet walking oddly and getting trampled!!

[khower]

I have 4 guinea keets all I bought at a day old from a feed store. They are about 2 months old now and just last week I noticed that one was walking oddly and getting trampled by the others. We just recently moved them into thier outside coop from thier inside brooder box, they have been outside for a couple weeks. For the first week of being outside in the coop everytime I went to visit them they were all on the roost together. Maybe this one keet fell off and hurt his leg or pelvis? I feel so bad for this one keet! The other three can get to the tallest roost while he sits on the ground

He wont stand up tall like the others either. I just dont know what to do! I wish i knew what was wrong! Any and all advise is appreciated!! At the moment we have moved him back into the house so he wont be trampled. thanks.

 

[Blue_Myst]

Isolating him was a very good idea--it will help him get some rest, if nothing else!

Can you describe more how he is moving? Is he limping, or is his leg just in an odd position? Is he in pain when he walks? I know many people hobble day-old chicks with a band-aid to help them regain proper posture, but I'm not sure how well it would work on a two-month old bird.

If possible try putting a few vitamins in his water, just in case there's a nutritional twist to his problem. A lot of BYC'ers like using Poly Vi Sol (without iron). You can just dribble it down the side of the keet's beak or put it in the water, I believe.

Good luck with him, let us know how he's doing!

 

[khower]

Well i ended up taking the Keet to an avian vet who said it could be one of two things: a neurological problem, or a virus that attacks the brain and nerves. He ruled out bacterial infection because the keet is eating and drinking normally and not acting sickly. He also ruled out any kind of injury, he did an all body exam and even studied how she walked and found nothing physically wrong. So we still have her separated in the house while the others are outside in the coop. We are going to wait a couple weeks to a month before joining her back with her coop mates incase it is a virus we dont want to infect the other birds. We have her in a large rabbit cage under a celing light that i dim at night. We always try to whistle back at her when she starts peeping loudly. I cant figure out if she is testing her voice out or she is calling to her mates because she is lonely? Sometimes she sounds like she is honking! If she is lonely how can i help her feel more comfortable? I have heard that guineas love mirrors so i was going to try that, would a stuffed animal to cuddle with work? I know guineas are such social creatures i feel horrible for having to separate her from the others but if it is a virus i dont want to infect my entire flock (we have chickens too). If anyone has been in this situation before or has any suggestions let me know!!!! thanks for all of your responses!

 

[Blue_Myst]

I'm glad you had the chance to see a vet! Hopefully with the vet's diagnosis your keet will be on the mend.

She may not like it at all, but you did the right thing by keeping her isolated. You may have to do a lot of follow-up once she recovers, just to make sure she isn't a carrier for a neurological disease. I'm not experienced with keets so I can't offer you much advice on what to do to keep her company, but definitely give the mirror a shot! I think she's still young enough that a large stuffed animal would work, too.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help. Hopefully someone experienced with guinea keets will come along and give you some pointers!

 

[khower]

Ok so i got her a mirror and she seems to really enjoy it. She sleeps next to it, pecks at it, sings to it. I think we will give her one more week and put her back with her coop mates. I am starting to really doubt that its a virus on account of my other guineas are not acting any different or sick. She seems to be standing on her own a bit better, maybe she will grow out of whatever it is that affecting her.