HELP, guinea keets hatched...now have sticky, dry feathers and shaking!

[lilchik]

I have 2 keets that hatched 1 day before the stop turn date, in the incubator still in the egg turner. They look and act perfectly, fluffed out and eating/drinking fine. I moved the remaining eggs into the hatching incubator and they started to hatch yesterday. Came home from work this morning to find 16 keets in the bator still looking wet. When I removed them they were dry, with stiff feathers plastered to their bodies, not fluffed out. 2 are very weak and I don't think they will make it. The other 14 are walking around but there wings are shaking. I put "save-a-chick" in the drinking water and dipped each of their beaks. They are under the heat lamp. Is there anything else I can do for them?

What happened?

I think I read somewhere that if the humidity was too high the feathers wouldn't fluff out.

I have been hatching bantam chicks for years and never had this problem. I'm am new to Guinea's. Is there something different I should be doing for them?

Thanks.

 

[lilchik]

The keets have stopped shaking. So I'm guessing my thermometer in the hatcher is wrong and they were chilled???


I searched the forum and found some info on washing the keets with warm water, drying, and putting back under heat lamp ASAP. I washed a few, while being careful not to allow them to get chilled. They seemed to actually enjoy it, almost falling asleep. Dried them and put them back under the heat lamp.

I worked all night, 12 hour shift, and am exhausted. So I am going to bed to get some sleep and hopefully will have some replies when I get up. I also want to make sure the few I washed are going to tolerate it okay before doing the rest.

The weakest keet died ;0( The other weak one seems to be getting strong.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sorry to hear about your keep.

 

[PeepsCA]

Sticky keets can be from too much humidity during incubation (not enough evaporation from within the egg) and early hatching can be attributed to higher temps than recommended for the eggs... sounds like something was off one way or another, since you had 2 weak keets, besides the sticky issue. For your next batch you may want to double check the accuracy of your thermometer and hygrometer. Also it's usually a good idea to rotate the eggs to different areas in the turner at least weekly to try and give all the eggs more equal heating during incubation. When I end up with a sticky hatched keet I'll let it dry completely then take it out, brush it lightly with a soft toothbrush (specifically used for keets,lol) to help fluff it up better and work some of the sticky residue off of it's down, then put it back in the incubator a few more hours before moving it over to the brooder.

Sounds like you did what you could for your little guys, sorry you lost one but I hope the rest do fine.

 

[lilchik]

The rest of the keets are doing great now. Running around and eating & drinking when not sleeping. Even fluffing out some on their own, but still need to try brushing them out with a toothbrush. Wonder if my husband would mind sharing his, lol. (`>

What temperature & humity levels do you use for guineas? And it is 28 days incubation, correct? I used the same setting that I use for chicks, 99.5F and 50-60% humidity, increased to 80% during lock down.

 

[Fredneckchick]

I just had one hatch just like this sticky. I only had one egg in my inc but it hatched 3 days after it was due. I did not have the heart to turn the inc off. I just new it was going to hatch. But it cane out and my guinea feet are to big very large and he is not walking. He was sticky so I bath it just like you all said but I'm scared it is not going to walk. He hatched 4 hr ago. Please help. I have never hatched anything befor I bought the inc just for this one egg. I found it in the yard my guinea were killed by the next door dog so I really wanted my baby to be saved.

 

[Sunnychixx]

The rest of the keets are doing great now. Running around and eating & drinking when not sleeping. Even fluffing out some on their own, but still need to try brushing them out with a toothbrush. Wonder if my husband would mind sharing his, lol. (`>

What temperature & humity levels do you use for guineas? And it is 28 days incubation, correct? I used the same setting that I use for chicks, 99.5F and 50-60% humidity, increased to 80% during lock down.

Did your guinea feet correct?

 

[R2elk]

Did your guinea feet correct?

The person you replied to has not been on BYC since Sept. 9, 2014.