Help! Guineas have sores on their head.

[BoogieBug]

I'm very concerned about two of my guineas. I noticed today that two of them have bloody sores on their head. They are a little over six weeks old. They get 28% protein soy-free non-gmo feed, and NutriDrench in their water every day. They get white millet on occasion and meal worms every evening. They appear healthy except for these sores!?! Any thoughts?

 

[Joe Soslick]

Yikes! Do you think they could be pecking at each other?

 

[BoogieBug]

I don't know. My husband thinks they are sticking their heads through the chicken wire and injuring themselves. I heard they were dumb as rocks, but seriously?!?! They were fine the day before. We've been getting a LOT of rain and it's very humid. Lots of flies and mosquitoes. I tried to watch to see if they were pecking at each other but I can't stay out there without getting eaten alive. I keep moving their tractor so that mold doesn't build up and they have a constant source of fresh grass. Today, only the one whose head is the worst still has the sores. The other one seems to have cleared up already. I'm not sure what is going on, and I'm very concerned. I keep going out and checking on them. They seem fine otherwise.

 

[BoogieBug]

Love those blue eyes though!

 

[Joe Soslick]

I did some googling, and found "Fowl Pox"... could this be it?

Website: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Fowl Pox
Synonyms: chicken pox (not to be confused with chicken pox in humans; the human disease does not affect poultry and vice versa), sore head, avian diphtheria, bird pox

Species affected: Most poultry—chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, psittacine, and ratites—of all ages are susceptible.

Clinical signs: There are two forms of fowl pox. The dry form is characterized by raised, wart-like lesions on unfeathered areas (head, legs, vent, etc.). The lesions heal in about 2 weeks. If the scab is removed before healing is complete, the surface beneath is raw and bleeding. Unthriftiness and retarded growth are typical symptoms of fowl pox. In laying hens, infection results in a transient decline in egg production (see Table 1).

In the wet form there are canker-like lesions in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and trachea. The wet form may cause respiratory distress by obstructing the upper air passages. Chickens may be affected with either or both forms of fowl pox at one time.

Transmission: Fowl pox is transmitted by direct contact between infected and susceptible birds or by mosquitos. Virus-containing scabs also can be sloughed from affected birds and serve as a source of infection. The virus can enter the blood stream through the eye, skin wounds, or respiratory tract. Mosquitos become infected from feeding on birds with fowl pox in their blood stream. There is some evidence that the mosquito remains infective for life. Mosquitos are the primary reservoir and spreaders of fowl pox on poultry ranges. Several species of mosquito can transmit fowl pox. Often mosquitos winter-over in poultry houses so, outbreaks can occur during winter and early spring.

Treatment: No treatment is available. However, fowl pox is relatively slow-spreading. Thus, it is possible to vaccinate to stop an outbreak. The wing-web vaccination method is used for chickens and the thigh-stick method for turkeys older than 8 weeks.

Prevention: Fowl pox outbreaks in poultry confined to houses can be controlled by spraying to kill mosquitos. However, if fowl pox is endemic in the area, vaccination is recommended. Do not vaccinate unless the disease becomes a problem on a farm or in the area. Refer to the publication PS-36 (Vaccination of Small Poultry Flocks) for more information on fowl pox vaccinations.

 

[BoogieBug]

I did some googling, and found "Fowl Pox"... could this be it?

Website: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Fowl Pox
Synonyms: chicken pox (not to be confused with chicken pox in humans; the human disease does not affect poultry and vice versa), sore head, avian diphtheria, bird pox

Species affected: Most poultry—chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, psittacine, and ratites—of all ages are susceptible.

Clinical signs: There are two forms of fowl pox. The dry form is characterized by raised, wart-like lesions on unfeathered areas (head, legs, vent, etc.). The lesions heal in about 2 weeks. If the scab is removed before healing is complete, the surface beneath is raw and bleeding. Unthriftiness and retarded growth are typical symptoms of fowl pox. In laying hens, infection results in a transient decline in egg production (see Table 1).

In the wet form there are canker-like lesions in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and trachea. The wet form may cause respiratory distress by obstructing the upper air passages. Chickens may be affected with either or both forms of fowl pox at one time.

Transmission: Fowl pox is transmitted by direct contact between infected and susceptible birds or by mosquitos. Virus-containing scabs also can be sloughed from affected birds and serve as a source of infection. The virus can enter the blood stream through the eye, skin wounds, or respiratory tract. Mosquitos become infected from feeding on birds with fowl pox in their blood stream. There is some evidence that the mosquito remains infective for life. Mosquitos are the primary reservoir and spreaders of fowl pox on poultry ranges. Several species of mosquito can transmit fowl pox. Often mosquitos winter-over in poultry houses so, outbreaks can occur during winter and early spring.

Treatment: No treatment is available. However, fowl pox is relatively slow-spreading. Thus, it is possible to vaccinate to stop an outbreak. The wing-web vaccination method is used for chickens and the thigh-stick method for turkeys older than 8 weeks.

Prevention: Fowl pox outbreaks in poultry confined to houses can be controlled by spraying to kill mosquitos. However, if fowl pox is endemic in the area, vaccination is recommended. Do not vaccinate unless the disease becomes a problem on a farm or in the area. Refer to the publication PS-36 (Vaccination of Small Poultry Flocks) for more information on fowl pox vaccinations.

Yikes! Well, there's no respiratory distress but there are head sores. We do have an inordinate amount of skeeters, so it's not impossible. Funny, "Fowl pox outbreaks in poultry confined to houses can be controlled by spraying to kill mosquitoes." THAT'S WHY I GOT THE GUINEAS!!! To control the mosquito problem. Sheesh!! Since they are confined to fairly small quarters, we are putting up a fence around the tractor and putting bird netting over the top so they can start a bit of free-ranging until they are bigger. Maybe that will help. They keep trying to fly within the tractor and smashing into the chicken wire. I suppose that could also be a contributing factor!!

Well, thank you for this. I'll do some more research and increase the amount of NutriDrench a bit to aid their immune systems.

 

[Joe Soslick]

I found that part ironic as well! We got ours for ticks, horse flies, mosquitoes etc... but I'm thinking they might not start really munching on those critters until they are older and free ranging.

Mine do the same in their coop, sort of fluttering about and smashing into the fencing--but not hard enough to do damage to themselves.

Good luck, I know it's tough. I accidentally smushed one of my birds' feet/toe when moving the tractor today... the little fella is limping around a bit, but moving and otherwise in good spirits. But I feel awful

 

[BoogieBug]

I found that part ironic as well! We got ours for ticks, horse flies, mosquitoes etc... but I'm thinking they might not start really munching on those critters until they are older and free ranging.

Mine do the same in their coop, sort of fluttering about and smashing into the fencing--but not hard enough to do damage to themselves.

Good luck, I know it's tough. I accidentally smushed one of my birds' feet/toe when moving the tractor today... the little fella is limping around a bit, but moving and otherwise in good spirits. But I feel awful

Awwww, I understand. I tried to take the injured one out of the tractor and they all started slamming into the sides trying to get away from me and I was like, "Sheesh! I'm the same person who coddled you when you were keets and bring you meal worms every night! What's up with that?!" I was worried they were going to hurt themselves and if they did, I'd feel awful too. Actually, I already feel bad about the sore on their heads, like what did I do wrong? But, at least one of them is looking better. The other one is a little better. Not as bloody as yesterday.

 

[BlueShadow]

I suspect your husband might be right. CAN they get their heads through the holes in the chicken wire? If they can, it is very likely that a few of them tried, and when they could not get their heads back in easily, they panicked. I am suspicious of this particularly because the lesions extend onto the neck of the one bird. They actually are lucky. I had a rooster that broke his neck doing that.

If indeed the lesions are due to trauma, the only thing I know that will help is to buy a little BluKote spray at the local farm store. It is a mild disinfectant, but its chief benefit is that it colors the lesions blue. Poultry tend to be attracted to the red color and like to peck at it, so the friends are likely to peck at the sores and make them worse.

 

[BlueShadow]

Awwww, I understand. I tried to take the injured one out of the tractor and they all started slamming into the sides trying to get away from me and I was like, "Sheesh! I'm the same person who coddled you when you were keets and bring you meal worms every night! What's up with that?!" I was worried they were going to hurt themselves and if they did, I'd feel awful too. Actually, I already feel bad about the sore on their heads, like what did I do wrong? But, at least one of them is looking better. The other one is a little better. Not as bloody as yesterday.

This is completely normal (and frustrating) guinea behavior. When they get panicked (and ANYTHING can panic them) they completely lose all sense and go ballistic trying to escape, with no thought toward anything as silly as their health, well-being, or safety. This behavior in particular really reminds me of the pheasants we raised once. It is very characteristic of wild fowl, and quite different from the domestic poultry we more commonly are exposed to. I say that the pheasants were good training for getting guineas (although they were ever so much quieter, and far more pleasant sounding!)

This behavior is also why I suspect they injured themselves either flying into the chicken wire sides, or sticking their heads through the chicken wire.