Help! My keets are dying!

[222danette]

I brought home newly hatched keets 3 days ago, found one dead yesterday and another died in my hands today. It was turning its head and 'gasping'. I held it close under the light and it seemed to become more alert then just died. They are active and feeding prior. I have them with 3 week old barred rock chicks which are quite a bit bigger, but haven't noticed any problems. The keets burrow under the chicks wings. Could they be suffocating? How would that be any different than burrowing under Mama?

 

[TheBanditQueen]

Oh no! I hope some experts will chime in here as I don't know what it could have been, but I just wanted to commiserate and say I'm so sorry that your keets died... How many do you have left?

 

[313759]

I brought home newly hatched keets 3 days ago, found one dead yesterday and another died in my hands today.  It was turning its head and 'gasping'.  I held it close under the light and it seemed to become more alert then just died. They are active and feeding prior.  I have them with 3 week old barred rock chicks which are quite a bit bigger, but haven't noticed any problems.  The keets burrow under the chicks wings.  Could they be suffocating?  How would that be any different than burrowing under Mama?

I don't know I have never owned keets yet, this is the same thing happening to my quail chicks. I had five and all of them died yesterday. But they were in a pen by themselves(just quail) my quail were drawing their head back and gasping for air, and couldn't stand... it could be just... I don't know

 

[222danette]

I have 4 keets left and 4 barred rocks which are quite a bit bigger, so I think they are past the unexplained 'crib death' stage. I am now checking on them every few hours and fussing over them as if I were mother hen. The light I'm using is the same I've always used on hatchlings, but maybe game birds need more warmth? I moved the light closer and will continue to watch them closely.

 

[enola]

What are you feeding them?

 

[222danette]

It's a game bird crumble that the feed store recommended. I asked for starter but I don't see it on the label. Everybody is alive so far today!

 

[Sfraker]

I think the little ones are just fragile. I just lost my two yesterday. They were 6 days old, doing great, eating, drinking, active, then just gone. One right after the other. I fed them the same feed as my prior keets, they were in the same coop with the same heat lamp placing. The coop was cleaned between uses.
I did everything by the book and they are gone.
I'm sorry for your loss, it's heartbreaking.

 

[TheBanditQueen]

I think the little ones are just fragile. I just lost my two yesterday. They were 6 days old, doing great, eating, drinking, active, then just gone. One right after the other. I fed them the same feed as my prior keets, they were in the same coop with the same heat lamp placing. The coop was cleaned between uses.
I did everything by the book and they are gone.
I'm sorry for your loss, it's heartbreaking.

Agreed; I have heard that guineas are indeed quite fragile for the first few weeks.

 

[222danette]

Lost another one last night : ( Talked to the farm store where I bought them and they feel that the bigger chicks are smothering them. I'll be separating them today until they get bigger. Thanks for all your comments and condolences.