Help with 10 wk old guinea!

[twinsinpa]

Two days ago i noticed my guinea limping. Then yesterday i saw her outer toe on her left foot was like under her foot. Not splayed out like the other guinea or the chicks. Now this morning i think the outer toe on the other foot is doing the same? maybe....it was kind of hard to tell. I originally thought she hurt her foot jumping off her perch but now that its the other foot i am not so sure. The perch is only less than a foot off the ground. She is in a 9 s.f. pen with one other guinea and 3 - 10 wk old chicks. They don't get out yet as we are building the coop now. I feed them all the same 20% starter/grower food. A few treats like cottage cheese and meal worms but not a lot.

I will take her to the vet if needed but i hope not too. Anyone have any ideas? I have not looked at it close up as she doesn't like picked up. Please help - i cannot sleep over this.

 

[LaFleche]

They might suffer from a vitamin deficiency, especially if kept inside without the possibility of roaming in the sunlight for more than 3 weeks.

 

[twinsinpa]

omg...i give them Dumor chick starter/grower 20%.

 

[LaFleche]

I just read the list of ingredients and the intended "target group":

"DuMOR Chick Starter/Grower 20% Feed is a premium feed specifically formulated to provide optimal nutrition for starting chicks, ducks, and geese up to 10 weeks of age, and for growing turkeys and gamebirds from 6 weeks to market or laying age. ..."

No guineas mentioned.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor--chick-starter-grower-20-feed-50-lb

To my knowledge it is not advised to feed guineas poultry feed containing copper sulfates as they are not able to secrete them and these sulfates will accumulate in the liver.

But for guineas that are raised for meat purposes only this will not be relevant, as they will be processed before impact of the hepatic damage will really show.

 

[twinsinpa]

oh wow thanks....i knew guineas needed higher protein than chickens but read on this site that a lot of people give the same food when raising them together. i will try a different feed and separate her for a little bit. add some vitamins maybe too?

 

[LaFleche]

... add some vitamins maybe too?

That's what I would do, mainly B, D and E.

 

[twinsinpa]

should i taper her feet? i read that they do that with chicks. not sure about an older girl like mine tho. and are the vitamins for chickens or people??

 

[Isaac 0]

I just read the list of ingredients and the intended "target group":

"DuMOR Chick Starter/Grower 20% Feed is a premium feed specifically formulated to provide optimal nutrition for starting chicks, ducks, and geese up to 10 weeks of age, and for growing turkeys and gamebirds from 6 weeks to market or laying age. ..."

No guineas mentioned.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dumor--chick-starter-grower-20-feed-50-lb

To my knowledge it is not advised to feed guineas poultry feed containing copper sulfates as they are not able to secrete them and these sulfates will accumulate in the liver.

But for guineas that are raised for meat purposes only this will not be relevant, as they will be processed before impact of the hepatic damage will really show.

I believe Guinea Fowl can be classified under the Gamebird category?

 

[LaFleche]

You could try and cut out a piece of rather softer cardboard, then put her feet on top with the toes outstretched in the normal position and tape them to the cardboard using Leukosilk, as this is easy to remove without tearing up the skin of the toes.
https://www.bsnmedical.com/products...rch/acute-wound-care/fixation/leukosilkr.html

 

[LaFleche]

This is an extract from the guide to breeding guinea fowl which was published by the German Association of Turkey and Guinea Fowl Breeders (https://www.sv-puten-perlhuhn.de/zucht-und-haltung/) many years ago. It reads: "....

• Vertragen Kokzidiostatika, vor allem Kupferverbindungen schlecht.
• Kupfersulfat führt zu schleichender Vergiftung mit Todesfolge..."

Translation:

• They do not tolerate coccidiostats, especially copper compounds.
• Copper sulphate leads to slow/stealthy intoxication resulting in death.