Help with sick keet

[melroseladi]

When I went to check on the keets that are with the silkies I noticed the youngest/smallest one was sitting not running around with the other 2. She would get up, take a few steps, and then sit back down. I let them all out of their cage into the run to get a better look at her. She did the same thing in the run. I brought her into the house to examine her but found nothing wrong with either leg or foot, that I could see.

I gave her some polyvisol without iron, put some antibiotic ointment on her legs and feet, just in case then put her back out in her cage with the others. This morning she seemed to be taking a few more steps but still sitting mostly so I brought her in and put her in a small bin with a light and gave her some more vitamins.

She is eating, or at least picking at the food. She is definitely drinking and her poo was not abnormal yesterday or today. She does seem to be using her wings for balance and is not holding her feathers tight to her. Her crop feels normal and no pasty butt.

She will be 4 weeks old on Wednesday and is smaller then the other 2 that are a few days older then her. She is not doing a lot of peeping but she is the quiet one out of the 3 so it's hard to tell. She is setting in the bin under the light but doesn't seem to be shivering. She is in an upright position not leaning or tipping while she sits.

Anything else I can do for her?

 

[melroseladi]

My keet is doing worse today. She is not drinking or eating. I gave her some scrambled eggs and just ignored it. She is not opening her beak for me to give her water or polyvisol. I don't know what to do for her. She is staying under the light and not walking around at all now.

 

[PeepsCA]

Aww, sorry, I missed this post til now.

Since she's not showing any obvious signs of being sick (like diarrhea or an impacted crop etc), it's almost impossible to guess what could be wrong with her. Sometimes the runts just aren't developed properly internally (like a weak or underdeveloped heart), and they end up not making it, even after doing somewhat ok for a few weeks. Sounds like you are doing everything you can for her, she is just giving up. Wish I had helpful advice for you that would instantly fix her, but I'm at a loss here

Short of rushing her to an avian vet, (which can be outrageously expensive) I would just keep dipping her beak in water with polyvisol and electrolytes in it. You could try to force fed her little doses of a starter feed and egg yolk slurry from a syringe w/o a needle a little bit at a time (you will have to force her beak open with your thumbnail, which causes a lot of stress tho). It sounds to me she's already made her decision that it's her time to go

I'm sorry.

 

[melroseladi]

Thanks Peeps. I was always a little concerned because she was so much smaller then the other 2 and she has always been much more quiet then a guinea should be but she ate and pooed normally and when out of the pen she flew around and just as high as the other 2.

She did peck at some of the scrambled egg this afternoon but I don't think she really ate any, and when I dunk her beak she doesn't drink. She has not peeped at all today even when I was holding her. There doesn't seem to be any injuries or any visible signs of anything being wrong with her. Her first symptom that I saw was her not walking far and sitting down more then walking. Her eyes are clear although she is closing them more now, no drainage from eyes or nose. She is staying mostly under the heat lamp but doesn't seem to be shivering.

I am just going to try and keep her comfortable and pray she makes it.