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laturcotte1

Songster
9 Years
May 22, 2010
210
4
101
I have 2 rescued boys. They were raised with rooster and hens but started to fight (bloody) with the rooster so they had to be separated (1 month now). My plan has always been to rehome them to their own Guinea family obviously without success but I'm not giving up. The problem: They're not eating! They seem to be getting thin and less active. They have a run and coop of their own but I can't let them out because I don't think I'll get them back in. They are obsessed with the chickens. I give them mealworms because they can't foriage but that is become REALLY expensive. I have 24/7 turkey grain (they haven't touched). When they were with the chickens they also ate canned corn/green beans/left overs but now they won't eat any of it. They love watermelon/cantelope and do still eat that but their poop is now just water. I'm worried. Is there anything really special they like. I will continue the mealworms but I'm thinking there must be somethng less expensive. Their pen has no grass so I cut the grass in the yard and give to them they were eating it but now they've stopped Help!
 
Feeding cut grass to the birds, chickens included, can cause impacted crops. The crops can not process grass so it just sits there.

Put them back on the same diet they were eating with the chickens, see if that doesn't get them interested again. Sudden changes of diet can cause birds to go off their feed.
 
Thank you. I'll continue the corn/green beans oh and they loved keilbasa! I hadn't changed their food just their free range with the chickens I guess that was enough to throw them off. i feel really bad for them all they want to do is hang with their family but when the rooster walks by he and both guinea charge the fence at each other. They need girls and lots of them, I just at this point can't give that to them. I've had a few people inquire about them but when they find out they shouldn't just have two but 5 or more they shy away. The right family will come along, I hope. Thank you again for your quick response.
 
Quote:
If you provide them with a small feeder or pan of grit in their pen, they can eat and digest grass (and any other foods). If they can't free range, then they really do need fresh greens and veggies. Try small amounts of fresh spinach, romaine lettuce and grated carrot, mine love all of these. You can also give them some fine stem leafy alfalfa hay, it's good for them and gives them something to do besides pace their pen. My Guineas love sweet feed as a treat, you could try small amounts of that (I'd mix a handful of sweet feed in with a handful of grit in a small non threatening feed pan). I would also try whole wheat/grain or even corn bread, just to at least try to get some carbs into them. For some protein... you could try crumbled boiled egg yolks and personally I'd try different high protein non medicated game bird feeds and see if you can find one they do like. You can always mix it into what you feed to your chickens if the Guineas don't eat it (the chickens will pass the extra protein without any issues). And if the feeder that their food is in is different from the one they had when they were in with the chickens, swap it out, give them their old feeder back (Guineas don't deal with change very well). I would also get some poultry electrolytes with vitamins in them and add that to their water every day for a while, can't hurt them and sounds like they could benefit from the vitamins. The B vits may even stimulate their appetites.

Sounds to me like they are most likely stressed out from being separated (again Guineas don't deal with change very well), is their run far away from the chickens? If it is, if there is any way you can house them side by side to the chickens that may help them settle down and eat more. It's possible that if you put a Hen or 2 in with them that they may settle down, not fight with her and eat when she does, but I am not sure you would want to try that or not. I'd also put a mirror in their pen for them.
 

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