There will be an update on Post #3. I just re-worded the title here...
We have 2 lavender guinea hens, Blanche & Savanna, both 3 years old. They usually roost on a rafter in the pole barn next to a pen of half-grown chicks. In the morning they hop down into the pen, have a light breakfast of the chicks' feed (the chicks spend the night in an enclosed coop in that pen), and wait for us to open the gate for them to spend the rest of their day roaming around the yard.
As of last night they both seemed perfectly well & roosted on their rafter. But this morning we found them both by the gate, Blanche pacing back & forth as usual, but Savanna just standing still. My son picked her up & set her down in another place and again she just stood there. Then when she started to pant so he thought she was thirsty, and took her to a water fount. I found her there laying sort-of sideways. Not on her keel but not on her side.
Her color looks good, vent clean, eyes bright, breathing well, no congestion or wheezing. She doesn't seem lightweight. Since they freerange all day I have no idea how she's been eating or pooping. I think she's been laying up until recently, the kids haven't been diligent to collect the eggs from the guinea nest every night, so I can't tell if both hens have been laying or just one. No bones feel broken, she doesn't seem to be in pain.
I have her in the hospital pen now. She just lays on her keel, panting. When you stand her up she just goes back down. I have food & water nearby, but she hasn't yet touched them.
Please tell me what you think it might be and what I should do for/to her! I'm afraid it's that Marek's disease, do guineas get that? And if so, what then? These birds have been on every inch of the yard. Please advise, I appreciate your imput on this. Thank you.
We have 2 lavender guinea hens, Blanche & Savanna, both 3 years old. They usually roost on a rafter in the pole barn next to a pen of half-grown chicks. In the morning they hop down into the pen, have a light breakfast of the chicks' feed (the chicks spend the night in an enclosed coop in that pen), and wait for us to open the gate for them to spend the rest of their day roaming around the yard.
As of last night they both seemed perfectly well & roosted on their rafter. But this morning we found them both by the gate, Blanche pacing back & forth as usual, but Savanna just standing still. My son picked her up & set her down in another place and again she just stood there. Then when she started to pant so he thought she was thirsty, and took her to a water fount. I found her there laying sort-of sideways. Not on her keel but not on her side.
Her color looks good, vent clean, eyes bright, breathing well, no congestion or wheezing. She doesn't seem lightweight. Since they freerange all day I have no idea how she's been eating or pooping. I think she's been laying up until recently, the kids haven't been diligent to collect the eggs from the guinea nest every night, so I can't tell if both hens have been laying or just one. No bones feel broken, she doesn't seem to be in pain.
I have her in the hospital pen now. She just lays on her keel, panting. When you stand her up she just goes back down. I have food & water nearby, but she hasn't yet touched them.
Please tell me what you think it might be and what I should do for/to her! I'm afraid it's that Marek's disease, do guineas get that? And if so, what then? These birds have been on every inch of the yard. Please advise, I appreciate your imput on this. Thank you.
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