Ideas about Symptoms - advice?

[KZ]

I went out to the barnyard this morning and saw one of my 12 week old guineas laying on the ground with one wing outstretched. At first I thought it was just sleeping in a wierd position, but I noticed it didn't move when the other guineas walked near. It made a big fuss when I went to pick it up, scooting across the dirt, but it was unable to stand up. I picked it up, thinking maybe the wing was broken, but it seemed fine. My husband went to get some straw for it to lay on so we could isolate it and maybe get a better idea of what was wrong. Unfortunatly, it died while I was holding it. Just closed its eyes and passed away within 3 or 4 minutes of me picking it up. I certainly hope it wasn't so scared by me holding it that it died. Now I am worried about the other 4 young guineas and my chickens. Does this sound symtomatic of something, or more like it was "just one of those things that happen". The rest of the young guineas and chickens seem fine, but the dead one seemed fine last night when I was putting it into the coop. They were all eating, drinking, poop seems fine. There were no marks on the guinea that died, wing that I was worried about seemed fine (no obvious break), nothing that I could see obviously wrong with this bird.
Any ideas and/or advice for the other birds?

 

[KZ]

Well, I do believe the poor baby met with an accident - I was just sorta freaking out since I lost 2 other birds to a fox this month. Visions of
disease wiping out every one of my birds made me very concerned.

I guess it happens. The way it was paralyzed on one side makes me think maybe it somehow broke its neck. I read that that is somewhat common. I called someone on Craigslist advertising lavender keets to replace him, and all the advertised ones got wiped out by a fox last night.

I guess it's a sign that I need to be happy with what I got until spring and then maybe buy some hatching eggs of colors I want.

 

[robin416]

Broken necks are not unheard of with Guineas. They have been known to fly in to the side of solid walls when spooked by something, I've had it happen here with an adult bird.

Just keep in the back of your mind, Guineas rarely succumb to any disease. More often its predators or accidents.