ing (tLost a guinnea :-(

[peepsandquacks]

I went to check on my guinnea babies (1.5weeks) yesterday morning. They are in a pen with a heat lamp in the garage. And when I lifted the blanket, I saw one guinnea sprawled out on the bottom. He got his leg stuck under the water bowl somehow, and was soaking wet (I am guessing the others trampled him when drinking). He was still alive and loking around and making tiny peep noises, so I wrapped him in a washcloth and brought him inside. I cuddled with him for about 1/2 hr and then wrapped him in a blanket and set him on a bench so I could take care of my kids and the house. About 6 hrs later, I checked on him again and he was very limp and lathargic. I tried to give food and water, but he didnt want it. So I cuddled some more and then put him back down.

I woke up this morning and he was gone :-(. He was very quiet and I think he just slipped away in his sleep. Poor little guy.

So I am down to 14. The rest are healthy and getting big, with LOTS of adult feathers that look WAAAAAY to big for their bodies.

 

[terrilhb]

I am so sorry for your loss. Sending lot's of hugs.

 

[robin416]

If this happens again put the keet under a light, get it warm as fast as you can but safely. Newly hatched chicks and keets do not have a fully formed temp regulator when they're young. Having gotten so chilled there was no way it could bring its body temp up without some outside aid.

I found a newly hatched chick under a metal feeder in the dead of Winter one year. It appeared dead, I brought it in and put it in gradually warmer water. Dried it with a towel and stuck it up under my halogen desk lamp while on the computer. Within an hour it was outside under its Momma.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

I'm sorry...it's sad when we lose one of our birds, isn't it?

I have lost two chickens in the past two days. Fox, I'm guessing.....stole them right out of the yard, leaving big chunks of feathers. Guess everybody's staying in the chicken house from here on out

 

[peepsandquacks]

Well I wil remember the warming thing. I warmed him up with my body heat, but it did nothing. He may have been there for hours. I check them 2-3x a day, but not at night. By the time I got him inside he was gasping for air by opening his mouth with each breath. My main goal was to make him as comfortable as possible.

I am sorry about your chickens. It is sad. I expected to loose a couple (just because I have so many...the odds) but it still made my heart sink when I saw him there.

 

[robin416]

Even though adult Guineas are some tough birds, their keets are not. They seem to not be able to rally as easily as chick can. Chances are pretty high that it would not have survived.

I have found that for some reason our body heat is not enough. At least with chicks. You would think that since our own temp is 98 it it would do the trick.