Keets with distended vents

[CoopD'Etat]

Hi All,

So, I'm new to guineas, and I have 6 ( well, now 5) keets and some chicks under a lamp. They all seem happy, one died yesterday and another looks questionable today. Here are the details.

The keets and chick are about a week old. They are being kept in a large fish tank with a brooder light. I've successfully raised lots of chickens with this setup in the past.

The dead keet was smaller than the others. It had a distended vent and became sluggish. I was able to get it to poop, but I think it was too far gone by that point. Now I have another one, which is smaller than the others, which is starting to display similar symptoms.

I bathed it and dried it, being careful to get all the poop off of its vent area.

Any other suggestions? Do you think they need to be separated from the chickens? The chicks are all silkies, so they are of a similar size, and frankly, much calmer than the keets.

THANK YOU!

 

[JLeigh]

Keets can't stay on wood shavings for the first two weeks, so if you have them on shavings, replace that with paper towels, clean towels or rubber shelf liner. Keets will ingest the shavings and become impacted. They also need a lot more traction when very young for their leg and foot development. Get a warm, wet cloth and clean their butts (if needed) with that. If they're not on shavings, then something else is going on.

Keets need a higher protein feed than chicks. Keets should have a 26% or more protein in their diet for their rapid growth. As an interim measure, you can scramble some eggs, cool them down and chop them up into fine bits and let them eat that. But I don't think a lower protein can cause the problem you're describing.

Calling all experts.....

 

[CoopD'Etat]

Yes, they are not on shavings, they are on those shelf liners. I always use those.

I have been feeding them eggs ( randomly), but I will get better feed for the keets.

Now I have a lethargic silkie as well. Signs are pointing more to a disease, but I'm not sure which one.

 

[JLeigh]

Yes, they are not on shavings, they are on those shelf liners. I always use those.

I have been feeding them eggs ( randomly), but I will get better feed for the keets.

Now I have a lethargic silkie as well. Signs are pointing more to a disease, but I'm not sure which one.

I'm really sorry to hear that. I don't know what the problem could be. There are others much more knowledgeable than I am who might be able to help you, and I'm sure they'll have some advice. Wish I had more info myself. Good luck with everything. Sorry it isn't going well.

 

[CoopD'Etat]

I'm afraid it might be the dreaded COCCIDIOSIS

This is my first go round with it. It's a real bummer! I lost 2 more chicks today, but I've got some Sulmet on the way, so I am hopeful...

 

[StevenW.]

If it was Cocci. they would have red stool (Blood in the poop.)

I personally think nature is taking its course, smaller animals usually don't last long in life and usually just die of natural causes. Especially the tiny ones, they could have multiple things wrong with them.

I'm sorry you have to go through this but it happens at least once to everyone.

 

[CoopD'Etat]

Hmm... perhaps.

I notice that the guinea keets seem to get food stuck on their feet more often than the chicken chicks do. Is this something I should worry about? Overall, I have a clean brooder for them ( as clean as it can be with all these chicks and keets running around and pooping everywhere) as I clean it often.