Neighbor's Dog Took a Bite of my Guinea

[mrbstephens]

I noticed one of my guineas missing for a while yesterday and then it reappeared after a short while. This morning when I let them out to free range I noticed one had a lot of feathers missing and a wound on its back. I caught it, sprayed it with blue kote and put it in an old rabbit hutch. It's acting normal, but the wound is pretty deep.

In the meantime a neighbor's dog came running into my yard and chased the other guineas, owner came and got him and I heard him pounding in fence posts afterward. So hopefully this won't happen again.

My question is, do guineas tend to peck at wounds making them worse? I know my chickens do this and I have to cover the wound before the chicken eats itself to death. The guineas are very upset about the one I have caged up and hangs out next to it. I fear they will refuse to go into their house tonight without this one.

Should I keep it by itself to heal or will it be fine if I let it out with the others? Like I said, it's acting fine, but I just worry that the others will go after its wounds.

 

[PeepsCA]

Can you move the hutch into the coop? Or maybe put the injured Guinea in a dog crate in the coop for the night? Blu-Kote hides wounds really well, but with the wound being so fresh the other birds might still pick at it... I would hate to tell you to just go ahead and put the bird in with the others only to have you find it cannibalized in the morning...

Hope that dog stays home!

 

[mrbstephens]

Amazingly the others went in the coop without the wounded one with no problem. I'll probably move it closer to the coop tomorrow just to make things easier. Thanks. For now, I'll keep it seperated.

 

[tomingreeneco]

Do not keep it separate too long. As said above, try to move the dog crate into the coop with the other birds. If kept separate too long the others will treat it like a new member of the flock and that does not always go over well. I made a large cage I can move inside my coops made of chicken wire and 1X2's. New birds, sick birds are placed it it so they are still with the flock but can not be harmed while in it.

 

[mrbstephens]

I'm wondering how long it needs to be rehabbed. The guineas are making so much noise because the one is separated. I free range them so the others are out walking around and they are constantly calling back a forth with the injured one.

 

[PeepsCA]

I'd just monitor the wound, and if the rest of the flock are leaving it alone then the bird really doesn't need to be isolated, IMO. Spray a fresh coat of Blu-Kote on it, turn the bird loose with the flock and see how it goes. If they are picking at the wound then obviously you will need to cage the injured bird again for a while longer. Good luck.

 

[mrbstephens]

I let the injured guinea out to free range with the others this morning. They seemed to be happy to be together again. No picking so far. Fingers crossed!