New Guinea Keets fallin on side and dying

[momma_raven]

I have newly hatched to two day old guinea keets that will be perfectly fine and then the next time I check on them they are laying on their side and seem to become paralyzed before they die. I am feeding them guinea keet starter and it's the same starter I have fed my previous hatches without issue. Some of the keets die in the shell before they come completely out. I have never seen this before and have hatched a lot of guineas, ducks, and chickens. Please help!

 

[krystal87]

Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you, but I am having the same problem. How did yours do? I've already lost 5 of 30, and it's only been one day. Did any of yours recover?

 

[yellowroseranch]

Hmmm...this issue has just cropped up for me as well. I'm in Sacramento, CA. I'm down 4 out of 5 so far. They are fine at hatching out and within a week the foot starts to look deformed as if it is paralyzed.


After doing some research, I found that a selenium (vitamin E) deficiency can cause this. Brazil nuts are high in this vitamin. Ground sunflower seeds can be used in a pinch. You can also use fresh wheat berry seeds and if you have to, store bought wheat germ. If you find a vitamin/mineral supplement with selenium that can be put in the water, you can also use that.


Even If you are using a processed turkey feed (22%), the summer heat has a tendency to break down the present selenium, (this is not to mention that the processed feeds are heated, so you are twice as likely to be at risk for this issue in the hotter climates).

I know that both of you either made it through or you didn't, as I am responding fairly late in the game here. Once it starts it really isn't reversible for the little ones. So, throw some sunflower seeds out there for your breeding flock and look forward to a healthy next season