Ok...don't bash me but...

[sred98]

My guinea toes keep falling off!

I think some of them have gotten frostbite maybe? They get swollen, then the tips of them will fall off. Not all the guineas. It's been cold here, but they roost and free range with the chickens, and NONE of the chickens have anything like this. My head roo is a Barred Rock, and a few of the very tips of his combs got a little frostbitten, but he wouldn't let me put vaseline on it.

Now, my guineas are normal guineas, so it is impossible to catch them, pen them up, or treat them. Not all the guineas have this problem. I just happened to see one up on the fence and saw her toenail was missing. So, I started peeking at the others. About half of them have at least one toenail missing.

Has anyone else had this happen? Is it frostbite? We had nothing like this in the summer. Just in this big freeze we have recently had. Also, they sleep in a barn at night, roosting with the chickens, so they aren't out at night...ever. The only difference is they have started flying more because they didn't like the snow. Otherwise, I don't know what to do. Just curious, I guess, if anyone else's is doing this.

Shelly

 

[cedar post]

Yea,it's frostbite. I had guineas years back that free ranged and almost impossible to catch. The area that is afected will fall off. If you do catch them treat'em but most cases it will take care of itself. If it's to bad they may die or might have breeding problems if toes are to far gone. Mike

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Guinea Fowl are just NOT made to withstand the harsh winters of North America. They are African Plain birds and even though they have been breed extensively in this country, making them "domesticated", they really do need a coop or barn to roost in at night and "thaw out".

I realize that this is NOT always an option and many find themselves with Guinea Fowl that WILL NOT go to the coop or barn to roost.

Therefore frostbite does become a problem. Good Luck with your birds, they should be OK.

 

[sred98]

That's the thing, though...they DO go in the barn. They usually get up in the roosts before the chickens! I guess I just thought if the chickens would be doing ok, the guineas would, too.

I also want to say that it is only the tips, like to the entire nail, not the entire toe. And noone is limping, either, which, I would think it would hurt. But, what do I know??

Now, one time my head female got her toe and foot tangled in a string to a feed bag because she got in the burn pile before we had burned, and got it really tangled. She did come to me and let me take her inside, hold her upside down, and dig the string out of her foot, medicate it, and never so much as squeaked! I did think she was going to lose her leg over that one.

It was really bad. Luckily, she was fine, and the swelling went down, and she's one of the few that still has all her toes! But, none of them seem to be bothered by this.

At first, I thought maybe something (them?) were biting each other's toes off, but today is when I saw one that was swollen. There was nothing wrapped around it, though. It did look similar to my head female's foot this summer, though.

Thanks for the responses. Short of moving them in the house...NO WAY!!!

I guess they'll just have to stay where they are. I hate this, though. Makes me feel like a bad guinea owner, but they have a lighted barn with heat lights that they sleep in. On the worst days I kept them in the whole time, besides being locked up at night. I don't know what else I can do for them.

Shelly

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I have 32 Guinea Birds and they are the ones that come out in the 20 and 30 degree weather !! The chickens actually stayed in the barn.

I did check them at roosting time, the ones I could get too and they seem to be OK. Ya know, Guineas are not the sharpest tool in the shed. I would think that if they are good with this they will be OK.

If you could take a few pics of your worst bird, maybe others can help you with this.....

Every one like pics of what is going on with other peoples birds and it is a GREAT way to educate us all.

Please, do not feel too bad, we are all with ya.