Please help! Guinea Hen can't stand up

[LivyB]

I have 8 male and 2 female common guineas. They free range all day and stay in their coop at night. They are about seven months old. Of the two females one is smaller and doesn't vocalize properly. She's always been like this, but in the past two or three months the males have started shunning her. She typically stays about 10 to 30 or so yards away from the rest of the group and lays down when they are nearby (out of submission??) but she does follow them around and if they get too far away they will call for her to catch up. Recently, she has started laying down a lot more and walking really slowly...almost never running (as they do all the time) and not roosting in the trees with them. Today she took a major nosedive. She lays down all the time and can't stand up for more than a couple seconds or take more than a few steps before laying down again. She does not appear to have a limp. We put her in rabbit cage with bedding, food, water and a heat lamp. She is eating like crazy, but still can't stand up. Is it possible she has a vitamin deficiency because the males don't let her eat out of the feeder? Or does it sound more like a disease or parasite? Her poop seems fine, no runny nose or eyes and no weird paralysis type movements. She just won't stand up.

 

[Eggcessive]

I know nothing about guinea fowl, so I would recommend also posting on the guinea forum, under the main forums heading top of the page. I would give her a thorough exam, checking her crop to feel if she has a puffy or hard crop early in the morning. In chickens, they can suffer from reproductive disorders that can affect their walking, appetite, and infection or egg masses in the abdomen. She may just be low in the pecking order, but she also may have an injury or illness that is making her feel bad. Coccidiosis in a chronic case can cause chickens to be smaller and never reach their potential. If you can find a local vet to do a fecal float on some fresh droppings, and look for coccidiosis or worms, it might help.

 

[LivyB]

I know nothing about guinea fowl, so I would recommend also posting on the guinea forum, under the main forums heading top of the page. I would give her a thorough exam, checking her crop to feel if she has a puffy or hard crop early in the morning. In chickens, they can suffer from reproductive disorders that can affect their walking, appetite, and infection or egg masses in the abdomen. She may just be low in the pecking order, but she also may have an injury or illness that is making her feel bad. Coccidiosis in a chronic case can cause chickens to be smaller and never reach their potential. If you can find a local vet to do a fecal float on some fresh droppings, and look for coccidiosis or worms, it might help.

Thanks Eggcessive,
I will try to examine her today. I spent quite a bit of time handling my guineas when they were young, but it didn't seem to help much. They are still pretty wild. I actually think it is what keeps them alive as I have never lost one. In fact, my husband watched a hawk pull out of a dive once because the pack of ten looked too intimidating for him to handle. Anyway, it will be very difficult to exam her and I was worried about stressing her out while she's feeling so bad, but based on your recommendations and what I've read I really do need to check if she is egg bound. I didn't think it was possible because it is past their egg laying season (guineas lay seasonally), but I guess there is always a remote chance. I can't imagine soaking her in a warm bath though lol. As far as the vet goes, according to all of my friends and neighbors who have chickens WE DON'T HAVE ONE SINGLE VET IN THIS AREA for poultry. It's very sad. They all do their own limited care. But I will see if my dog's vet can at least look at some stool samples. Thanks again for the advice. I'll update soon.