Runt keet?!

[EarlJ]

I just hatched 5 lavenders, 2 are smaller and less coordinated than the others. The first 3 were the same size... when the 4th hatched it was smaller and flopped around a bit, and the others went after it, pulling at wings and toes. The 5th was equally feeble. I pulled the first 3 from the incubator and have kept them separate for now.

A few hours later, the bigger 3 are real go-getters. The smaller two are still tripping over each other. I have them in the same brooder, on opposite sides of a brick wall. I know they don't *need* to eat on day 1, but I ground up some feed for them anyway. The big ones paid their dish no mind, the little ones ate some. Maybe they'll be able to make up some ground... Only hatched 5 out of 12, so I'm hoping not to lose any more.

 

[sunnie7]

I just hatched 5 lavenders, 2 are smaller and less coordinated than the others. The first 3 were the same size... when the 4th hatched it was smaller and flopped around a bit, and the others went after it, pulling at wings and toes. The 5th was equally feeble. I pulled the first 3 from the incubator and have kept them separate for now.

A few hours later, the bigger 3 are real go-getters. The smaller two are still tripping over each other. I have them in the same brooder, on opposite sides of a brick wall. I know they don't *need* to eat on day 1, but I ground up some feed for them anyway. The big ones paid their dish no mind, the little ones ate some. Maybe they'll be able to make up some ground... Only hatched 5 out of 12, so I'm hoping not to lose any more.

I had a few that struggled at first in my first hatch. 2 with splayed legs and one with curled toes. After separating them for a bit and wrapping their legs after a couple weeks you couldn’t tell them apart from the rest. Do you have vitamins or electrolytes to add to their water? I did that for the first couple weeks.

 

[Sydney65]

Tried to find another photo to show you, but he is rather standoffish from the others so his pics are always solo. He is equal in size now, has a mate,and they are watching over their 1st nest. When they were little, he used to get away w/a lot from the others, like they watched out for him, and he took advantage, sitting on them, or inside of the food bowl. When they got older they picked on him. We weren't sure if it had was bc he had been so small,or so obnoxious abt it, or bc he's the only lav. But we put shelves up high where he cld sleep and eat in peace, bc he'd fly to top of coop and run to get away. But then he started growing more and standing his ground, & got cozy with the ladies. Before mating season kicked in, he could always be found roosting between the 2 of them every night.

 

[Sydney65]

That’s cause you are such a good Guinea Whisperer, Sydney! You convinced Nugget that he could be anything that he wanted to be, and Nugget listened!!!

Well...I don't recall telling him he could grow up to be a pain in the rear, but do tell him often now that he is one. He is a brat!

 

[EarlJ]

Do you have vitamins or electrolytes to add to their water? I did that for the first couple weeks.

I was going to pick some up tomorrow. I showed them all water today, they weren't that interested so far.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I just hatched 5 lavenders, 2 are smaller and less coordinated than the others. The first 3 were the same size... when the 4th hatched it was smaller and flopped around a bit, and the others went after it, pulling at wings and toes. The 5th was equally feeble. I pulled the first 3 from the incubator and have kept them separate for now.

A few hours later, the bigger 3 are real go-getters. The smaller two are still tripping over each other. I have them in the same brooder, on opposite sides of a brick wall. I know they don't *need* to eat on day 1, but I ground up some feed for them anyway. The big ones paid their dish no mind, the little ones ate some. Maybe they'll be able to make up some ground... Only hatched 5 out of 12, so I'm hoping not to lose any more.

Congratulations on your new keets!!! We’ve had multiple keets that hatched rough and took a few days to find their feet, plus several with spraddle leg. Most of these have done very well with a little time. We use paper towels in the brooder at first, and we scatter a little feed around to give them the idea. We also dip all beaks in water when transferoring to the brooder.

We had a rough hatch last year when a giant nest had eggs break onto the other eggs, so we were worried about umbilical infection in the keets. We put Nutridrench in their water and almost all keets did well.

 

[EarlJ]

Went looking for sav-a-chick, nutridrench, or a similar thing, but everywhere I went had an empty spot on the shelf...

Got home and a couple of the bigger keets had made it over the brick divider. I'm assuming they climbed over each other, since one got left behind. But no one was picking on the little guys, and the littles are better coordinated now so I just have them all together. The size disparity is noticeable, but it doesn't seem so bad now that they're not completely helpless.

Guineas just like to be together, I guess. I have adults and just recently put month old keets (hatched from our own stock) in a coop by themselves. The adults are curious and will perch on the roof or other nearby structures. Until they forget what they were doing and go do other dumb Guinea things.

 

[Sydney65]

Wait for confirmation from @R2elk but if in a pinch I think you can use sugar if nothing else is available? He'll have to tell you how much to use, but it wld give you time to order nutridrench.

 

[R2elk]

Wait for confirmation from @R2elk but if in a pinch I think you can use sugar if nothing else is available? He'll have to tell you how much to use, but it wld give you time to order nutridrench.

Some people mix sugar with water. I do not, but I also don't use Nutridrench or any of the other commercial mixtures. If I was concerned about the quality of the feed I use, I would make a solution of vitamin B complex at the rate of 1/2 capsule or tablet mixed in one gallon of water. Make it the only source of water. It should be made fresh daily.

Vitamin B complex will have all of the necessary B vitamins including niacin and thiamine which greatly aid in the proper development of the legs and other body parts.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Wait for confirmation from @R2elk but if in a pinch I think you can use sugar if nothing else is available? He'll have to tell you how much to use, but it wld give you time to order nutridrench.

There are recipes for homemade electrolytes and they should be fine.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/22763923
I’m trying a commercial one now for our adult chickens/ducks as an aid on our very hot summer days (95F today but 109F heat index, 102F predicted tomorrow). You could use the same for chicks/keets that you are concerned about. I like Nutridrench for sick birds but don’t use it routinely and I worry about freshness, cleanliness, stability with it. I don’t routinely give electrolytes to chicks/keets unless concerned about something specific like shipping stress, umbilical infection, extreme heat (outdoor chicks), a particularly rough hatch, etc. I do give all chicks/keets some kind of probiotic gut innoculate during their first week, when their guts are being colonized by their microbiome. I use the save a chick Probiotic mixed with electrolyte for that, and/or I give a long, (1-2 ft to avoid impactions) edible weed with attached root ball for them to play with and to get their guts going. I also start giving chick grit early since I’m trying to get them greens early. I don’t worry about that as much if they are with a broody mom as they will pick up her gut microflora.