sick chick

[leonphelps]

I have been letting my month old keets walk around the run. today I let them out in the yard. After counting I was one short.

I found him in the coop barely moving. I put the heat lamp on and left him in there.

He had a clear liquid coming from his beak. Eyes opened then closed.

Any ideas what to try?

Thanks.

 

[PeepsCA]

Wow Leon, sorry no one has replied to this...

I've (THANKFULLY) never had a sick Guinea in all my years that I've raised/kept them... so all I can suggest is to maybe try to get it to drink some water with poultry electrolytes and vitamins in it (or even clear pedialyte) and offer it some of it's favorite treats just to get it to eat something. If it does ok with the water, you may even want to make a thin mash/slurry of high protein starter feed and try to get some of that into the bird too. Be careful not to choke the bird with the mash, don't force it, especially if it is weak, electrolytes a few drops at a time would be better to try first if the bird is already too weak to deal with any food in it's mouth. Check the crop, make sure it's not impacted with grass, or shavings or anything like that. Feel the breast bone and make sure it's not overly thin from being kept from the food by the others, and also check for injuries ad bruises. Keeping it warm is most definitely a good thing, but I would isolate it in a cage or crate so the others can't pick on it or stress it any more than it already is. Hopefully it pulls thru. Sorry you have to deal with a sick bird that you've raised from a baby, I know it's hard to deal with. Good luck with it!

 

[leonphelps]

Lost him yesterday.

Not sure of the reason, but he was in quarantine until he left.

Rest of the flock seem fine. I was letting them roam the run yesterday. maybe it was a little too much for him.

I am going to keep the flock in the run for another week now to be safe. I did see them eating like maniacs when they were outside the run for an hour. Good sign.

 

[PeepsCA]

Did you happen to feel his crop area? Maybe he filled up on something he found access to in the outside run? Just a guess, a lot of times keet deaths are a complete mystery.
Sorry you lost him. If you aren't already providing grit for the others, I'd put out a small feeder of it just in case.

 

[leonphelps]

I spread out granite grit I got from the feed store. I put a pinch or so out every day and mix it in with the food.

Thanks for the help.