sick guinea

[wskline]

Two days ago I noticed my younger female guinea wasn't acting right. Feathers ruffled and kinda sluggish so I hearded her into a coop by herself and put a heat lamp on. She had clumps on her tail feathers and she seemed like she was leaving gas or pushing something out of her. There was a white fluid dripping out. I thought for sure she would die thru night but 2 nights later, she is still
kicking. Could she be egg bound? None of them are laying at this time and I would think she would be too young. She was born in the Spring of this year. Anyone have this happen with their guineas?

 

[chippysmom327]

She definitely has some sort of laying problem going on. Put on a rubber glove, lubricate your finger, and try to find what's causing this by sticking your finger up there. Do you provide your birds with a source of calcium? She may have had a lack of calcium, causing her thin-shelled egg to break inside of her. Now she's trying to put out the broken up shell.

This is a bit of a concern, because when a hen is laying, her digestive track "disconnects" from the cloaca and the reproductive system "connects" for the short time it takes to lay an egg. That means her digestive track has been "disconnected" for two days, and she hasn't been able to relieve herself.

Edit: she's definitely old enough to lay. My guineas were hatched in July and they're going to lay any day now. They've been mating like crazy.

 

[wskline]

I feed them the crumble that I buy from the feed store. Maybe it is a calcium thing. I didn't think guineas layed eggs in the winter and none of the other females are laying. Guess anything is possible. The more I have been just reading, the more I think she is egg bound. I will check her as soon as I get home. It's hard enough trying to catch a guinea, let alone examine her. lol. wish me luck. and thank you Chippymom

 

[chippysmom327]

I feed them the crumble that I buy from the feed store. Maybe it is a calcium thing. I didn't think guineas layed eggs in the winter and none of the other females are laying. Guess anything is possible. The more I have been just reading, the more I think she is egg bound. I will check her as soon as I get home. It's hard enough trying to catch a guinea, let alone examine her. lol. wish me luck. and thank you Chippymom

You're welcome! If you need me, PM me. If you do find eggshell up inside, you may need to flush her vent out with epsom salt water to get everything out.

 

[wskline]

Think worse than egg bond. I caught her and looked and looks like sack hanging out from that end. Thought maybe egg but the hole is in the middle of this sack. Couldn't feel anything like egg around that area.

 

[chippysmom327]

That's called a vent prolapse. They're common... This can be caused by a soft shelled egg. It's from the hen pushing too hard.

Here's a really good treatment link from a really good source:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html?m=1

 

[wskline]

I soaked her bottom for 15 minutes and put her in dog crate in basement. There is crusty stuff which I'm assuming is dried poop coating this prolapse. I'm going to soak her again later and keep working at getting crust off. I'm really amazed she is still alive.

 

[chippysmom327]

I soaked her bottom for 15 minutes and put her in dog crate in basement. There is crusty stuff which I'm assuming is dried poop coating this prolapse. I'm going to soak her again later and keep working at getting crust off. I'm really amazed she is still alive.

Did you put any hemorhoid cream on it to reduce the swelling?

 

[wskline]

Ran to pharmacy so I could get the preparation h. Soaked her again and put cream on. Seems that crust is slowly coming off.

 

[chippysmom327]

That's great. Hopefully this will bring swelling down and let everything work itself out. Please update in the morning