Sick Keet, trying my best but Need Advice/Help

[anna mossette]

We brought home 5 mixed keets 4 days ago. We were told they were a week old. When we got home it was apparent one of them was not well and possibly a day old instead of a week. I separated it by putting it in a smaller box within the brooder. It seems to be weak, can't really stand, tries to but then stumbles, falls and flops around attempting to get back up. It is drinking and eating but I have not seen much of an improvement. I am feeding it Dumor Chick starter (as I have some 8 week old chicks) with wheat germ sprinkled in it and Save-a-Chick electrolyte water. I do not have it on shavings but instead on kitchen towels. I read about issues with eating shavings and being poisoned I am fearful maybe this is what happened. If so is there anything that can be done.
Fingers Crossed

 

[aprille218]

Get some medicated turkey starter or gamebird starter. Guineas need the higher protein it has and are very prone to coccidiosis ( so the medicated part). Also recommend adding Corrid to the water for a while. Guineas also need it warmer than chicks. BTW none of this medication/ feed will harm chicks but it will kill waterfowl.
Aprille

 

[anna mossette]

Many Thanks, will get right on it.

 

[JLeigh]

Check the feet, toes and legs to make sure you don't have some issues with the bone development. Keep the keets at 95 degrees F for a week, then lower the temp 5 degrees each week until they hit about 70 degrees. The post above is right - keets need a game bird starter right away. I use a 30% protein, but 26% is good too.

 

[JLeigh]

Oh, and PeepsCA can help you if you have foot/leg issues, which it sounds like you do with this keet. That can be fixed most of the time if you catch it early. I'm sure she'll ask you some questions which will help her give you the right advice. I've done it a couple of times and it works, but I'm not the one to give advice on it. She's the pro.

 

[anna mossette]

JLeigh
Thank You. The Chick Starter I have is 24%, I went to TSC Saturday to get a bag of Game/Turkey starter and they had none. Is there anything I could add currently to what I have to incerase it's protein content? Its (fussy as I have dubbed it) does not apperar to have any issues with its legs, but I honestly am not sure what I should be looking for.
Many Thanks In Advace

 

[PeepsCA]

Scrambled eggs/crumbled hard boiled eggs and freeze dried meal worms help up the protein. Poultry vitamins in the water might help if it's dealing with a deficiency of some type.

Sounds like you ended up with a runt to me tho... some keets just end up struggling with a failure to thrive issue, from day 1 and its not obvious until the others hit their first burst of growth. Maybe they had a rough hatch, barely made it out for whatevr reason (or were helped), and just weren't meant to make it. In nature (or even when hatched by a Momma Guinea Hen or a broody chicken) the Momma would have culled it already. Keep it warm, hydrated and eating, do what you can for it... it may pull thru, but realistically be prepared to lose it, no matter what you do for it. HIgh protein is a must tho.

 

[anna mossette]

Scrambled eggs/crumbled hard boiled eggs and freeze dried meal worms help up the protein. Poultry vitamins in the water might help if it's dealing with a deficiency of some type.

Sounds like you ended up with a runt to me tho... some keets just end up struggling with a failure to thrive issue, from day 1 and its not obvious until the others hit their first burst of growth. Maybe they had a rough hatch, barely made it out for whatevr reason (or were helped), and just weren't meant to make it. In nature (or even when hatched by a Momma Guinea Hen or a broody chicken) the Momma would have culled it already. Keep it warm, hydrated and eating, do what you can for it... it may pull thru, but realistically be prepared to lose it, no matter what you do for it. HIgh protein is a must tho.

PeepsCA,
Thank you so very much, I hear you are the expert =) . I offered hard boiled yok and he/she ate some then had a little water and I sprinkled the rest on its crumble. I check in on him/her like clock work and though unstable was surprised to see him/her preening itself. I also have a small teddy bear in the box which it snuggles up to it. I understand the nature of nature (if that makes any sense) and though I do not want to lose this little one know that it is a big possibility.
Could you make a recommendation one feed? I plan on going to the co-op/exchange tomorrow in hopes they may have something.

 

[PeepsCA]

The brand of starter feed isn't really important, just be sure to look for Turkey, Game Bird or Pheasant starter with anywhere from 27-30% protein in it. Animal protein (usually fish meal) is better protein, but soy will work fine too. Medicated feed won't cure the keet if a cocci overload is the issue, so if you suspect a cocci overload I'd go with the Corrid for treatment, as suggested by [email protected]

I'm far from an expert... but try to help when I can. Thanks tho
Best of luck with your little guy

 

[BarbaraNH]

Just wanted to add that the anticoccidial drug in the starter feed (if you are using a medicated feed) should only be amprolium. Rarely, you might find a starter feed with an anticoccidial called monensin, which is toxic to guinea fowl (and horses), so be careful to read all of the ingredients on the tag. Some starter feeds for gamebirds may also contain the antibiotic bacitracin, which isn't recommended but is not considered harmful to guinea keets. My keets were started on a gamebird starter with 28% protein and zinc bacitracin as an additive. They did just fine. Hope your little one gains strength and improves.