Three day old keets fail to thrive?

[Wickedchicken6]

How are the keets doing? I was hoping someone would have more pertinent advice on what you've been experiencing with your keets.

I found this regarding keet deaths.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/keets-dying-help-please.652538/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-baby-guineas-are-dying.71831/
http://www.guineakeets.com/starting-keets/

 

[PolarBerry]

I've had 7 of the 11 pearl grey just die. All within 15-20 minutes of going lethargic they just flail then die.

I had someone point out to me the feed they're on isn't animal protein based so I gave them some puréed wild alaska salmon on their suggestion to see if maybe they're missing some amino acid/fatty acid or something.

These issues started up before I did anything other than feed/water them so I'm pulling a blank. I've taken them off the corrid (did 3 days of treatment anyway) and pulled the vitamins in case they're getting too much of something that's not water soluble and it's causing neurological damage.

Either way, I called the hatchery and walked through everything I've done and been doing and they said it's really really weird that the purple and pearl are being raised together and the pearl are dying off and everyone else is fine. I'll be getting a refund at least for all that died in the first week.. at this rate it may be all the pearls.

Assuming the remainder make it to adulthood they'll eventually get to enjoy our 33 acres of woods and grassy fields... in the spring I will most likely be ordering some laying hens from a local hatchery (45 min away) and they sell guineas in quantities of 30. So if I like the survivors I can get tons more in only a few months.

Will keep you all updated.

 

[PolarBerry]

I also ordered some H and H animal based gamebird feed to try. Should be here by Friday so hope they survive with the fish concoction till then!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I also ordered some H and H animal based gamebird feed to try. Should be here by Friday so hope they survive with the fish concoction till then!

I'm so sorry to hear of your terrible situation with the keets.
Did anything stick out in the links to previous backyard chicken threads?

Everything you've mentioned that you've done for your keets is better than what I do for mine. You appear to on point with everything right down to the non-slip mat. I'm glad the hatchery is being understanding. I'm sure this has been incredibly disheartening and frustrating.

As far as a lack of animal based protein...I don't believe it could have such a disastrous impact so quickly. I start mine out on a 24% protein starter which is most likely 100% plant based and move them to a 21% chick starter which I know is 100% plant based.

I really hope that your remaining keets stay ok and thrive. I hope you like your guinea fowl as adults. That would be really great, please do keep us updated on how things are going.

 

[PolarBerry]

I'm thinking it's something to do with their strain. The other links mostly seemed to also be pearl guineas from cackle that dropped dead randomly too. Not trying to slander them but from everything I've found it looks like their pearl greys have a lack of vitality.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I'm thinking it's something to do with their strain. The other links mostly seemed to also be pearl guineas from cackle that dropped dead randomly too. Not trying to slander them but from everything I've found it looks like their pearl greys have a lack of vitality.

It's hard to say...it could be if they keep separate color strains.
I get a multi color situation from the same line; pearls, opaline (I believe), royal purple and white.

 

[Kiki]

I meant an anti coccidial. But most say it can't hurt as a just in case.

FWIW if you were giving vitamins at the same time as Corid, the Corid will most likely not have worked, if it is Coccidiosis you were dealing with.

 

[PolarBerry]

They were on vitamins up until corrid, corrid for 3 days, and now just giving frequent fresh water.

Tomorrow morning I may try adding in some hard boiled egg yokes (with a sprinkle of chick grit). I know the turkeys will like it at least.

You know the weirdest part is they die in pairs between noon and 2pm. Not anything runs at that time (like a radiator or anything), no cooking happening/don't have teflon pans, and live out in the country so it's not like anything neighbors are doing... it's so weird now that I think of it how they all died between 12-3 all of the days. Odd, right?

 

[PolarBerry]

Pearl grey surrounded by purples. Can see it's slightly smaller.

 

[PolarBerry]

And another just passed in a 15 minute period.

Hatchery told me to call them at the one week mark to give a final survival number and at this rate it may be zero.

Put tonight's dead one in the fridge and may call the local agricultural co-op to see if they can have an inexpensive necropsy performed.

Hoping it's not some form of encephalitis where the pearls got vertical transmission from their mother and then in a week the purples will fall ill as well from horizontal transfer.