Whole body shaking 3 week old Guinea

[Bugmom]

I have 15 baby guineas that are 3 weeks old. Yesterday one of my keets started shaking all over. He can run, eat and drink. After some great effort, I caught him and gave him a thorough look. Nothing significant stands out, no pasty but or swollen joints. He is not lethargic, but sometimes lose his balance. He runs fine and eagerly takes alfalfa sprouts from my hand.
I give them chopped hard boiled eggs every other day and alternate with alfalfa sprouts and I put molasses in their water He just shakes all over even when walking. No other chicks are affected by this malady.
We did have a few days of 100+ temperatures. One day got to 108. I put an oscillating fan on them and a large lid of water on the ground with alfalfa sprouts. I thought they could walk in it and get their toes wet while eating their favorite treat. The nights are around 80 at night. Last night it was after midnight before the temp got below 85. I put the heat lamp on, but none of them seemed interested. I would appreciate any ideas.

 

[aart]

At those temps they might need some electrolytes way more than they'd need a heat lamp.
What is their regular feed?

 

[Bugmom]

At those temps they might need some electrolytes way more than they'd need a heat lamp.
What is their regular feed?

I give them dumore chick start non medicated. I would think that the molasses would have electrolytes. What brand do you suggest?
I only put the heat lamp on when it gets below 85.

 

[R2elk]

I give them dumore chick start non medicated. I would think that the molasses would have electrolytes. What brand do you suggest?
I only put the heat lamp on when it gets below 85.

Dumor chick starter is not appropriate for guineas. It does not have the protein level or the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin that guinea keets need.

Guinea keets should be fed a high protein (28% t0 30%) turkey or game bird starter for their first 6 to 8 weeks. Their high metabolism and rapid growth rate need the higher levels available in a proper turkey or game bird starter.

 

[Bugmom]

Dumor chick starter is not appropriate for guineas. It does not have the protein level or the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin that guinea keets need.

Guinea keets should be fed a high protein (28% t0 30%) turkey or game bird starter for their first 6 to 8 weeks. Their high metabolism and rapid growth rate need the higher levels available in a proper turkey or game bird starter.

Oh that was the feed recommended by tractor supply where I bought my chicks. I will go get some some right now. Can I feed this to my baby chickens as well. I have 10 lavendars and 7 cherry eggers.

 

[R2elk]

Oh that was the feed recommended by tractor supply where I bought my chicks. I will go get some some right now. Can I feed this to my baby chickens as well. I have 10 lavendars and 7 cherry eggers.

TSC employees are not the people to ask for feed advice. Yes you can feed the game bird starter to your chicks. I would not feed a high protein feed to waterfowl.

I do not recommend brooding keets and chicks together due to the problems that imprinting causes later on.

 

[Bugmom]

TSC employees are not the people to ask for feed advice. Yes you can feed the game bird starter to your chicks. I would not feed a high protein feed to waterfowl.

I do not recommend brooding keets and chicks together due to the problems that imprinting causes later on.

Well, I guess it is too late to worry about the imprinting. I don’t have separate brooders for ducks, geese, chickens and guineas. I have older fowl that are about 13 weeks old. They are out in the chicken coop with a large covered run with a kiddie pool.
I will definitely be more prepared next year. I definitely regret putting my goslings now 5 weeks old, with my chickens. They love to chew on my chickens tail feathers, but they are still too young to go out to the pond. I have 5 ducks with these younger chicks. Will the higher protein hurt the ducks. Also, could the chopped eggs be a substitute for the higher protein feed?

 

[aart]

I would think that the molasses would have electrolytes. What brand do you suggest?

Not sure about the molasses.
I use Sav-a-chick brand electrolytes/vitamins...
..think it would be ok for keets, eh @R2elk ?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Well, I guess it is too late to worry about the imprinting. I don’t have separate brooders for ducks, geese, chickens and guineas. I have older fowl that are about 13 weeks old. They are out in the chicken coop with a large covered run with a kiddie pool.
I will definitely be more prepared next year. I definitely regret putting my goslings now 5 weeks old, with my chickens. They love to chew on my chickens tail feathers, but they are still too young to go out to the pond. I have 5 ducks with these younger chicks. Will the higher protein hurt the ducks. Also, could the chopped eggs be a substitute for the higher protein feed?

I brooded ducklings, chicks, and keets together, but only once. I managed it nutritionally but those guineas did terribly with the other poultry and I had to rehome most of them. Ducklings are the most nutritionally sensitive of the three, so I met their needs first but providing a 17% protein chick starter (after two weeks of age) mixed with brewers yeast. The keets and chicks are the same, but I also made a creep feeder for the keets by providing a box with low rails that the keets could fit under but the ducklings did not. In the box I kept high protein Farmer’s Helper Ultrakibble. I no longer brood keets with any other species due to the behavioral problems I had with this group, which has solved these issues so that my adult guineas aren’t very interested in my other birds. Best of luck with your ill keet! Vitamin supplementation sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[R2elk]

Well, I guess it is too late to worry about the imprinting. I don’t have separate brooders for ducks, geese, chickens and guineas. I have older fowl that are about 13 weeks old. They are out in the chicken coop with a large covered run with a kiddie pool.
I will definitely be more prepared next year. I definitely regret putting my goslings now 5 weeks old, with my chickens. They love to chew on my chickens tail feathers, but they are still too young to go out to the pond. I have 5 ducks with these younger chicks. Will the higher protein hurt the ducks. Also, could the chopped eggs be a substitute for the higher protein feed?

No. Hard boiled eggs are good for them but are only about 12% protein.