WK #3

[Sydney65]

Your pied baby is gorgeous! I didn't have any pieds survive, but Lucy(pearl gray) has ONE white wing feather. Just one. Lol. Of my 2 shelties, only one likes being around the birds -would even go in and nap next to brooder. They're used to him and he likes to try herding them. He does what he's supposed to do, but-you've heard the expression "like herding cats"? But he'll sit out there w/me. The other wants nothing to do w/them and heads for whatever side of house they aren't on.

 

[Sydney65]

Wk. 19 - Well, I found out what happens when it gets dark. We welcomed twins into the fam, & didn't quite make it home before sundown. I came home to 6 goonies lined up on the roof above the back door. They were relieved to see me & hopped down off the roof, but then the game began.
This is when I learned to have those back up lights in the coop, bc since it snowed, the solar panels were covered and the coop was dark, so of course, the goonies weren't going in. The 1st 3 just let me pick them up;the last 3 were having no part of it, regardless of how desperate the calls to be w/the others. After an hr. of this, I went inside.One by one, they perched on the handrail of porch steps and pecked at back door, which i then opened, picked the knocker up and deposited in the coop. As I put the last one in, I swore I was buying a net.
I admit, I did look at them, but - nah, I didn't get a net. I put in the back up lights, but figured as long as they're willing to come knock on the door to be picked up,no point in traumatizing any of us w/a net. The door is open today but they have no interest in coming out in the snow again.
Nugget has become the odd man out. Another male chases him and nudges him away from food. No sign of injury, but he tends to keep his distance, so I've had to come up w/alternative methods of getting food to him. He's the only one who can maintain balance on ledge above coop door, so I tacked a small bowl up there for him that he's taken to. At treat time he either stands on my hand or right behind me so they don't see me slip millet to him. Fortunately they aren't in the same sleeping group, so he isn't getting shoved out of the shared body heat.
Blu's toe - well, it's still there. What I described as scabbed/dry is gone, as is the nail, the nail bed. The "dent" is much deeper now, with scab gone, but the remaining tissue is clean and healthy looking. I'm still cleaning /dressing it. I started washing it w/Nature's Gift Mercy wash- it has a blend of tea tree and lavender essential oils in it & has tested effective against staph/mrsa infections. My only concern was that it might sting, but Blu is actually quite calm through the whole process so i guess not-and even leaves the bandage in place.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Wk. 19 - Well, I found out what happens when it gets dark. We welcomed twins into the fam, & didn't quite make it home before sundown. I came home to 6 goonies lined up on the roof above the back door. They were relieved to see me & hopped down off the roof, but then the game began.
This is when I learned to have those back up lights in the coop, bc since it snowed, the solar panels were covered and the coop was dark, so of course, the goonies weren't going in. The 1st 3 just let me pick them up;the last 3 were having no part of it, regardless of how desperate the calls to be w/the others. After an hr. of this, I went inside.One by one, they perched on the handrail of porch steps and pecked at back door, which i then opened, picked the knocker up and deposited in the coop. As I put the last one in, I swore I was buying a net.
I admit, I did look at them, but - nah, I didn't get a net. I put in the back up lights, but figured as long as they're willing to come knock on the door to be picked up,no point in traumatizing any of us w/a net. The door is open today but they have no interest in coming out in the snow again.
Nugget has become the odd man out. Another male chases him and nudges him away from food. No sign of injury, but he tends to keep his distance, so I've had to come up w/alternative methods of getting food to him. He's the only one who can maintain balance on ledge above coop door, so I tacked a small bowl up there for him that he's taken to. At treat time he either stands on my hand or right behind me so they don't see me slip millet to him. Fortunately they aren't in the same sleeping group, so he isn't getting shoved out of the shared body heat.
Blu's toe - well, it's still there. What I described as scabbed/dry is gone, as is the nail, the nail bed. The "dent" is much deeper now, with scab gone, but the remaining tissue is clean and healthy looking. I'm still cleaning /dressing it. I started washing it w/Nature's Gift Mercy wash- it has a blend of tea tree and lavender essential oils in it & has tested effective against staph/mrsa infections. My only concern was that it might sting, but Blu is actually quite calm through the whole process so i guess not-and even leaves the bandage in place.

Twins? Like, little human twins? Congratulations!!!

Here is my recent story of roosting trouble with our juvies. So, DS and I we’re driving after school to get a Christmas tree while DD stayed behind and put birds to bed. She texts while I’m driving to say a juvenile Guinea is missing. No! On the heels of the dog attack that killed Casper, our only white guinea and one of our rare males, now we’ve lost another??? I dictate while driving and DS texts back and forth for me. What? A lavender is the missing guinea??? Double Noooooo!!! That would make the missing guinea a boy, and we are short of males!!! DD states that scat and a pile of feathers were found by her and DH in our back yard. They’ve looked all over in woods and prairie; no other sign. My happy Christmas mood is gone, and I’m now a grim companion for my guinea-hating son on this venture.

We get the tree and come home several hours after dark. In a black mood, I grab a flashlight to search for myself, while DD and DH somberly accompany me. I find the feathers and scat (dog or coyote) but it’s only a few feathers and they are white, not lavender. I search the prairie as I walk towards the New Guinea coop, shining my flashlight everywhere. As I get to the coops, I automatically scan the roofs, and am rewarded with a pale reflection on top of the guinea coop. It’s Brandon! The missing lavender pied male! He’s roosted _on_ the coop instead of inside the coop... I get a ladder and our extension fish net, and my humbled DD (how did she miss him in the most obvious place?) nets him so I can grab him and place him in the coop. He was surprisingly docile about the whole process... Here are pics of Brandon, in the middle in both pictures.

I’m leaving town next week and found myself writing out the whole process of catching a guinea from the roof for our poor pet sitter...

 

[Sydney65]

Yay, Brandon!
Re twins- yes, I *think* they're human- But then they swaddle them up so much that really all I saw was hair and huuuge mouths. 2 boys, look nothing alike, just hanging out sharing the same living space.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Yay, Brandon!
Re twins- yes, I *think* they're human- But then they swaddle them up so much that really all I saw was hair and huuuge mouths. 2 boys, look nothing alike, just hanging out sharing the same living space.

Awwww!!!! How incredible and wonderful!!! Congratulations again on your amazing new additions to you family!

 

[Sydney65]

Wk. 20- Happy Holidays!
Nugget has been odd man out for months. One of the RPs wld give chase. He's pretty much caught up size- wise to the RPs, but still quiet (the grays are still a tad bigger),but always on the fringe, trying to be nearby,sometimes just staying away from them. I put a container up on a ledge that only he gets up on so that he can eat w/o being harrassed.
He waits until the others are in the yard before coming out of the coop,waits until they're all settled in the coop at night before going in. Once they're in,they split up in 3's to roost. It's always been just the one RP to give chase like a heat-seeking missile.
Then today happened. Suddenly BOTH RPs are chasing him, and he in turn begins chasing Lucy-his pearl grey sleeping buddy- and tried to hop on top of her!
I feel bad for them-a few weeks ago it was so cold they wouldn't come out, then we had a huge shift from freezing to high 60's. So I'm watching this today warning them this isn't an early spring, crummy weather is just around the corner.

In other news, Blu's toe: PPL talk abt Bumblefoot on the bottom of the foot, but after much digging, I have read that it doesn't just happen on the bottoms of their feet, but can be on top of or between toes? I keep telling myself to take a picture while cleaning it but then get caught up in the process and forget.- BC I've come to the inexperienced conclusion that this is what I'm dealing with. I was wrong about losing a nail, it must have broken and been obscured by the swelling that was present, but I can now definitely identify a short nail.
If I'm right, then -I'm not sure where I am in the process. I haven't cut anything. I used Epsom salt soaks and Mercy soap, and the hard crust shell on top basically sloughed off. Then I was left with a clean open wound that tunneled upward under the surface until I could see dried blood. I cleaned that w/peroxide and a qtip once. I've read all kinds of stuff, including using super glue, but 1) If there is infection, super gluing it would be a bad idea and 2) there are no proximal edges to ajoin, I'd basically be filling a hole w/glue (pointless).
So I've continued washing it, Epsom soaks, and then use a qtip to get medi-honey up into the tunneling, then dress & wrap it. Blu tolerates it well, just glances up at me like I'm nuts, but isn't holding the foot up anymore, eats, grazes, keeps up w/the pack and now chasing Nugget. The tissue is starting to regrow at the front portion of the wound bed, the tunneling is still there but hasn't gotten worse. I have never seen a "core"- from the time it sloughted off.
Does this sound like bumblefoot to you? Their bedding is dry, I quietly agreed with @R2elk a long time ago abt wire floors so put plywood ontop of it (eventually the hubs noticed, but by then he realized it was better). There's no doubt there are ways to cut or hurt themselves while grazing, & I lowered the roosts.

 

[Sydney65]

Wk. 21- have been reading up on scaley leg mites. I checked mine over, nothing too horrendous, but better to nip it in the bud before it is.
Post holiday sales are awesome-and inspiring. I found a gawdy pair of holiday pj pants that I wouldn't wear in a million years for 3 bucks. They're fuzzy fleece inside but stretchy. I cut the legs into 12-14" segments,kind of like tube tops.Slip a guinea into one, legs out, wings protected, the bird feels secure,and when long enough to cover the vent, poo captured while relaxing in their hot tub.
I also picked up vinyl tablecloth on clearance for a buck, so I can do the leg soaks inside w/o creating a mess, & a perfect-sized dish tub to do it in.
When I went out this a.m. my little Nomad was crammed/perched high up on a 2x4 against the wall. I gathered there must have been a kerfuffle. So we put a shelf up there for him before nightfall. When I left them this evening he was stretched out on his shelf looking down at the others w/a gleam in his eye.
Unfortunately, Peep's method of yelling at goonies when on the porch only lasted for so long before they started yelling back at me-or laughing? So I picked up some water guns. Lol. I don't even have to step outside now. I'm not sure it'll actually teach them to STAY off of the porch, I can't really think of anywhere they're truly AFRAID to go. But I forgot how much fun water guns are!!
I still hand feed treats to all of them, and pick up when needed. Nugget and Blu are the only ones I handle/hold regularly,and they are still "cuddly", rubbing their neck against me or resting it on my shoulder.
The solution to any crummy day is to walk outside and call the goonies. When a confusion of goonies come running to you, eyes focused, waddles flapping and feet moving so fast they seem about to topple, you can't help but smile. Even a passing UPS truck stopped yesterday to watch them!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Wk. 21- have been reading up on scaley leg mites. I checked mine over, nothing too horrendous, but better to nip it in the bud before it is.
Post holiday sales are awesome-and inspiring. I found a gawdy pair of holiday pj pants that I wouldn't wear in a million years for 3 bucks. They're fuzzy fleece inside but stretchy. I cut the legs into 12-14" segments,kind of like tube tops.Slip a guinea into one, legs out, wings protected, the bird feels secure,and when long enough to cover the vent, poo captured while relaxing in their hot tub.
I also picked up vinyl tablecloth on clearance for a buck, so I can do the leg soaks inside w/o creating a mess, & a perfect-sized dish tub to do it in.
When I went out this a.m. my little Nomad was crammed/perched high up on a 2x4 against the wall. I gathered there must have been a kerfuffle. So we put a shelf up there for him before nightfall. When I left them this evening he was stretched out on his shelf looking down at the others w/a gleam in his eye.
Unfortunately, Peep's method of yelling at goonies when on the porch only lasted for so long before they started yelling back at me-or laughing? So I picked up some water guns. Lol. I don't even have to step outside now. I'm not sure it'll actually teach them to STAY off of the porch, I can't really think of anywhere they're truly AFRAID to go. But I forgot how much fun water guns are!!
I still hand feed treats to all of them, and pick up when needed. Nugget and Blu are the only ones I handle/hold regularly,and they are still "cuddly", rubbing their neck against me or resting it on my shoulder.
The solution to any crummy day is to walk outside and call the goonies. When a confusion of goonies come running to you, eyes focused, waddles flapping and feet moving so fast they seem about to topple, you can't help but smile. Even a passing UPS truck stopped yesterday to watch them!

So you do think that you have scaly leg mites and you are treating them? What are you treating them with? The: Blu’s toe, I’ve had two with toe issues. In both cases, the guineas lost the last segment of the affected toe, and the remaining portion of the toe remained swollen. You could have an infection of the toe bone if it was exposed, but, if so, that would be difficult to treat. My dog victim, Caspar was one of the damaged toe birds, and he walked on it well after a few days, despite the swelling. Scout Black damaged her toe a year ago. The remaining tip is still swollen, but it doesn’t seem to bother her, so I leave it alone.

 

[Sydney65]

Blu definitely. The others just got a cleaning, but I'd noticed Blu's scales peeling, that's what made me look into it. Epsom soaks, Hibicleanse wash, betadine and vasoline to smother them is the common recommended treatment.

I'm sticking w/the Mercy wash since I've already seen how well it works, & Hibicleanse has it's warnings for excessive use in humans. I am doing the Epsom soaks, bypassing betadine bc w/the Mercy, it's overkill and -why stain the bird's legs red? -and using the vasoline.

I'm starting to wonder abt Blu. The initial area on that toe has closed up,but I found new,small one on a different toe tonight. Kind of wondering if he has gout. Everything I've read indicates bumblefoot wouldn't heal that quickly (granted, Mercy is awesome) - and there wasn't a core, unless it disintegrated during the washes-there was a lot of floaties in the water.

Both areas are just below the knuckle on top of toe. He's the only one w/the enlarged cracked scales. I just dropped their protein level this week, so if it is gout, that should help. He still travels along and keeps up w/the others, though.

 

[R2elk]

Blu definitely. The others just got a cleaning, but I'd noticed Blu's scales peeling, that's what made me look into it. Epsom soaks, Hibicleanse wash, betadine and vasoline to smother them is the common recommended treatment.

I'm sticking w/the Mercy wash since I've already seen how well it works, & Hibicleanse has it's warnings for excessive use in humans. I am doing the Epsom soaks, bypassing betadine bc w/the Mercy, it's overkill and -why stain the bird's legs red? -and using the vasoline.

I'm starting to wonder abt Blu. The initial area on that toe has closed up,but I found new,small one on a different toe tonight. Kind of wondering if he has gout. Everything I've read indicates bumblefoot wouldn't heal that quickly (granted, Mercy is awesome) - and there wasn't a core, unless it disintegrated during the washes-there was a lot of floaties in the water.

Both areas are just below the knuckle on top of toe. He's the only one w/the enlarged cracked scales. I just dropped their protein level this week, so if it is gout, that should help. He still travels along and keeps up w/the others, though.

Gout in poultry can be caused by excessive protein such as too many mealworm treats. Gout can be a sign of kidney damage from excessive treats.