I'm not going to survive through raising these babies

[SplendidDogFeet]

I tell you, I'm not cut out for this. My Jersey Black Giant chicks seem to be doing well, but my Guinea keets all have poop-caked feet and cleaning then it's so stressful on the birds and me. Today, two of the keets had pasty butt and by the time I was finished cleaning the tiny kid who isn't really growing, I was so stressed that I was literally dripping with sweat. I don't have any Vaseline and am headed out to get some today, so I'm assuming I'll be having to go through all this later today and/or tomorrow, also. The babies are on incontinence pads and paper towels and I am cleaning up individual poops every time I'm in there and swapping paper towels when they're looking gross and doing pad change daily, but I'm pretty sure the caked feet is from the overnight massive amount of poops under the brooder plate. Cleaning their feet is so daunting and almost as bad as the pasty butt and they never come out fully clean. I keep waiting for my tiny keet to die because it doesn't seem to eat or drink as much as the others- it spends most of the time it's out trying to get under the other birds and stays under the brooder plate a lot when the rest of the flock will be out. I made them all scrambled egg and put it through the food processor this morning and put a little grit over it. I didn't give them very much because I had no idea on amounts- maybe a tablespoon or two for my twelve birds. I've seen advice for probiotics and vitamins so I'm going to try to get that and the Vaseline today. If anyone would like to come raise these babies for me and I'll take over in six weeks when they're big and healthy, that would be awesome. So many Guinea people have said no to shavings at this age and that they'll eat them and no to sand because they'll eat it and, at this point, it's extra hard because I only planned for the pads and paper towels and will need to build something else to contain substrate if I have to change the flooring. I don't mean to sound so whiney- I'm just incredibly worried and overwhelmed and I feel like I'm already doing everything wrong and this is only day six. This is a pic of the tiny keet doing the 'snuggle me better' routine it does when I warm it while it's out. I'm going to be crushed if I lose that little babe.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. Can you post a picture of your brooder?

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

Welcome to BYC. Can you post a picture of your brooder?

Here is a pic from the Ring camera that's in there. It's 30x60 cardboard lined play yard panels. Underneath is cardboard so the floor isn't cold with a tarp on top and the pads and paper towels on that. Right now I just have paper towels down where they make the most mess for easy changing and I try to just pick up the poops I see every time I go in there. I'm happy to say that my tiny pasty butt came and ate out of my hand right away just now when I went to check on them, so that was a big positive.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I tell you, I'm not cut out for this. My Jersey Black Giant chicks seem to be doing well, but my Guinea keets all have poop-caked feet and cleaning then it's so stressful on the birds and me. Today, two of the keets had pasty butt and by the time I was finished cleaning the tiny kid who isn't really growing, I was so stressed that I was literally dripping with sweat. I don't have any Vaseline and am headed out to get some today, so I'm assuming I'll be having to go through all this later today and/or tomorrow, also. The babies are on incontinence pads and paper towels and I am cleaning up individual poops every time I'm in there and swapping paper towels when they're looking gross and doing pad change daily, but I'm pretty sure the caked feet is from the overnight massive amount of poops under the brooder plate. Cleaning their feet is so daunting and almost as bad as the pasty butt and they never come out fully clean. I keep waiting for my tiny keet to die because it doesn't seem to eat or drink as much as the others- it spends most of the time it's out trying to get under the other birds and stays under the brooder plate a lot when the rest of the flock will be out. I made them all scrambled egg and put it through the food processor this morning and put a little grit over it. I didn't give them very much because I had no idea on amounts- maybe a tablespoon or two for my twelve birds. I've seen advice for probiotics and vitamins so I'm going to try to get that and the Vaseline today. If anyone would like to come raise these babies for me and I'll take over in six weeks when they're big and healthy, that would be awesome. So many Guinea people have said no to shavings at this age and that they'll eat them and no to sand because they'll eat it and, at this point, it's extra hard because I only planned for the pads and paper towels and will need to build something else to contain substrate if I have to change the flooring. I don't mean to sound so whiney- I'm just incredibly worried and overwhelmed and I feel like I'm already doing everything wrong and this is only day six. This is a pic of the tiny keet doing the 'snuggle me better' routine it does when I warm it while it's out. I'm going to be crushed if I lose that little babe.View attachment 3866881

I once had a beautiful barn mix. she died because she was an idiot. I guarantee you're doing the best you can, but things still happen. but then again, maybe that one has a good chance. after all, my grandma keeps a framed poem that is LITERALLY A CONDOLENCE LETTER, and I assume I still exist sooooooooooo......... good luck.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Losing birds is part of raising them. It happens all the time and it is often not the fault of the person raising them. Guineas are especially fragile.

I see no reason not to keep them on paper towels and pads in the brooder the entire six weeks, as long as they are changed out every couple days or so. If/once it's warm enough outside, taking them outside every day or so to explore in the grass will build their immunity and make cleaning easier. I let my chicks out into a mesh gazebo (while I watch them) and gradually increase the time they are out there.

Where are you located? You can add that in your account details so we don't have to keep asking.

 

[AntiqueB]

And if you take them outside for a while, you can enjoy their antics. That makes up for pasty butts and dirty feet.

I always brood with pads. I change every couple days when they're tiny, and every day when they get bigger. Once I find cleaning to be a chore, it's time to go out to the coop, maybe at around 4 weeks.

It may not seem like it now, but you will miss babies when they grow. Just look at how many people say they wish they could get more chicks!

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I tried to find where to add the details, but haven't quite yet. I'll keep looking. I live in North Texas about an hour north of Dallas. It's roasting outside every day and humid a lot and will be until we get close to winter.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

Losing birds is part of raising them. It happens all the time and it is often not the fault of the person raising them. Guineas are especially fragile.

I see no reason not to keep them on paper towels and pads in the brooder the entire six weeks, as long as they are changed out every couple days or so. If/once it's warm enough outside, taking them outside every day or so to explore in the grass will build their immunity and make cleaning easier. I let my chicks out into a mesh gazebo (while I watch them) and gradually increase the time they are out there.

Where are you located? You can add that in your account details so we don't have to keep asking.

I found it! Added location

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

And if you take them outside for a while, you can enjoy their antics. That makes up for pasty butts and dirty feet.

I always brood with pads. I change every couple days when they're tiny, and every day when they get bigger. Once I find cleaning to be a chore, it's time to go out to the coop, maybe at around 4 weeks.

It may not seem like it now, but you will miss babies when they grow. Just look at how many people say they wish they could get more chicks!

Honestly, I'm basically incredibly nervous around infants of any species. I don't hold people's babies and I'm not a puppy person (all senior dogs here!). The babies are completely precious, but I don't think I'll miss the worrying. I won't stop worrying when they're bigger, but I'll feel less like I'm probably going to kill them by accident at any moment. I do think I'll miss how friendly the keets are since everybody says they stop liking you as they grow.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

And if you take them outside for a while, you can enjoy their antics. That makes up for pasty butts and dirty feet.

I always brood with pads. I change every couple days when they're tiny, and every day when they get bigger. Once I find cleaning to be a chore, it's time to go out to the coop, maybe at around 4 weeks.

It may not seem like it now, but you will miss babies when they grow. Just look at how many people say they wish they could get more chicks!

I would like to try taking them outside and I think I'll try to figure that out. They didn't get coccidia vaccine (wasn't offered by the hatchery) and I couldn't find medicated game starter that I have to feed for the Guineas, so I've been worried to expose them to too much, too quickly. If it was just the chicks on the pads, I think I'd be golden. The chicks' feet look clean. It's just those silly keets!