I'm not going to survive through raising these babies

[SplendidDogFeet]

That sounds really tough... I do remember when I raised my keets it was difficult at the beginning and it was super messy. Once mine grew up and were old enough to get out of the brooder things got more manageable. Good luck!

Ps. My guinea fowl are 12 weeks and still like me.

We're at three weeks and everyone is still alive, so we're doing ok so far. My little runty keet still walks funny and is smaller than everyone else, but is definitely growing and getting feathers like the rest. Miraculously, the keets actually started cleaning their feet. We did move to shavings, and everybody definitely does eat them, but I guess they're processing and passing them, so fingers crossed. Yesterday the keets were just chaotic, and I caught one running around with a huge chunk of paper towel while everyone else chased after it because they also wanted to try eating it. Is amazing how they can yell at you while simultaneously not letting go of the item you're trying to remove from their mouth. First time I've ever said, "WHAT'S IN YOUR MOUTH?!?" to a bird instead of a dog. Then one of the keets managed to fly up and get out of the brooder pen and was in there screaming and pooping on everything until I stopped working, came in, and put it back. It was trying to avoid me, but after running away once. I just stopped and held my hands out and asked if it wanted help going back and damned if it didn't come to me and let me pick it up. They are a wacky bunch.

 

[Gill-b]

I underestimated how busy a keet is, how stubborn it can be... ...how committed it is to running around with bits of toilet paper no matter how much I chase after it to get the paper out of its beak before it has a chance to swallow it.

Hahaha, yip, I can totally sympathize! (as seen by the above quote about my keet). At first I stressed about it but my keet did not seen to suffer any ill effects from eating the tissue paper (when it got the chance) so I eventually gave up worrying.

Thank you so much for the update. It sounds like you are coping well and enjoying your feathered babies. Your update has brought me happiness.

 

[GuineaMania]

We're at three weeks and everyone is still alive, so we're doing ok so far. My little runty keet still walks funny and is smaller than everyone else, but is definitely growing and getting feathers like the rest. Miraculously, the keets actually started cleaning their feet. We did move to shavings, and everybody definitely does eat them, but I guess they're processing and passing them, so fingers crossed. Yesterday the keets were just chaotic, and I caught one running around with a huge chunk of paper towel while everyone else chased after it because they also wanted to try eating it. Is amazing how they can yell at you while simultaneously not letting go of the item you're trying to remove from their mouth. First time I've ever said, "WHAT'S IN YOUR MOUTH?!?" to a bird instead of a dog. Then one of the keets managed to fly up and get out of the brooder pen and was in there screaming and pooping on everything until I stopped working, came in, and put it back. It was trying to avoid me, but after running away once. I just stopped and held my hands out and asked if it wanted help going back and damned if it didn't come to me and let me pick it up. They are a wacky bunch.

That's great that they're doing well! Yes, keets are wacky!

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

Just when I thought it was getting better, it gets worse. For about a week, we were in a sweet spot. Everyone was cleaning themselves and seemed ok and the routine was routining. Then one of the keets died from eating a strip of plastic. All the birds are sneezing and most have started doing that open-mouth gape thing that I videoed and nobody has identified. And today, at 5.5 weeks, there was the first pecking order fight that I've witnessed. Nobody seems to be acclimating to the heat during their outside time and by the time I bring them in at about four they are all panting and hurry into the crate to be taken back inside. The coop isn't quite finished and I hope we get that squared away quick to maybe have fewer arguments with the extra space, but then there's the heat. It would be easier if I didn't love them, but I do. They are very lovable dinosaurs.

 

[GuineaMania]

That's really too bad about the keet who died. Hopefully the others get used to the heat soon. They totally are lovable little dinos!

 

[tnctx]

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 feel for you! My last year’s keets had amazing parents that raised (most of) them to adulthood. It was my first experience with guineas and they made it easy. This year there have been five different nests that were abandoned, I’m guessing bc they were bothered by predators. I was able to salvage eggs from the last one shortly after my little buff mama abandoned it and I put the eggs under a broody hen. Only four of the 16 pipped out; step mom stepped on the only buff, leaving two PGs and a very tiny white one I’ve named Snowball. Today, four days after these pipped out, I took the remaining 12 eggs out of the nest bc it’s obvious they aren’t going to hatch. I’ve taken the keets away at night and given them back to her during the day. She’s pretty good with them but keeps stepping on them so I’m thinking of taking them away permanently and letting her get back to just being a chicken. I have them in a tub with shavings, fortified water, and game bird starter. So far so good but Snowball has maybe what you are calling pasty butt…I’ve never seen it before. I tried to remove it with a damp paper towel but it didn’t work. These three are a handful!

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I can't tell from the picture if that's pasty butt or the umbilical cord

 

[Relleoms]

I have NEVER struggled so hard to keep babies alive! This is my first time with guineas and they are doing everything they can to die. I sure hope the ones who live are super hardy, cause I don’t think I can do this again! Without a doubt the most humbling experience raising fowl I’ve ever had.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I have NEVER struggled so hard to keep babies alive! This is my first time with guineas and they are doing everything they can to die. I sure hope the ones who live are super hardy, cause I don’t think I can do this again! Without a doubt the most humbling experience raising fowl I’ve ever had.

I am so sorry you're experiencing that, but I've had the exact same thought about not wanting to do it again and it feels good to know I'm not the only one floundering. I hope things get better for you.