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[IMG alt="Liz Birdlover"]https://www.backyardchickens.com/data/avatars/m/500/500450.jpg?1629214145[/IMG]
Hi Guinea Lovers!
I need your expertise & advice.
I've had birds in my life a long time, Parrots, Homing Pigeons for decades, Chickens & Roosters I've come to adore since 2015 & now I've got Guineas...sort of began when a friend got some, 1 seemed injured & asked me to help. I saw them in a slippery bottom cage, so I thought it was just splay leg, which I've had good results with my "sling" & or tape methods, many times over the years, with Cockatiels & Pigeons.
This poor Guinea seemed to improve slightly, but then went right back to not having a functional leg. After scouring this site & internet in general, reading everything I can about it, I've come to the conclusion, she may have either broken her leg & it unfortunately mended in a bad position, or this poor bird has tendon issues (which probably is the case & 1st time I have ever seen it, let alone dealt with it). Her growth also seems stunted.
She is currently set up in a large tub in my bathroom, lined with towels for traction, she eats & drinks, but she isn't walking, its more like scurrying, crawling, wing flapping with a bum leg. She gets where she's goin, but that's no quality life for any bird. I am searching for a decent avian vet, may need a road trip to visit one.
I find it difficult giving up on a creature that is eating & drinking. I know she may need to be humanely put down, just want to see if there is hope she could possibly walk & live as she should. It's the 1 leg that sticks out & basically the foot even faces the wrong way. This was noticed when she was maybe One & a 1/2 to 2 weeks old, July 4th, she was very little then. My friend told me she seemed to be getting progressively worse, it wasn't sudden. I got her end of July. After 4 weeks doing well, taped legs with cushion between knees, in a sling, she walked around pretty good, about a week! Only her toes looked odd, but I hoped they'd straighten out.
An injured pigeon in a sling, that was a compound fracture broken leg (hawk attack) had curled toes, but after a week out of the sling his toes straightened back out & he walked perfectly, so I thought her toes would, too. She was in the tub with a young pigeon also in recovery (temporary, they snuggled together & got along very well). But instead of toes improving, that leg started facing outwards & she began dragging it again. Her pigeon buddy recovered & went back out to the pigeon loft, but I learned Guineas need more of their own kind. So, I got 4 younger Guineas, to grow up with her. I had all 5 of them in the tub & heated bathroom, then when they didn't need heat I moved them outside in a large pen for a few weeks, this was temporary as I worked on their new coop. As they were still little, they used a modified rabbit hutch, they roosted in. Even Lee would scramble all around the pen after crickets & then up the ramp into the hutch, where they all snuggled at night.
When we had hurricane Ian, I had to move them, set them up indoors, in a room about the size of a barn stall. EVERYONE here was indoors, high winds blowing heavy rain sideways for a week! Then puddles & mud for 2 weeks. Entire flock hunkered down & stayed dry inside. That's when the other Guineas started picking on her, though, not causing injury, but I could tell this was going to escalate over time. They are able to fly & jump up high to roost, poor little Lee can't, she stays on the floor, drags her leg to get around. When I saw little peck marks, I had to move her back inside to my bathroom.
Well, shes got the whole big tub to herself, She's doing OK, eats & drinks, but it's obviously not a good quality of life for her. It is now October. The 4 younger Guineas are much larger than her! I think they're 2 males & 2 females. We've had more rain but the temperatures are starting to change & I need to get them back outside & I'm working to finish up inside of their new coop.
So, I've learned Guineas prefer to free range, but we have constant predators, so I do have predator proof pens & coops here...my question is, can I set those 4 up that way? They'll have their own coop & pen, (not sharing with Pigeons or Chickens nearby, as they have their own, too.) I figure they can get used to that being their "home base" where food & water is set up & safe roosting...but how long should I wait before opening the door & letting them free range? When we resettle Homing Pigeons from a different loft, we wait 2 months before letting them fly free, otherwise they fly back to their previous owner's loft. I figure the 4 Guineas will most likely immediately go for trees & I have a few, but next door is a vacant lot, all trees, often filled with hawks...what happens when hawks zoom in? Would Guineas come back to their coop to roost? If I leave that coop door open for them, I will get every other critter around invading...mice, raccoon, fox, neighbor's cats, etc., eating their food. So how do you deal with that? Just open & close door certian times & they'll figure it out? Or once I open their door, are they gone...preferring free life in trees on neighbor's wooded lot? Will they ever come back to their coop if I call them? Sorry for all the silly questions but I'm learning that they're very different from chickens & pigeons...I can call those birds in & they come running or flying to me, even land on me. The Guineas don't seem to reciprocate my affection for them Lol, yes, I know they'll never be friendly, that's OK, I just want them safe & alive.
As for Lee, I know there are times we must cull, but I can't personally do it & I will only have someone else do it, IF there is No hope for her. I need a vet, to find out if this is permanent tendon issue without possibility of repair, or was it a break that could possibly be rebroken & reset. The 1st challenge is finding a vet...Most only see parrots & are far.
As there is a wealth of experience here, can y'all give me some advice?
Is there any helping this poor bird?
Advice about the other 4 & how to keep them safe?
They won't like being confined to the coop & pen all of the time, right?
How can they free range safely? Am I nuts for thinking I might be able to call them in? Well, they gotta eat, I'll keep the feed inside the coop...will they come in for that & come in at dusk so I can shut the fox, raccoons & owls out to keep them alive?
Sorry I wrote a book of a post here. I really want to learn what's best for them!
Little Lee, when I 1st got her, up til now.
Lee is back in my bathroom tub now, sorry sweetie. Her leg is just not right.
New to Guineas Need Advice
- Participants
- Liz Birdlover
- Mixed flock enthusiast
- Start dateToday at 2:19 PM
[IMG alt="Liz Birdlover"]https://www.backyardchickens.com/data/avatars/m/500/500450.jpg?1629214145[/IMG]
Liz Birdlover
Free Ranging
Hi Guinea Lovers!
I need your expertise & advice.
I've had birds in my life a long time, Parrots, Homing Pigeons for decades, Chickens & Roosters I've come to adore since 2015 & now I've got Guineas...sort of began when a friend got some, 1 seemed injured & asked me to help. I saw them in a slippery bottom cage, so I thought it was just splay leg, which I've had good results with my "sling" & or tape methods, many times over the years, with Cockatiels & Pigeons.
This poor Guinea seemed to improve slightly, but then went right back to not having a functional leg. After scouring this site & internet in general, reading everything I can about it, I've come to the conclusion, she may have either broken her leg & it unfortunately mended in a bad position, or this poor bird has tendon issues (which probably is the case & 1st time I have ever seen it, let alone dealt with it). Her growth also seems stunted.
She is currently set up in a large tub in my bathroom, lined with towels for traction, she eats & drinks, but she isn't walking, its more like scurrying, crawling, wing flapping with a bum leg. She gets where she's goin, but that's no quality life for any bird. I am searching for a decent avian vet, may need a road trip to visit one.
I find it difficult giving up on a creature that is eating & drinking. I know she may need to be humanely put down, just want to see if there is hope she could possibly walk & live as she should. It's the 1 leg that sticks out & basically the foot even faces the wrong way. This was noticed when she was maybe One & a 1/2 to 2 weeks old, July 4th, she was very little then. My friend told me she seemed to be getting progressively worse, it wasn't sudden. I got her end of July. After 4 weeks doing well, taped legs with cushion between knees, in a sling, she walked around pretty good, about a week! Only her toes looked odd, but I hoped they'd straighten out.
An injured pigeon in a sling, that was a compound fracture broken leg (hawk attack) had curled toes, but after a week out of the sling his toes straightened back out & he walked perfectly, so I thought her toes would, too. She was in the tub with a young pigeon also in recovery (temporary, they snuggled together & got along very well). But instead of toes improving, that leg started facing outwards & she began dragging it again. Her pigeon buddy recovered & went back out to the pigeon loft, but I learned Guineas need more of their own kind. So, I got 4 younger Guineas, to grow up with her. I had all 5 of them in the tub & heated bathroom, then when they didn't need heat I moved them outside in a large pen for a few weeks, this was temporary as I worked on their new coop. As they were still little, they used a modified rabbit hutch, they roosted in. Even Lee would scramble all around the pen after crickets & then up the ramp into the hutch, where they all snuggled at night.
When we had hurricane Ian, I had to move them, set them up indoors, in a room about the size of a barn stall. EVERYONE here was indoors, high winds blowing heavy rain sideways for a week! Then puddles & mud for 2 weeks. Entire flock hunkered down & stayed dry inside. That's when the other Guineas started picking on her, though, not causing injury, but I could tell this was going to escalate over time. They are able to fly & jump up high to roost, poor little Lee can't, she stays on the floor, drags her leg to get around. When I saw little peck marks, I had to move her back inside to my bathroom.
Well, shes got the whole big tub to herself, She's doing OK, eats & drinks, but it's obviously not a good quality of life for her. It is now October. The 4 younger Guineas are much larger than her! I think they're 2 males & 2 females. We've had more rain but the temperatures are starting to change & I need to get them back outside & I'm working to finish up inside of their new coop.
So, I've learned Guineas prefer to free range, but we have constant predators, so I do have predator proof pens & coops here...my question is, can I set those 4 up that way? They'll have their own coop & pen, (not sharing with Pigeons or Chickens nearby, as they have their own, too.) I figure they can get used to that being their "home base" where food & water is set up & safe roosting...but how long should I wait before opening the door & letting them free range? When we resettle Homing Pigeons from a different loft, we wait 2 months before letting them fly free, otherwise they fly back to their previous owner's loft. I figure the 4 Guineas will most likely immediately go for trees & I have a few, but next door is a vacant lot, all trees, often filled with hawks...what happens when hawks zoom in? Would Guineas come back to their coop to roost? If I leave that coop door open for them, I will get every other critter around invading...mice, raccoon, fox, neighbor's cats, etc., eating their food. So how do you deal with that? Just open & close door certian times & they'll figure it out? Or once I open their door, are they gone...preferring free life in trees on neighbor's wooded lot? Will they ever come back to their coop if I call them? Sorry for all the silly questions but I'm learning that they're very different from chickens & pigeons...I can call those birds in & they come running or flying to me, even land on me. The Guineas don't seem to reciprocate my affection for them Lol, yes, I know they'll never be friendly, that's OK, I just want them safe & alive.
As for Lee, I know there are times we must cull, but I can't personally do it & I will only have someone else do it, IF there is No hope for her. I need a vet, to find out if this is permanent tendon issue without possibility of repair, or was it a break that could possibly be rebroken & reset. The 1st challenge is finding a vet...Most only see parrots & are far.
As there is a wealth of experience here, can y'all give me some advice?
Is there any helping this poor bird?
Advice about the other 4 & how to keep them safe?
They won't like being confined to the coop & pen all of the time, right?
How can they free range safely? Am I nuts for thinking I might be able to call them in? Well, they gotta eat, I'll keep the feed inside the coop...will they come in for that & come in at dusk so I can shut the fox, raccoons & owls out to keep them alive?
Sorry I wrote a book of a post here. I really want to learn what's best for them!
Little Lee, when I 1st got her, up til now.
Lee is back in my bathroom tub now, sorry sweetie. Her leg is just not right.
Last edited:
. 
They seem to be much more stinky than chickens...almost like constant cecal.
doing the "right thing" often means doing the hardest thing.you'll remember her, but the 4 you have will make you so 
-y, - it'll get easier. 
Sometimes there is just no way to fix what is broken. After spending so much time nursing and taking care of Lee, of course you’re going to feel just awful that there wasn’t more you could do. What an agonizing decision to have to make about an animal that you care so much about! You’re amazing though to have maintained this bird for so long, you gave Lee friends and human companionship, to have provided so much more care and comfort than Lee would have otherwise experienced. It wasn’t a long life, but Lee felt amazingly well for a long time, considering what a painful condition this was. I hope you know that you provided well for Lee and did your very best to give your bird the best life possible. I also hope you’re able to focus on all the good times and cute ways of your bird in time. 
