Please Help! Guinea hen can't stand up.

[LivyB]

I have 8 male and 2 female common guineas. They free range all day and stay in their coop at night. They are about seven months old. Of the two females one is smaller and doesn't vocalize properly. She's always been like this, but in the past two or three months the males have started shunning her. She typically stays about 10 to 30 or so yards away from the rest of the group and lays down when they are nearby (out of submission??) but she does follow them around and if they get too far away they will call for her to catch up. Recently, she has started laying down a lot more and walking really slowly...almost never running (as they do all the time) and not roosting in the trees with them. Today she took a major nosedive. She lays down all the time and can't stand up for more than a couple seconds or take more than a few steps before laying down again. She does not appear to have a limp. We put her in rabbit cage with bedding, food, water and a heat lamp. She is eating like crazy, but still can't stand up. Is it possible she has a vitamin deficiency because the males don't let her eat out of the feeder? Or does it sound more like a disease or parasite? Her poop seems fine, no runny nose or eyes and no weird paralysis type movements. She just won't stand up.

 

[R2elk]

I have 8 male and 2 female common guineas. They free range all day and stay in their coop at night. They are about seven months old. Of the two females one is smaller and doesn't vocalize properly. She's always been like this, but in the past two or three months the males have started shunning her. She typically stays about 10 to 30 or so yards away from the rest of the group and lays down when they are nearby (out of submission??) but she does follow them around and if they get too far away they will call for her to catch up. Recently, she has started laying down a lot more and walking really slowly...almost never running (as they do all the time) and not roosting in the trees with them. Today she took a major nosedive. She lays down all the time and can't stand up for more than a couple seconds or take more than a few steps before laying down again. She does not appear to have a limp. We put her in rabbit cage with bedding, food, water and a heat lamp. She is eating like crazy, but still can't stand up. Is it possible she has a vitamin deficiency because the males don't let her eat out of the feeder? Or does it sound more like a disease or parasite? Her poop seems fine, no runny nose or eyes and no weird paralysis type movements. She just won't stand up.

It is very possible that she has a deficiency but I suspect that she either has a calcium deficiency or the inability to properly process calcium due to a vitamin D deficiency. My recommendation is to separate her from the flock but in a manner that the flock can still see her and she can see them. Get some liquid calcium usually available at a pet store or online. Follow the directions for mixing it in her water. If she has a calcium deficiency using the liquid calcium is the fastest way to get her calcium levels back up.

If she doesn't start improving in a few days, you might want to try giving her some vitamin D also.

 

[LivyB]

It is very possible that she has a deficiency but I suspect that she either has a calcium deficiency or the inability to properly process calcium due to a vitamin D deficiency. My recommendation is to separate her from the flock but in a manner that the flock can still see her and she can see them. Get some liquid calcium usually available at a pet store or online. Follow the directions for mixing it in her water. If she has a calcium deficiency using the liquid calcium is the fastest way to get her calcium levels back up.

If she doesn't start improving in a few days, you might want to try giving her some vitamin D also.

Thanks R2elk,
I'm going to head out to get some liquid calcium as soon as they open. Hopefully that's all she needs.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks R2elk,
I'm going to head out to get some liquid calcium as soon as they open. Hopefully that's all she needs.

You may want to provide multiple feeders and waterers so that the bullies can't stop the lowest members from eating and drinking. It is also wise to provide hiding places so that the bottom of the pecking order members can get away from those picking on them.

 

[LivyB]

You may want to provide multiple feeders and waterers so that the bullies can't stop the lowest members from eating and drinking. It is also wise to provide hiding places so that the bottom of the pecking order members can get away from those picking on them.

Okay I will do this. She spends time alone in the run (where the food is) so I thought she was fine, but I wonder if it is psychological at this point...like she doesn't think she is allowed to eat out of that one, because when I put her in isolation she started eating like crazy. Sometimes she sleeps on the perch at night, but other times she sleeps under the nesting boxes. We talked about putting cat carrier under there without the door on so she could climb inside. Do you think that would work as a hiding place?

 

[R2elk]

Okay I will do this. She spends time alone in the run (where the food is) so I thought she was fine, but I wonder if it is psychological at this point...like she doesn't think she is allowed to eat out of that one, because when I put her in isolation she started eating like crazy. Sometimes she sleeps on the perch at night, but other times she sleeps under the nesting boxes. We talked about putting cat carrier under there without the door on so she could climb inside. Do you think that would work as a hiding place?

One of the things I do is to lean plywood or other wide pieces of wood against a wall with the bottom far enough from the wall to let birds pass behind the board. The board method allows for entrance or exit from either side while the cat carrier could act as a trap since their is only one entrance and exit.

 

[LivyB]

One of the things I do is to lean plywood or other wide pieces of wood against a wall with the bottom far enough from the wall to let birds pass behind the board. The board method allows for entrance or exit from either side while the cat carrier could act as a trap since their is only one entrance and exit.

Good point! We'll do this.

 

[LivyB]

I started giving her Nutri-Drench in her water and I have witnessed her drinking and eating so I know she's getting the vitamins. It looks like she may have improved a little, but it is hard to tell. I still haven't seen her stand a lot, but maybe a bit more?? I also notice that she has both formed and liquid poo. The times she has liquid poo it looks the same color as the formed.

 

[R2elk]

I started giving her Nutri-Drench in her water and I have witnessed her drinking and eating so I know she's getting the vitamins. It looks like she may have improved a little, but it is hard to tell. I still haven't seen her stand a lot, but maybe a bit more?? I also notice that she has both formed and liquid poo. The times she has liquid poo it looks the same color as the formed.

The wet looking stuff means that she is getting lots of water which she could have been on the dehydrated side also.

Good luck.

 

[LivyB]

Thanks again for your continued responses. I also discovered that my state university's cooperative extension has a lab where I can send stool samples so I am going to do that as well. I figure it can't hurt and it doesn't cost that much.