HELP!! 6 of 17 DEAD!!! (Guinea Keets) - 7/18: Lost another one...

[PattySh]

Sorry to hear you lost some of the guineas. I hatched about a dozen guineas this year and they all survived. It is normal to leave the birds in an incubator for 24 hrs to "fluff up and allow the area attached to the yolk to close. They are generally pretty hardy little creatures. Sounds like either a bad hatch (dirty incubator/off temps etc) or they got chilled and piled. Most hatcheries ship and it can take a couple of days. I thought hatcheries had to be inspected, sorry to hear this one is so gross.

 

[Roll farms]

FWIW, I hatch hundreds of guinea every year (to sell) and rarely lose any. I like to raise them w/ turkeys to 'teach' the turkeys how to live instead of die.

My dh wishes they'd all croak...unfortunately for him....they don't.

 

[elevan]

Thank you everyone for your help and / or support.

We are still holding at 11 keets. They seem to be doing pretty well and hopefully no more losses

The whole thing was more than a little upsetting with the friend flaking out, having to drive a little over an hour to get them, the hatchery being less than satisfactory and then 6 dying one right after the other I felt sick constantly handing DH a dead keet to go bury in the yard. I won't do business with that hatchery again that is for sure.

 

[manybirds]

guineas are hardier than chickens and almost as hardy as ducks/geese. your not giving them laying mash are you?

 

[elevan]

guineas are hardier than chickens and almost as hardy as ducks/geese. your not giving them laying mash are you?

I'm giving them game bird starter.

 

[elevan]

We lost another one this morning...so we're down by 7 with only 10 left. Now, I'm losing money and getting really ticked off!

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

See, I get mad and I start calling people. Better Business Bureau would be first - that is if I've already called the hatchery. Then after the BBB, let's call the local humane society, SPCA, or Animal Investigator. I could go on, but it turns out President Obama won't return my calls. :/

 

[elevan]

See, I get mad and I start calling people. Better Business Bureau would be first - that is if I've already called the hatchery. Then after the BBB, let's call the local humane society, SPCA, or Animal Investigator. I could go on, but it turns out President Obama won't return my calls. :/

The hatchery's policy is to give you a credit toward a future order...and since I won't be ordering from them again ever that's not an option.

I think letting everyone know of my experience (here, on BYC and on Facebook) will serve a better purpose than making a bunch of additional phone calls. After all, when a customer has a good expense they tell a few people BUT when they have a bad experience they tell EVERYONE they know. Ridgeway operates mostly on word of mouth referrals...they do a little advertising but not much. They won't be getting any referrals from me.

Next time I'll find a BYH or BYC member who hatches guineas or I'll order from Meyer, which is my hatchery of choice for chicks.

 

[jodief100]

This is my first year with guineas and turkeys. I haven't lost a single one of either, 13 guineas (I ordered 12) and 6 turkeys. I picked them up day one at Mt Healthy, asked Roll what to feed them and haven't had a problem. Maybe I just got lucky but who knows.

If you are in Central Ohio, Roll isn't that far and she sells gunieas. It is worth the trip just to meet her and her goats.

 

[terrilhb]

I am so sorry you are going through this. the place you bought them from sucks. Sorry for the language I want to say much worse but I don't want to be in trouble. I will help you post how bad they are. I once again am so sorry.