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Friday, April 15, 2011

Guinea Foot Issue - Help!

I noticed yesterday that the dark Guinea girl was limping a little. I didn't think much of it until she spent most of today inside the coop and when I checked on her the limp seemed to have gotten a bit worse. I brought her in the house and examined her feet, the noodles were a treat to calm her down a bit.


He left middle toe nail is broken and she has developed some kind of enlarged hard tissue underneath. It didn't feel warm or excessively hard, but it looks really strange.


I took a look at the other foot and it has a normal middle toe but the same large growth on the outer right toe. What is this?


Here is another shot of the outer right toe. I looked up bumble foot and saw a few pictures that don't seem to match what I'm seeing. The underneath of the the center of her feet were normal. Anyone have any ideas what this could be or how to treat it?


For the lack of anything better to do I sprayed some Blue Kote on her growths, it is a antibiotic anti bacterial spray.


A quick noodle treat and she was on her way back to the coop. She didn't come outside the rest of the evening. When I decided the guinea needed to be brought in the house I was prepared for a LOT of LOUD screaming, she didn't make a sound the entire time - odd.

I would appreciate any suggestions, this has me stumped and I would hate to lose another guinea.

10 comments:

  1. First of all, that must have been a major feat, to bring a guinea into the house! Our guineas really do not like to be held!

    I'm not sure what's wrong with the feet. The outer toe on the left foot looks like it's starting to get big, too. Are the guineas able to walk around during the day and wear down their toenails? Do any of the others have this beginning on their toes? I'd do a serious online search for this toe issue! is there something you can soak her feet in to help bring out any infection? It's sad because she's limping, that means maybe it hurts her, doesn't it? I'll let you know if I find out anything to help! Let us know what you find out! Good luck!

    ~Lynn

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  2. So sorry I can't help you out. I know nothing about guineas. I did get a chuckle out of noodles as a treat! I wouldn't have thought about them liking it. Do you suppose they think it's a worm and get disappointed when they taste it?

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  3. Lynn - She was inside the coop when we caught her, otherwise I agree it would have been impossible. I don't have any hope of soaking her feet, this may just have to play its way out on its own.

    The other Guineas have long nails too so I think its normal. The other Guineas are all over the yard so I expect them to wear down naturally.

    Teresa - The Guineas and chickens LOVE noodles or pasta of any kind. There is absolutely no disappointment, it is a special treat.

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  4. hey baby! we know how to do the bumblefoot surgery. you can do it. check the bottom of the big bulby thingy - is there a black spot on it!? or is it just swollen??

    if there IS a black spot on the wound its bumblefoot. this is a great resource of "how to" and its way worse on you than on them:
    http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=236649

    if there is no black spot... then it almost looks like she sprained/broke the joint - and what you are doing is just fine. however i'd put her in a small, warm/dry cage and try to keep in off her foot for a couple days.

    *hugs!* and congrats on the new babies!!!

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  5. OFG - I checked for bumblefoot the first time and I don't think that is the problem. Unfortunately I sprayed the Blue Kote on so there is no looking for any black spots now.

    It could be a broken joint, she almost never leaves the coop now.

    I love the new lambs!

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  6. Id come in too if you fed me noodles :)

    Hope shes on the mend now - is there anything she might have gotten her toes stuck on and she struggled and pulled? Since its the outer toe and lead toe, I would suspect that....

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  7. GoWest - That is what I think happened to her. She came out of the coop briefly today so I have hopes she will heal. Noodles is the secret to getting a lot of eggs on a daily basis, shhh!

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  8. We lost a little bantam rooster just recently that I think had gout. Both legs and feet were swollen up. He limped around for a long while, we limited his access to the layer pellets, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Over a couple of days he suddenly got worse and then died.
    How is your guinea doing now?

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  9. Karen - She is back to doing 'normal' Guinea things. I think she may have got her feet stuck in something and broke off two of her nails trying to get out. That may have been the cause of the swelling. I saw her running yesterday with no limp so I think the worst is past.

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  10. I realize this is posted a long time after the original but I found a pretty good way to soak poultry feet. I draw about 3 inches of warm water in the bath tub, put some epsom salts in it. then i go get the chicken or guinea and set it in the tub and pull the shower curtain. So far this seems to keep them calm and they stand there for 5- 10 minutes.

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