Hello all you wonderfully supportive folk
Well more sad news I am afraid re the orphans. Following the death of the second one earlier this week I took the decision that we would try and see if our other new Mum would take them on (she had 5 littleuns last saturday but two were still born). Mavis took to them like a duck to water, her littleuns were actually larger in size to the three orphans. Thursday another of the ophans showed that weak back leg syndrome thing and was dead within two hours. All looked well yesterday, but this morning the smallest of the orphans (jaffa) was found dead. What have I done wrong? Poor little would have been two weeks old this afternoon and I thought we would be through the worst now, she was eating herself and drinking. The last surviving orphan looks strong and is eating etc and suckling. What a two weeks! Mum and four of her five passed away and another had two stillborns, but I suppose that without my attempt at handrearing they would have died much sooner.
The Vets have no idea why the littleuns passed away, they suggest that the failure to thrive could have been inherited from Mum - but she was fed exactly them same as my other guineas who are all well. Or it could be post trauma from the op, or it could be the milk substitute wasn't right. I am safe in the knowledge that I did the best that I could for them and that they received love in their short little lives and gave so much joy in return. Mum and three babies are buried side by side in the lavender bed, off to lay Jaffa to join them now. Lets hope the last orphan (kitkat) keeps going!
Phil