First time hatching Guinea Fowl

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Plucky Clucks

Plucky Clucks

Chirping
Dec 21, 2015
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I have 6 GF eggs that go into lockdown tonight. Any tips on raising these guys would be greatly appreciated. I've been well so far with my other chicks but I've been hearing that GF are much more fragile when young. Thanks!
 
Make sure you have the humidity high enough for hatching. They require a higher humidity then chickens. Try to get it around 70-74%

As far as raising them, same requirements as chicks, heat lamp so it's 99* under it. I like to use paper towel for the flooring for the first week and change it daily. Then I switch to wood shavings. Don't use newspaper as its slippery and can cause leg issues. Turkey starter is the best food for them since they do better with a higher protein then chick starter. It's also recommended to put marbles in the water dish for the first week or two. Keets have been known to fall asleep and drown even in the shallow ones.
 
Little suckeres got impatient and started hatching even before lockdown! All six doing well, last one zipping now. How well do these guys do with other chicks such as chickens and ducks? I've got a large brooder going with some baby Welsummer and bantams and was wondering about putting them into together.
 
Plucky Clucks said:
Little suckeres got impatient and started hatching even before lockdown! All six doing well, last one zipping now. How well do these guys do with other chicks such as chickens and ducks? I've got a large brooder going with some baby Welsummer and bantams and was wondering about putting them into together.
Click to expand...

I brood chicks and keets together on a regular basis. I feed all of them turkey starter (28% protein) which the keets really need the higher protein for proper development. As long as the chicks aren't too much bigger than the keets it goes fine. They should do fine with bantam chicks.

Do not brood them with ducklings since the keets need to be kept dry.
 
Plucky Clucks said:
Little suckeres got impatient and started hatching even before lockdown!
Click to expand...


Every time I incubate guinea eggs they hatch on day 25-26 rarely do they ever take the full estimated 28 days... My incubation temps are dead on, chicken eggs in the same incubator almost always take the full 21 days so it's not a higher temp issue in the incubator causing the guinea to develop and hatch faster...

My only advise that has not already been given above just like their adult counterparts, they like to sprint from point A to point B to point C at full speed, so give them a big enough brooder to allow them to sprint around like demonic demons...
 
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I raised my last batch with chicks of the same age. They did really good. I think the chicks helped keep the keets calmer.

Agree with poster above, ducks are not a good idea
 
Wow, these guys really do jet around! 5 out of the six hatched successfully so that's pretty good for shipped eggs. I'm waiting on a batch of mixed EE'S that are in lockdown right now that I'll put in with these guys. Very flighty, hopefully they'll calm some.
 
I don't expect much taming from what I've read about them but it'll be an interesting experience. They're so funny when they sleep, all sacked out like the dead.
 

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