New to Guineas

cowgirlandfarm

In the Brooder
Mar 26, 2015
20
1
24
I am thinking of getting some guineas for tick control. I have some chicken experience but no guinea experience and would like if you guys gave me some pointers.

Some questions I have are;

1Health, I have heard that some people worm there guineas? And if I don't worm them could I still eat there eggs?
2 Is there any health problems that I should look for?
3 How do I tell the difference between male and female guineas I have heard about the calls but is there another way?
4 Could I just keep hens because I am not sure if I would like them breeding.

Thanks guys if I think of any more questions I will try and ask also please just tell me all the important things to know I have been researching but I thing it would be good if I talked to some fellow guinea owners.
 
4 is a big NO! Guineas need a partner otherwise the would call out for one all the time and feel lonley and stressed. So for every female you need a male. I know many people how tried to have groups with only one male or without a male and it always was an audio-disaster.

3 Easiest way is the call of the adult... male say something like Chik-Chik-Chik, female says something like: Bugkweah-Bugkweah....
Hens:
Male:

Some say they can tell by the waffles, but I am never sure till they begin to "talk".

2 Where I live the biggest problem is the weather. They come from afrika and don't do well in our cold and rainy weather. So a warm coop and a big run with a roof and an wind shelter is a must here. And that's why I have no guineas at the moment. As soon I have the money for an improved run, I will have them again.

1 I am all for de-worming. As a child I had a worm-infection.... I didn't liked it and I thing my pets don't like it, too. Think about it. If you don't like to have worms or lice or mites, why burden your friends with them?
 
I have never wormed my guineas or chickens and they are all perfectly healthy. Guinea eggs taste just like a chicken egg only they are small.

The females make a 2 syllable sound that males cannot make. I've heard it described a lot of different ways but to me it sounds like 'goback goback goback'! Some people are able to vent sex them when only a few months old. I've never tried it. I just go by the sound.

Other than splayed legs and pasty butt when they are newborn, guineas have very few health problems. Injuries happen occasionally but not that often.

If you don't want breeding then I would recommend only keeping males. They are quieter than the females. But it's a lonely life for any of them without mates.
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By the way,
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It's always best to buy them locally if you can find them. Shipping from hatcheries is hard on newborns and there is usually a minimum of 30. Check on Craig's List for guineas. Also ask at your local feed stores. They usually know who buys feed for their poultry.
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It's always best to buy them locally if you can find them. Shipping from hatcheries is hard on newborns and there is usually a minimum of 30. Check on Craig's List for guineas. Also ask at your local feed stores. They usually know who buys feed for their poultry.
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Okay if I was going to get them from a hatchery where would be the best place to get the m from?
 
It's best to get them from a hatchery that is close to you. The less time they spend in transit, the better. I don't know where you are located but there are some good ones in Iowa that I ordered my original flock from. I know there are breeders in California and Texas. Others on this forum can probably give some good recommendations.
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It's best to get them from a hatchery that is close to you. The less time they spend in transit, the better. I don't know where you are located but there are some good ones in Iowa that I ordered my original flock from. I know there are breeders in California and Texas. Others on this forum can probably give some good recommendations.
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I am in NJ
 
Also guys what should I feed them when they are keets? I planned on feeding them game bird feed when they have grown but im not sure what to feed them when they first come.
 

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