Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[Susan1981lic]

Hello everyone, I’ve had guinea hens for about 5 years but this year presents a new problem for me. One of my guineas hens hatched 4 keets that I managed to confiscate and have under a heat lamp. They are 3 weeks old now. What I’m not sure about is when can I move them to the outside coop, I live in northern MN and we have already been seeing freezing temps at night and 50’s to 60’s during the day. I was planning on keeping them indoors under heat lamp until 4 weeks then changing the heat lamp bulb to a 100 watt build until they are 6 weeks. I was going to then move them to the coop outdoors. Is the cold weather we have here going to be ok for them in the coop? I was going to put the 100 watt bulb in the outdoor coop as well. I don’t want to stress them with the cold wrather but the longer I wait to move them outdoor the colder it’s getting outside. Any insight is much appreciated. P.S. I just discovered my other momma guinea is laying...she has a nest of 6 eggs already...I’m assuming they have froze during the nighttime hours though since she is not sitting on the nest yet.

 

[Sydney65]

Hello everyone, I’ve had guinea hens for about 5 years but this year presents a new problem for me. One of my guineas hens hatched 4 keets that I managed to confiscate and have under a heat lamp. They are 3 weeks old now. What I’m not sure about is when can I move them to the outside coop, I live in northern MN and we have already been seeing freezing temps at night and 50’s to 60’s during the day. I was planning on keeping them indoors under heat lamp until 4 weeks then changing the heat lamp bulb to a 100 watt build until they are 6 weeks. I was going to then move them to the coop outdoors. Is the cold weather we have here going to be ok for them in the coop? I was going to put the 100 watt bulb in the outdoor coop as well. I don’t want to stress them with the cold wrather but the longer I wait to move them outdoor the colder it’s getting outside. Any insight is much appreciated. P.S. I just discovered my other momma guinea is laying...she has a nest of 6 eggs already...I’m assuming they have froze during the nighttime hours though since she is not sitting on the nest yet.

Soo..how do you feel about over wintering with 4 keets/guineas? Lol. I've been dbl checking and read 8wks/when fully feathered. I have my 5 week olds out in the coop/run now during the day while the elders are free ranging. They come in before nightfall but they're big,healthy, it's still 80° out, and they're not staying in all winter. But you get the snap in Mi before In does.
Now rumor has it that cold stuff is coming early and I have one about to hatch, so may indeed have one roommate this yr.

 

[Susan1981lic]

Soo..how do you feel about over wintering with 4 keets/guineas? Lol. I've been dbl checking and read 8wks/when fully feathered. I have my 5 week olds out in the coop/run now during the day while the elders are free ranging. They come in before nightfall but they're big,healthy, it's still 80° out, and they're not staying in all winter. But you get the snap in Mi before In does.
Now rumor has it that cold stuff is coming early and I have one about to hatch, so may indeed have one roommate this yr.

Oh boy...that’s what I was afraid of...never had keets or chicks so late in the year. Thanks for your reply

 

[R2elk]

Now rumor has it that cold stuff is coming early

Cold stuff isn't coming early. It is already here. My garden is done after 28°F this morning that followed 4 3/8" of snow blanketing it Monday night.

 

[Sydney65]

Cold stuff isn't coming early. It is already here. My garden is done after 28°F this morning that followed 4 3/8" of snow blanketing it Monday night.

Yikes -I am not ready for that. So what's your opinion on weaning the keets into it?

 

[R2elk]

Yikes -I am not ready for that. So what's your opinion on weaning the keets into it?

My two month old that had never seen snow before is doing fine. As long as they are fully feathered and have been acclimated to the ambient temperature, I don't worry about it. It does help to have a draft free place for the night for them.

Guineas in the background from Tuesday.

 

[Susan1981lic]

My two month old that had never seen snow before is doing fine. As long as they are fully feathered and have been acclimated to the ambient temperature, I don't worry about it. It does help to have a draft free place for the night for them.

Guineas in the background from Tuesday.

Great pic!...minus the snow of course

 

[R2elk]

Great pic!...minus the snow of course

They weren't happy. The snow completely buried their nest. Poor things had to lay their eggs in the coop.

 

[guineapeeps]

Cold stuff isn't coming early. It is already here. My garden is done after 28°F this morning that followed 4 3/8" of snow blanketing it Monday night.

I’m not going to complain about the endless rain here or about hurricane season anymore after seeing your temps and snow.

 

[R2elk]

I’m not going to complain about the endless rain here or about hurricane season anymore after seeing your temps and snow.

I would rather deal with the snow.