1st time Guinea mum (almost)

[PeepsCA]

You normally won't see anything at day 4, but at day 6 you may be able to see some change if you know what you are looking for. Usually by day 8 it's pretty obvious if you have developing eggs. Some wait until day 10 or 14 to candle tho, when there is no need to guess.

I have a few pics of eggs that I took this past hatching season that might help you... but they are in automatic egg turners and they are collected eggs from my flocks, not shipped eggs. I am using a really bright C4 LED flashlight, since the shells are so thick and hard to see thru. If your eggs are laying on their sides you may not see the yolk settled at the bottom like in my pics.

Clear/infertile, no development.


Day 8, noticeable color change and faint veining.



Egg that was in a different incubator on the 6th day, clear/infertile.


6th day, fertile/developing egg, with noticeable color change.



8th day, developing egg with more visible veins and distinct color change.


Another developing egg on the 8th day.

 

[Kymw90]

To my surprise I candled again last night to check which had the floaty air sac and I saw life! All 5 but floaty air sac had darkness and pink in there which wasn't there before. Obvious darkening as well so I know I wasn't imagining it.

<<<< I literally did that last night <<<< I will give floaty until day 14 to be sure then I think I'll have to get rid of it. What a relief!!

 

[JLeigh]

Congratulations! Wait until you see them scooting around inside the egg. Now that's a thrill. They move around (not always though so don't worry if you don't catch them moving) inside the egg and it's unmistakable when they're larger. THEN, you'll see an internal pip in the egg, and that will make you do a rather lengthy dance of joy around the basement in a happy panic...oh, sorry, I'm talking about myself again

.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[kuntrygirl]

[COLOR=4B0082]If you want them to roost up in the barn rafters or above the stable then I suggest penning them up there for 6 wks once they are fully feathered and able to go outside... you'll want roosts of different heights so they can gradually work their way up to roosting up as high as they can go (they generally prefer to get up as high as they can as soon as they learn that they can fly tho). If you raise them in a coop and they get acclimated to living there then they may not relocate to your barn or stable, but if you can raise them where you want them to roost then they will generally acclimate on their own pretty quickly if it meets their needs. They typically do not like change and when faced with a new situation suddenly Guineas will often revert back to roosting where they are used to, or they may decide on their own where to roost (and that is rarely where you want them to roost). You can always take the pen down after they have made a routine of getting up high to roost.[/COLOR] [COLOR=4B0082]I don't provide high roosts for my birds because I coop them at night and prefer they not get in the [/COLOR]habit [COLOR=4B0082] of roosting up in trees or on top of the sheds/coops etc, plus there are no barn rafters for them to roost on here. I keep my coop's roosts lower to the ground, within a predator safe coop. So this [/COLOR]probably [COLOR=4B0082] won't give you much of an idea of what to build for your Guineas, but this is a summer pic of one of my coops that is built inside my goat's shed, (the back wall of the shed has been taken down for better air flow during the hot weather). The far area at the end is a built-in brooder for younger birds that I plan to integrate into the flock. These are all fairly young birds in this pic.[/COLOR] [COLOR=4B0082]And you are correct, they should be raised on turkey starter or game bird starter. I feed 27% protein (or higher) up to 6 wks old, then I wean them over to a grower feed with at least 20% and keep them on that until they are 12 wks old. After that any layer or all purpose poultry feed with a minimum of 16% protein will be fine.[/COLOR]

I LOVE your setup? What kind of bedding is that?

 

[PeepsCA]

Thanks Kuntry,
I use the large/coarse flake shavings from Tractor Supply in the coop section, and wheat straw in the brooder section. 4+ inches deep.

 

[kuntrygirl]

[COLOR=4B0082]Thanks Kuntry,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=4B0082]I use the large/coarse flake shavings from Tractor Supply in the coop section, and wheat straw in the brooder section. 4+ inches deep.[/COLOR]

Ok, I have a stupid question. What are the shavings made out of? Every time I see shavings, I think of saw dust. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO scared to use any kind of shavings. I think they will eat it and suffocate and die. Please educate me. :/

How much does the large/coarse flake shavings cost? How often do you change it out? Any problems with them eating it?

 

[PeepsCA]

The shavings are kiln dried pine from Tractor Supply, and they are the large flake shavings... not the fine, fluffy stuff. I don't have any issues with them eating it, but I provide feed and grit free choice so I am sure that helps. I usually buy 15-20 bags when they are on sale, but they are usually $4.99 or so for a compressed bag that says it'll cover 8 cu ft. (The price may vary tho since I am out here in CA). I change it all out at least 2 times a year... rake/sweep it all out then I'll shop vac like a mad woman. I usually do that after they molt in the Fall when the coop's full of feathers and then I'll do it again before they start laying in the Spring. The brooder part gets cleaned more frequently tho, since I use straw in there and younger keets are poop machines.

 

[bemba]

If you want them to roost up in the barn rafters or above the stable then I suggest penning them up there for 6 wks once they are fully feathered and able to go outside... you'll want roosts of different heights so they can gradually work their way up to roosting up as high as they can go (they generally prefer to get up as high as they can as soon as they learn that they can fly tho). If you raise them in a coop and they get acclimated to living there then they may not relocate to your barn or stable, but if you can raise them where you want them to roost then they will generally acclimate on their own pretty quickly if it meets their needs. They typically do not like change and when faced with a new situation suddenly Guineas will often revert back to roosting where they are used to, or they may decide on their own where to roost (and that is rarely where you want them to roost). You can always take the pen down after they have made a routine of getting up high to roost.

I don't provide high roosts for my birds because I coop them at night and prefer they not get in the habit of roosting up in trees or on top of the sheds/coops etc, plus there are no barn rafters for them to roost on here. I keep my coop's roosts lower to the ground, within a predator safe coop. So this probably won't give you much of an idea of what to build for your Guineas, but this is a summer pic of one of my coops that is built inside my goat's shed, (the back wall of the shed has been taken down for better air flow during the hot weather). The far area at the end is a built-in brooder for younger birds that I plan to integrate into the flock. These are all fairly young birds in this pic.



And you are correct, they should be raised on turkey starter or game bird starter. I feed 27% protein (or higher) up to 6 wks old, then I wean them over to a grower feed with at least 20% and keep them on that until they are 12 wks old. After that any layer or all purpose poultry feed with a minimum of 16% protein will be fine.

OMG peeps! Very cool!!! Look at those pieds!!!!!

 

[PeepsCA]

I hatch a lot of assorted colored Pieds... and it's really hard to sell them

But I can't keep them all.
This season I had to keep a few Pied Chocolates, a couple Pied Blondes and a couple Pied Coral Blues tho.
No way was I parting with those. (I'll get pics pf them posted eventually!)

 

[JLeigh]

The pied chocolates are heart-slayers, aren't they?