early??

[matt swenson]

so i put my guinea hen eggs in the incubator on feb 26, at 99.5. thought they take 26 to 28 days. one hatched today. candled them all before putting in and none had anything started. have five unhatched. should i still turn the others? also my source was sketchy at best. what do the chicks look like? do they peep like chickens? also are the eggs about 1/3 the size of a chicken?
This chick sounds exactly like ever chicken i have ever hatched.

 

[R2elk]

so i put my guinea hen eggs in the incubator on feb 26, at 99.5. thought they take 26 to 28 days. one hatched today. candled them all before putting in and none had anything started. have five unhatched. should i still turn the others? also my source was sketchy at best. what do the chicks look like? do they peep like chickens? also are the eggs about 1/3 the size of a chicken?

Normally guinea eggs take 26 to 28 days to hatch. If your incubator is running high they can hatch a little earlier. If one hatched today on day 21 it is very likely not a guinea. If the eggs were on the small size it is possible that you got a bantam egg rather than a guinea egg.

Guinea keets do not look like chicks and they do not peep like chicks.

Two guinea eggs are the equivalent of one large chicken egg.
Guinea eggs

Assorted guinea keets

 

[matt swenson]

This chick peeps just like a chicken and hatched on day 20. the eggs are small like 1.75 inches. i guessing it's a bantam. it came form this farm auction in western ma. already had some bad experiences there, fixed bids, sellers bidding on their own lots etc... if this turns out to be a chicken it would be par for the monkey show you expect.

 

[R2elk]

This chick peeps just like a chicken and hatched on day 20. the eggs are small like 1.75 inches. i guessing it's a bantam. it came form this farm auction in western ma. already had some bad experiences there, fixed bids, sellers bidding on their own lots etc... if this turns out to be a chicken it would be par for the monkey show you expect.

Hatching on day 20 and peeps like a chick is a chick. If from small eggs, it is most likely a bantam. The other clue is that guineas in MA should not even be laying at this time of year.

 

[matt swenson]

Remember that egg that hatched Last Monday? Well thought the others were duds but one hatched today.... wonder what it is?

think it might be a keet as it sound nothing like the other chick. after the first egg hatched at 20 days i let the others go for a few more day. nothing happened I was going to toss them but decided to let them go. started some new chicken eggs and left the four little eggs in. so now i have on bantam, one keet(?) and two eggs still cooking.

 

[R2elk]

Remember that egg that hatched Last Monday? Well thought the others were duds but one hatched today.... wonder what it is?

think it might be a keet as it sound nothing like the other chick. after the first egg hatched at 20 days i let the others go for a few more day. nothing happened I was going to toss them but decided to let them go. started some new chicken eggs and left the four little eggs in. so now i have on bantam, one keet(?) and two eggs still cooking.

Post pictures if you want an identification attempted.

 

[matt swenson]

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 1713437 View attachment 1713438

Yes that is a Pearl Gray guinea keet.

 

[matt swenson]

Second hatched an one died mid hatch (my fault,tradgic accident) ..so two keets and a bantam chick. Not the best hatch out. Actually, some very valauable lessons learned. Number one..never give up on an egg. Number two...discount eggs, expect discount results.

 

[matt swenson]

only have 2 keets and the chick. rather then buy 50 lbs gamebird starter can i grind up emu feed? it' 23% protein. been doing this for chick starter the last few years, and works fine for them. feeding them that now but read 25% for keets is being off by 2% going be a problem??