First time hatching keets

[tomingreeneco]

My guineas started laying and I was hopping one might go broody. Well that did not happen (they are only a little over a year old). When I went to TSC to get some pine shavings I saw an incubator on sale. I thought what the heck and bought it. Placed 29 guinea eggs in it on 4/21/11. Last night one started to pip and this morning 12 had hatched. By tonight I had 22 keets. They hatched early so maybe the others will still hatch. Since this is my first time with guinea eggs I thought if I would get 6-8 to hatch I would be happy. Now I have a whole army of new guineas! It sure is going to get a lot noisier around here!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Wow! They're beautiful!

Now....tell the details of incubating them, please.....temp, humidity, incubator details, etc.....

Thanks for showing these adorable pics!

 

[perchie.girl]

good job

what brand of incubator was it.... just curious

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Our story is similar....I too bought an incubator at TSC.....Put Guinea eggs in on 4/18. My story ends quite differently.

Only 2 of my 9 hatched, and they did so with difficulty.

Please take a few moments and tell what model incubator, and all that you did, including settings and humidity, etc. Trying to learn to do better.

Thank you!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
Beautiful hatch, nice mix of colors, congrats!

 

[tomingreeneco]

First I would like to thank all the people who posted on this forum about hatching Guinea eggs. Learned a lot!

The incubator I used was an inexpensive Little Giant Still Air Incubator. Placed the eggs in it after I tried to keep a constant temp between 99.5F and 102F for 24 hours. (I had read on this forum that with a still air incubator some had better luck with a temp closer to 102F then the usual 99.5 f for guinea eggs.) Filled the reservoirs with water and placed the top on. I placed an “X” with pencil on each egg so I new what side they were on when I turned them. I turned the eggs 4-5 time a day. I was constantly playing with the thermostat on the incubator. It would start to get too high so I would turn it down. It wold be OK for a day then get too low so I would have to turn it up. A constant battle with temp control, but the incubator was low end product. Filled the reservoirs when they got low (I did not have any way to check the humidity) and waited for day 25. On day 25 I filled the reservoirs again, opened the air holes on the top and turned the eggs for the last time. The nest day, surprise, eggs were starting to hatch. 12 during the night and another 10 during the day. Had 7 more left and candled them. Culled 3 that showed no sign of anything inside and have 4 that are still in the incubator. Now I have too many keets. Does anyone know if 32 guinea can be kept in a 6 by 8 coop with 8 ft ceilings. I have perches in the rafters and can add a few more, but I think I may have to try to sell some or something. I would love to keep them all but I also do not want them to be too crowded. I'll post more pics as they get older.

 

[Doctor T]

Awesome job!!!
Hope mine do as well!

 

[tomingreeneco]

Well I only have room for about 10 new keets in my coop so I will have to sell the others. I have a post in the buy/sell section if anyone needs some extra guinea. Hope I can find a good home for them as they sure are cute little buggers.