FOODS GUINEAS CAN AND CAN'T EAT

[R2elk]

How about mealworm?

Mealworms can be fed to any poultry. The amount that is fed needs to limited. They are 50% protein. Excessive protein can cause kidney problems in any poultry.

 

[Naverretia]

I've been incubating keets for a couple months now, I have 22 now of varying age (Plus their 4 parents). The best food we could find was 16% so I have been giving them boiled mashed eggs every day because I thought it might help. Can anyone help me out with what else I could use to supplement very young birds? Canned tuna, kitten food?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I completely forgot I posted this thread years ago. Went looking again for why not to feed guineas legumes (after all they are such a good protein source) and it is here for anyone who is interested.

https://guinea-fowl.com/guineas/What-to-feed-and what-to-avoid.html

EXCERPT:

2. Never let your chickens to eat dried lentils or raw beans.​

Beans need to be heat treated or roasted. They contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin which is fatal to humans in surprisingly small quantities let along guinea fowl. Don't let them into a vegetable patch where beans are going. as few as 4 beans can kill.​

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Dried beans are known to create very serious illness and even death in adult humans and poultry, they are always fatal. Kidney beans are the worst culprit but any bean which has not been properly cooked is potentially lethal for your Guineas.​

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Once eaten, there's nothing to be done to save the bird.​

Had a quick look at Google and some science sources; seems like the toxin is highest in red kidney beans. Didn't find much data yet for lentils or other types of beans but it makes sense, since you always cook red kidney beans for 40mins before eating, whereas some other legumes such as garden peas, green beans and peanuts can be eaten raw, and lentils only need to be cooked for 15mins or so. At least that is my general rule for eating them. I'm not sure I dare yet to give any uncooked legume to my guineas though.

That does remind me that the organic chicken feed at the local store contains dried green peas (if I remember correctly). I never bought it. However I would like to look at increasing my guineas' protein, since I know that normal layer mash has less protein than what guineas should have (15%) and mixed grain (which my guineas eat during the winter because they won't touch the layer pellets anymore) is terrible at 10%. I know they eat bugs during the day but I have no idea whether it is enough or if the reason they get through so much layer mash and mixed grain is that they are making up for the low quality food in quantity.

And the probiotic mix I give them ("custard" we call it, it is a treat for them as well as what they eat when they are sick) contains soybeans. Cooked, I presume, as the guineas have been eating it for years with no problems.

I'll keep doing my research, and post sporadic updates here. Probably.

But my question is: do you feed your guineas or chickens any form of legume? What type and how do you prepare it?

And also, refresh my memory, what % protein are adult guineas supposed to get? My old guineas are getting fat. Too many carbs perhaps?

If Lentils are toxic to chickens uncooked, why is dried lentils in some chicken treat bags?

I fed my birds a bag of grain, & bug mix that had: Orange Lentils, Corn, oat groats, peanuts, Soldierfly Larvae, & Mealworms. As a treat.(Not the entire bag at one time)
They were perfectly fine.

 

[R2elk]

I've been incubating keets for a couple months now, I have 22 now of varying age (Plus their 4 parents). The best food we could find was 16% so I have been giving them boiled mashed eggs every day because I thought it might help. Can anyone help me out with what else I could use to supplement very young birds? Canned tuna, kitten food?

Where are you located? If you are in the U.S. you can order proper turkey or game starter from Chewy.com. In my experience their shipping cost is reasonable.

Unfortunately the hard boiled eggs are only 12% protein. They do contain the essential amino acids in the best form possible.

Protein isn't the only problem when using the wrong type of feed. They also need higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. You can take care of the niacin shortage by dissolving a half tablet of vitamin B complex in one gallon of water. Make it their only source of water. It should be made fresh daily.

Some people do feed their turkey poults cat food as a means of increasing the protein level they get.

 

[Sydney65]

Where are you located? If you are in the U.S. you can order proper turkey or game starter from Chewy.com. In my experience their shipping cost is reasonable.

Unfortunately the hard boiled eggs are only 12% protein. They do contain the essential amino acids in the best form possible.

Protein isn't the only problem when using the wrong type of feed. They also need higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. You can take care of the niacin shortage by dissolving a half tablet of vitamin B complex in one gallon of water. Make it their only source of water. It should be made fresh daily.

Some people do feed their turkey poults cat food as a means of increasing the protein level they get.

I had to dig around, bc I remembered her. She's in a region of Portugal.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Where are you located? If you are in the U.S. you can order proper turkey or game starter from Chewy.com. In my experience their shipping cost is reasonable.

Unfortunately the hard boiled eggs are only 12% protein. They do contain the essential amino acids in the best form possible.

Protein isn't the only problem when using the wrong type of feed. They also need higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. You can take care of the niacin shortage by dissolving a half tablet of vitamin B complex in one gallon of water. Make it their only source of water. It should be made fresh daily.

Some people do feed their turkey poults cat food as a means of increasing the protein level they get.

In order to compare percentages of crude protein, best to do that on a dry matter basis:

https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g2093/build/g2093.htm

So the egg is 12.6 % CP but water is 76.1%, so DM is 23.9%. On a DM basis, the egg is 52.7% CP, thus a favorite of vegetarians trying to Atkins diet! For comparison, feed with 26% CP on an As Fed basis is probably 10% water, so 28.8% CP on a DM basis.

 

[R2elk]

In order to compare percentages of crude protein, best to do that on a dry matter basis:

https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g2093/build/g2093.htm

So the egg is 12.6 % CP but water is 76.1%, so DM is 23.9%. On a DM basis, the egg is 52.7% CP, thus a favorite of vegetarians trying to Atkins diet! For comparison, feed with 26% CP on an As Fed basis is probably 10% water, so 28.8% CP on a DM basis.

I disagree. When you cook an egg especially boiling it, the water is still all there. I know some people like to pretend that the percentage is higher than it is but it isn't.

Hard boiled eggs are an excellent source but they are not as high of prrotein that some people like to claim they are.

 

[Sydney65]

I disagree. When you cook an egg especially boiling it, the water is still all there. I know some people like to pretend that the percentage is higher than it is but it isn't.

Hard boiled eggs are an excellent source but they are not as high of prrotein that some people like to claim they are.

The only thing I can add is that it was chilly this a.m. so I thought I'd fix them a warm treat. Add eggs to things my guineas won't eat.

 

[NatJ]

If Lentils are toxic to chickens uncooked, why is dried lentils in some chicken treat bags?

I fed my birds a bag of grain, & bug mix that had: Orange Lentils, Corn, oat groats, peanuts, Soldierfly Larvae, & Mealworms. As a treat.(Not the entire bag at one time)
They were perfectly fine.

Lentils can be cooked without getting wet, just like how soybeans are often "dry roasted."

 

[R2elk]

The only thing I can add is that it was chilly this a.m. so I thought I'd fix them a warm treat. Add eggs to things my guineas won't eat.

Guineas are finicky eaters that develop their tastes early on. I tried giving mine a pumpkin. Ha! Ha!