Guinea talk.

[guineapeeps]

I’m not sure if this is a “hooray” moment or an “oh dang it” moment. The keets will be exactly 2 months old tomorrow. They all stick close to the parents, so I’m guessing they will create a flock of 11.(?)
However, yesterday we found a guinea egg in the run! We picked it up and placed it in the nesting box Gertrude had used to hatch her eggs back in May. Today there was a 2nd egg! I’m not very good at understanding guinea behavior but it would seem to me that wanting another batch of keets this soon doesn’t make sense. Not that anything they do makes sense.
Is she lays a clutch of eggs for the next 4 weeks or so, then sits on them for another 4 weeks, that would put the hatch out around the end of September (I think).
I know Gary didn’t stray far from her when she was sitting on the nest the last times. I assume he will do the same this time too. Then will the keets go off on their own or still stick close to mom and dad, in the coop, all September? Maybe this is her way of weaning them?
I’m not opposed to more keets. Several people wanted us to give them some of this last batch, but I just couldn’t do it, since they were our first keets.

A few of my guinea hens would sometimes start laying eggs again when their keets were only a month or two old. Usually the keets would all pile in the nesting box with mom while she layed her eggs. It was comical to see..they would all be crammed in there with her with some sitting on her back, completely oblivious to the fact that she may like a little privacy to do her business. Once she stated laying on the eggs full time, most of the keets would lay just outside of the nesting area a lot of the time, but would sometimes venture outside to free range with dad/male who helped raise/teach them. My guess is that that your older keets will continue to stick close to where mom is but may go hang out with dad some if he ventures away from her for a bit while she is broody and sitting on the new batch of eggs. They may seem a little lost for awhile without mom wandering about with them, but will eventually mature and get brave enough to leave her side.

 

[guineapeeps]

Thought I’d share this great story of a mother duck that was seen with 76 ducklings. It’s not guinea related, but still nice:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018...nnesota-lake-captured-in-stunning-photos.html

 

[Gdog Bossman]

Hi guys,
My keets are 6 or 7 weeks old and fighting .I hear one crying and his/her face and neck are bloody . Should I seperate it or just let them work it out?

Also, what do I put on wounds? Neosporin? Thanks

 

[R2elk]

Hi guys,
My keets are 6 or 7 weeks old and fighting .I hear one crying and his/her face and neck are bloody . Should I seperate it or just let them work it out?

Also, what do I put on wounds? Neosporin? Thanks

Provide hiding places for the picked on keet. The hiding places must have an entrance and an exit so they can't get trapped in them.

Treat the wounds with Blu-Kote.

 

[Gdog Bossman]

Provide hiding places for the picked on keet. The hiding places must have an entrance and an exit so they can't get trapped in them.

Treat the wounds with Blu-Kote.

Thanks, I'll try the hiding spot, but I think he's picking the fights too .
I will have to get Blu-kote . Guineas are fun, they tattle tail on each other. But hearing the hurt one crying was new for me . I

 

[GlennLee]

Thought I’d share this great story of a mother duck that was seen with 76 ducklings. It’s not guinea related, but still nice:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018...nnesota-lake-captured-in-stunning-photos.html

thanks for sharing! What an amazing photo. I wonder if she picked up a few stragglers for a swim. I can't believe she hatched all of those on her own. Maybe she is the swim coach. ha!

Thank you for sharing your hatching experiences as well. I miss your postings. Are you sure you couldn't get a flock of guineas to live on the deck of the boat with you? On second thought, it would be a bit messy...

 

[GlennLee]

Thanks, I'll try the hiding spot, but I think he's picking the fights too .
I will have to get Blu-kote . Guineas are fun, they tattle tail on each other. But hearing the hurt one crying was new for me . I

I occasionally have physical aggression between the males. It's worse if they can pin one down like in a confined space. I have had to remove males and doctor them a bit (they look like prize fighters) before reintroducing them to the flock. Sometimes they work it out and sometimes I have to rehome.

And, I have seen aggression with my older keets. Having ample space for them and places to hide will help. Good luck... always tough to see one hurt and to hear it crying out.

 

[GlennLee]

I’m not sure if this is a “hooray” moment or an “oh dang it” moment. The keets will be exactly 2 months old tomorrow. They all stick close to the parents, so I’m guessing they will create a flock of 11.(?)
However, yesterday we found a guinea egg in the run! We picked it up and placed it in the nesting box Gertrude had used to hatch her eggs back in May. Today there was a 2nd egg! I’m not very good at understanding guinea behavior but it would seem to me that wanting another batch of keets this soon doesn’t make sense. Not that anything they do makes sense.
Is she lays a clutch of eggs for the next 4 weeks or so, then sits on them for another 4 weeks, that would put the hatch out around the end of September (I think).
I know Gary didn’t stray far from her when she was sitting on the nest the last times. I assume he will do the same this time too. Then will the keets go off on their own or still stick close to mom and dad, in the coop, all September? Maybe this is her way of weaning them?
I’m not opposed to more keets. Several people wanted us to give them some of this last batch, but I just couldn’t do it, since they were our first keets.

How long in the season do your guineas lay there? Mine usually stop by the second week in October, but they are still laying now and I'm sure if given the chance to get some accumulated in a nest, they would go broody and try to hatch them. Good to hear from Guineapeeps, as she has a wealth of experience in this area.

My female "weaned" aka flew the coop on hers about 3 weeks ago and now they are just their own little sub-flock of 5, trying to stick together and dodge the air pecks from guineas and chickens alike.

Hope you have more keets! Fingers crossed that you'll get another brood.

 

[Gdog Bossman]

I occasionally have physical aggression between the males. It's worse if they can pin one down like in a confined space. I have had to remove males and doctor them a bit (they look like prize fighters) before reintroducing them to the flock. Sometimes they work it out and sometimes I have to rehome.

And, I have seen aggression with my older keets. Having ample space for them and places to hide will help. Good luck... always tough to see one hurt and to hear it crying out.

Thanks for all your advice. I think they are establishing the "pecking order". The little dudes still do everything together. And every fight they run to the gate and call for help . Super glad I found you guys before I started this adventure!

 

[guineapeeps]

thanks for sharing! What an amazing photo. I wonder if she picked up a few stragglers for a swim. I can't believe she hatched all of those on her own. Maybe she is the swim coach. ha!

Thank you for sharing your hatching experiences as well. I miss your postings. Are you sure you couldn't get a flock of guineas to live on the deck of the boat with you? On second thought, it would be a bit messy...

Thanks, @GlennLee....you are always so kind! Believe me, if I could’ve found a way to keep guineas on my boat, it already would’ve been a done deal, poop and all! I do miss my guineas a lot! I also miss my house, my garden, and even my tractor....but mostly the guineas! I do not miss certain things like losing an established part of the flock to a predator or having newly hatched keets die. I am enjoying this “new life” though. It is different in many ways, yet still similar. I have just traded the wide open spaces of land and acreage for the wide open spaces of water and ocean. I find the people to be somewhat similar as well. Sailors remind me a lot of farmers and country folk...they are both layed back, generous people with good hearts that would do almost anything for you!
I don’t know what the future holds long term, but for now I am happy. We are hanging out on the Great Lakes to escape hurricane season in Florida, so life is good! If no one minds, I will just continue to hang out in the background of this thread so I can get my guinea fix through you all!