Guinea talk.

[NellesenChick]

My husband and I had discussed getting guineas for quite some time.. And just bought four keets on a whim. We love them! We have the slate color, so right now they're light with blue stripes. We've only ever heard good things about them and we're excited for the diversity they will bring to the flock. So glad there's a guinea thread, because we are definitely beginners with these guys!

 

[GlennLee]

Sorry I jinxed you Dmontgomery.....

It's good that you were able to find the nest, in spite of the temperature, mosquitoes and forest. The eggs are beautiful and probably Gertrude and Gerty have both been contributing. Just keep an eye out in case they decide to do it again with those temperatures. Personally, I don't miss the 80 + degree days... good luck with that!

I had one of my hens go broody about three weeks ago, but she gave up the nest when she knew she had been found. There were 38 eggs - I think it was a collective nest. I might have tried to hatch some if it hadn't been so late in the season and were weren't heading out on vacation.

With the cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours, they haven't tried again, but I'm sure they will once spring rolls around.

The 4 new Pearls were combined with my remaining 10 French Guineas today. After a bit of an adjustment period - they looked like a school of fish - moving in mass, bobbing, weaving and pecking, they evolved into tolerating and almost accepting one another. They all went into the one coop / run together this evening and I'll go check to make sure everyone is on the roost as soon as it's a bit darker here.

It seems good to have a larger flock again. Here's a picture my husband took as the oldsters were out showing the newbies the lay of the land. Gotta love 'em! Have a good weekend everyone and enjoy your omelet, Dmontgomery!

 

[Dmontgomery]

Wow, 38 eggs in one nest! How in the world can they think they can hatch that many at once?!

 

[GlennLee]

Many contributed, but only one went broody and was sitting on the nest. I was very surprised - they were 3 1/2 months when they first started laying and 4 months when she went broody, but thank goodness it only lasted 2 nights. I was a wreck and around the same time, we lost 4 to coyotes - during the day. They are slowing down on the egg laying, but the last one we found was as big as a small chicken's and it was a double yoker! I'm not sure if they would have eventually taken turns laying... some do that. If it had been earlier in the year, I would have tried moving her and the next into the barn. We'll see what the spring brings! I'm looking forward to watching them in the snow first. I've heard they won't go in deep snow, but where they are, we'll be plowing a path.

 

[pattyhen]

Well that was pretty easy.
It's definitely a lot harder getting eggs from a broody chicken. Gertrude didn't fight at all. She got up and ran a few feet under deeper grass. When I tried to pick her up, she flew through the woods. That was pretty. 17 eggs. Apparently this has been going on for a while. She came to the coop for afternoon snacks, got Gerdy, and they went off in the woods screaming. I guess she told her what happened and they went back to check the nest. They're back now.
I don't know about late in the season. It's still mid 80's here during the day. Hope she doesn't try again. I may not find the next nest.

I'm glad you got the eggs and hopefully that's her last broody of the season.

 

[pattyhen]

Rhonda I'm glad the 4 pearls intregrated without a major mishap. What is the difference between the french guineas and the pearls?

I don't think Spiderman and Mary Jane are going to do very well in the snow. They were inside the house for about two hours today because of the rain. They hate being wet, I toweled them off and they sit on the back of the chair. I told my husband I think their going to need a chair in the coop when it gets to cold for them to go outside.

 

[pattyhen]

Darn it always forget something. That's a great pic of the group of guineas they make a lovely flock. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GlennLee]

Rhonda I'm glad the 4 pearls intregrated without a major mishap. What is the difference between the french guineas and the pearls?

I don't think Spiderman and Mary Jane are going to do very well in the snow. They were inside the house for about two hours today because of the rain. They hate being wet, I toweled them off and they sit on the back of the chair. I told my husband I think their going to need a chair in the coop when it gets to cold for them to go outside.

I was glad as well, Patti. They've had 5 weeks to star at each other, so I think that helped. Everyone went into the coop together and I checked on them after dark and they were all on the roost together. I wanted to make sure no one had been exiled to the ground. Thanks for your interest!

I think you may be right about Spider and MJ in the snow. They hate the rain and they are always looking for a reason to come inside to visit. Maybe when you get Spider's tie for Halloween, you could pick up a couple of little snowsuits.

You've done a nice job with them - they are sweeties and keep you (and us) entertained! If you do end up adding a chair to the coop, check out your local Salvation Army. They have some good things that can be used with the birds. I'm thinking about going back for another end table.

Well, I'll tell you what THEY say the differences are between the French and Pearl and I'll share my experiences as well. The French or Jumbo Guineas (both names are the same bird - I double checked with JM Hatchery where I got them) have been bred, originally developed by the French, as meat eating birds. Their adult size is 1/3 more than that of a Pearl. My neighbors who have had both for a while thought their French didn't travel as far as their Pearls. I don't know.... mine travel, but pretty much stay on the 10 acres with an occasional visit across the road to my neighbor's woods. When I had Henry, he kept going uphill and crossing a busier road. Fortunately, the flock hasn't done that yet, but that distance wasn't any farther than going down hill where my flock does frequent the lower garden.

Because they are heavier, mine seem to hop more than fly, that's whey I've had to keep their baby perch in the coop. I now have a bail of straw that they use to hop up to the roosts (that we had purposely built higher because everything I read said Guineas like to fly and go up high)... not true of the French.

It's hard for me to say if there is a temperament difference since I haven't had the Pearls as keets. They were free ranging and caught on a daily basis and even though they have calmed down a lot, they're still a bit more flighty than the French. I think that's more environmental than breeding and I hope they'll continue to progress the longer they are here and in with the flock. They fly easily and seem noisier, but they're also a bit younger and mine quieted down once they were older and out free ranging on a regular basis.

So, basically, size and flying are the main differences. It's funny, I thought the newbies looked so little in their separate coop area. Now that they are with the flock, I have to really look hard to identify them.

Another thing - you may read some posts about French Guineas being sterile and in need artificial insemination. I haven't found that to be true at all. My guess is, that the ones they are talking about are raised commercially for meat which changes their environment and impacts fertility. If raised with enough space and allowed to free range in a natural environment, it's not a problem.

One thought I had about them that would be important to share with new French Guinea owners.... if you remember when they were keets, I had a terrible time with them being aggressive. Part of that I believe was because most of the flock ended up being male AND even though I was following space guidelines, I don't think the space was big enough, because I using the guidelines for the Pearls... I probably should have added another 1/3 of the amount since they were growing faster and were bigger.... Something I'll consider going forward and am glad the barn will be large enough to accommodate their space needs.

Happy Saturday, everyone! Have a terrific day in the land of the Guinea Fowl.

 

[pattyhen]

That's funny snow suits for Spiderman and Mary Jane. They do make sweaters for chickens to wear in the wintertime I might have to get a couple for them.

Thanks for the info on the french guineas. I think these two are just the pearl guineas. I just hope they don't start flying. My neighbors would not appreciate them standing on their porches pecking on their doors wanting to come inside. The chain link fence is five feet high around the yard and so far they haven't jumped up on it. Knock on wood. Now the pen they were in when they were young is 4 feet and they did fly up on that until I clipped their wings. I'm sure their wing feathers have grown out by now maybe they will never find out they can fly now.

A coworker that I worked with years ago said someone in their subdivision had a guinea. It would visit their patio door everyday about the same time and they would give it bread. She said it made it's rounds in the neighborhood and people would give her treats.

I hope everyone has a nice day.

 

[GlennLee]

My husband and I had discussed getting guineas for quite some time.. And just bought four keets on a whim. We love them! We have the slate color, so right now they're light with blue stripes. We've only ever heard good things about them and we're excited for the diversity they will bring to the flock. So glad there's a guinea thread, because we are definitely beginners with these guys!

and congrats on being new Guinea Fowl parents. So glad to hear that you love them because we all do too! Please post a picture when you can get them to stay still long enough. Good luck with that!