Has anyone ever ordered guineas from idealpoultry?

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I was thinking about ordering some guinea fowl from idealpoultry, did you like their guineas? Did you have many losses? What kind of guineas did you get and did you like them? What breed would you suggest for me? Thanks for your help.

 

[speckledhen]

My four were from Ideal, via the local feedstore. Got three lavenders and one pearl (big hen, she was!). Had to rehome them when they got to breeding age because they tortured my red chickens and my rooster, but I loved mine. We tamed them and they were healthy and loads of fun. There are only French guineas, regular guineas and vulturine guineas, which cost massive $$$ and are very rare. I loved my lavenders. I think Ideal has only white, pearl, lavender and pieds.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I was thinking about the French guineas, all I know is that they're alot bigger then the other guineas, and they lay more. I have a friend that might like to split the order with me, how many guineas would you suggest? Could they be housed with my chickens? They would be able to free range all the time, as long as the weather was nice. When we're gone, would be need a run that they could go into in the day, since they wouldn't be able to get out? Thanks,

 

[BirdBrain]

I bought 8 guineas for my folks last May and we love them. They are loud as all get out but endearing. We lucked out and got 6 hens and two cocks. They really gave the rooster a hard time but we sent the cocks to Camp Kenmore and things settled right down. The roo still gives them a wide berth. They were raised with their brahma warmers and followed them around like they were the mommas. When the brahmas were harvested they adopted a barred rock who hung out with them because she had figured out the guineas got better treats than the chickens (smart girl). Silvia goes everywhere with the guineas following her. When she goes in to lay an egg they all troup in and wait for her to do her thing, and squalk at the other hens.

I don't know what they will do if she goes broody. We got 4 pied, 2 lava and 2 white.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Are they super noisy? Will they settle down any, once they get used to everything?

 

[MuranoFarms]

I want to order some pied. I have all pearl, but I got them locally.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

When do the hens start laying? Are their eggs any bigger than bantam eggs? Could I sale their eggs? How much could I sale them for? Are keets hard to incubate?

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I already have customers asking for guinea eggs but I don't expect any for another month or two. Guinea's are very popular and how much eggs sell for really is dependent on where you're located. Ebay does an awesome amount of sales on guinea sales and I've seen 12 guinea eggs go for as much as $50 on there.

Guinea keets sell mostly for $3. or $3.50. Guinea keets are skittish and you do have to be careful about them getting wet and chilled. They don't seem to be as hardy as chicks. I've lost many keets due to them getting wet and chilled so I always keep a close eye on them when I'm brooding them.

Laurie

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I will be brooding the keets in a plastic box for the first week, and then when they get old enough to be outside, they will be in a wooden hutch and then when they out grow that some will be the " Garden Guineas" and thoughs will be my pets, and the others will move in with the chickens. How does this plan sound?

 

[txchickie]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I will be brooding the keets in a plastic box for the first week, and then when they get old enough to be outside, they will be in a wooden hutch and then when they out grow that some will be the " Garden Guineas" and thoughs will be my pets, and the others will move in with the chickens. How does this plan sound?

It doesn't always work, housing guineas with chickens ESPECIALLY ones that have not been raised together. I have a guinea hen that lives with my BCMarans (yes--she stands out!

), but she was raised with them and truly thinks she is a chicken.

We've got close to 40 guineas, and none are anywhere close to being pets (except the one who thinks she's a chicken

). They are very stand-offish and skittish, very suspicous little creatures. You brood them the exact way you do chicks, except they need to be fed a higher protien starter, such as gamebird starter. Mine are super noisy and are constantly making a big racket, luckily we have no neighbors but I do cuss them once in a while

I have ordered 8 lavender keets from Ideal, in with an order of silkies, and all survived and are living today (ordered them last July). Since mine are completley free-range, I've never found a guinea nest, but have had hens bring home clutches of keets. The best thing to do is to take the keets from her immediatley, or she will loose them or they will get chilled with the morning dew and die. They are terrible mothers!​