Incubators Anonymous

[Arielle]

only 1 other thing on my list now, besides narragansett turkeys...

ocellated turkey. 8) i'm in love but i think it's going to take winning lotto numbers to add this one.

 

[Arielle]

I came home this morning, went to move the guinea eggs to lockdown and found a widdle biddy keet and several pipped. I need to check my temps, maybe a little warm in there.
So cute, DH is warming up to them. He likes little fuzzys so as long as they start out little and cute...........

My husband, too. Got him hooked when he had to handle a hatch (thanks Irene) and has loved the little fluff balls ever since.

 

[DMRippy]

I need some guinea advice..... they are about 6 weeks old, I think, bigger than the chickens they hatched with.... any way.... what should I do with them? They fly so well now that I am afraid to keep them in the brooders anymore. I can put them in a big pen with some young roosters, most are not sticking around and the ones that do will have a home soon with pullets. Could they hold there own with the little roos (3-5 months old)? There is plenty of roo (12 x 12 + pen) I want them to know where HOME is and that is the pen I want them in for the long term.

I can keep them in the brooders for a few more weeks, but not much longer.... suggestions? First time with guinea so just don't know what to do with them at this age.

 

[Arielle]

I need some guinea advice..... they are about 6 weeks old, I think, bigger than the chickens they hatched with.... any way.... what should I do with them? They fly so well now that I am afraid to keep them in the brooders anymore. I can put them in a big pen with some young roosters, most are not sticking around and the ones that do will have a home soon with pullets. Could they hold there own with the little roos (3-5 months old)? There is plenty of roo (12 x 12 + pen) I want them to know where HOME is and that is the pen I want them in for the long term.

I can keep them in the brooders for a few more weeks, but not much longer.... suggestions? First time with guinea so just don't know what to do with them at this age.

3-5 month roosters can be naughty and I can see them hurting the smaller bird no matter how much spunk they have; have you considered put on a screen top? I use light weight window screens. THe chicks are more important than my windows!!

Donna, I've not had guineas, just know how my cockerels behave.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I have a net over them. They are very flighty birds... literally. You have to be QUICK to catch them. I lost one out the door once. They broke open their brooder doors and they were all over the place and one took off out the door never to be seen again. I window screen would not hold the guineas. I use them on the chickens. I pick them up at yard sales. I got 7-9 one time for $20 I use them for all kinds of things. I may have to keep them in the brooder. Maybe they will get used to me more that way.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I have a net over them. They are very flighty birds... literally. You have to be QUICK to catch them. I lost one out the door once. They broke open their brooder doors and they were all over the place and one took off out the door never to be seen again. I window screen would not hold the guineas. I use them on the chickens. I pick them up at yard sales. I got 7-9 one time for $20 I use them for all kinds of things. I may have to keep them in the brooder. Maybe they will get used to me more that way.
Great find! 7-9 for $20 is super.

I do find my chickens that I spent more time with as chicks are more accepting of handling than others. Guineas are not my speed-- I need easy chickens. Or big slow turkeys. Since you know you want to keep some, maybe keeping them in the brooder will help them get used to you more. Is there a guinea thread?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I have a net over them. They are very flighty birds... literally. You have to be QUICK to catch them. I lost one out the door once. They broke open their brooder doors and they were all over the place and one took off out the door never to be seen again. I window screen would not hold the guineas. I use them on the chickens. I pick them up at yard sales. I got 7-9 one time for $20 I use them for all kinds of things. I may have to keep them in the brooder. Maybe they will get used to me more that way.
Great find! 7-9 for $20 is super.

I do find my chickens that I spent more time with as chicks are more accepting of handling than others. Guineas are not my speed-- I need easy chickens. Or big slow turkeys. Since you know you want to keep some, maybe keeping them in the brooder will help them get used to you more. Is there a guinea thread?

not really that into them either. I don't even know what colors I have LOL. They are for eating bugs and breeding for the next gen. 68 acres to clear of bugs.... I need more guinea, next year though. Done for this year.

 

[ki4got]

I need some guinea advice..... they are about 6 weeks old, I think, bigger than the chickens they hatched with.... any way.... what should I do with them? They fly so well now that I am afraid to keep them in the brooders anymore. I can put them in a big pen with some young roosters, most are not sticking around and the ones that do will have a home soon with pullets. Could they hold there own with the little roos (3-5 months old)? There is plenty of roo (12 x 12 + pen) I want them to know where HOME is and that is the pen I want them in for the long term.

I can keep them in the brooders for a few more weeks, but not much longer.... suggestions? First time with guinea so just don't know what to do with them at this age.

i think the guneas would be ok with the roos, since they're not the same species and don't quite speak the same language... my neighbor said she's never seen her roos even look sideways at the guineas.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I may give it a go.... may wait a few more weeks, like 2 more.... I have 12 more that are only a week or 2 younger that will need a home soon too.

I may thin the roos a little too........ that might help. Most of the roos are really young.

 

[Arielle]

not really that into them either. I don't even know what colors I have LOL. They are for eating bugs and breeding for the next gen. 68 acres to clear of bugs.... I need more guinea, next year though. Done for this year.

My chickens do a great job, and I see my ducks off in the woods eating goodies from under the leaf litter. DH reports that we have less flies this year , he thinks due to chickens. I hear of many people getting them for tick patrol. I wonder if anyone has actually compared guineas and chickens for that job.