Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[ChooksChick]

Wow, great tip. Don't forget to include it in that book you must be writing on life with the fowls. You write the book. Put your smiley face on the back. I buy it. Then I don't have to try to remember that little tidbit of excellent info on Guineas.

I get told to write that book at least twice a week!! You'd think I'd do it...but I'm too busy staring at chickens!!!

I have (had) a pair of HQ australorps. The hen is docile to the point of you barely notice she is there, but friendly and lays well. The rooster, after two lessons in "Who's the boss" went after me a third time. He no longer lives here as of the next day. He was gorgeous and a BIG boy (close to 10 pounds), but no point in having to constantly look over your shoulder when entering a pen to fill feeders, etc. He was very good with the ladies, if not a little too attentive. Many times I watched him make sure everyone had gone in for the night. If there were stragglers, he'd come out onto the ramp and "yell" at them. If they didn't follow him in, he'd come back out, grab them by the neck and give them a shake. Everyone ran into the house and I could close the door. He never ate treats, just called the ladies. If it weren't for the jumping people, he'd still be in charge of the egg flock.



Deb

I hate it when that happens! Actually it hasn't happened to me yet, but I did have Lionel charge my shoes when I wore a different pair of boots the other day...he apparently doesn't look up, like New Yorkers. All he sees is at the street level!

 

[gryeyes]

My deck is done, now I just need to outfit it for relaxation. Little bistro table, couple chairs, self-contained water feature, "flameless" candles for ambiance, yeah.... That's the ticket!

At this pot, I'll be setting some EE eggs from somebody else's flock, some Icelandic eggs, and maybe some more TJ eggs.

And I'm caught up!

 

[ronott1]

My deck is done, now I just need to outfit it for relaxation. Little bistro table, couple chairs, self-contained water feature, "flameless" candles for ambiance, yeah.... That's the ticket!
At this pot, I'll be setting some EE eggs from somebody else's flock, some Icelandic eggs, and maybe some more TJ eggs.
And I'm caught up!

There is a Lady named Deb at the Elvirta Feed store that sells hatching eggs for a dollar each. I bought a dozen that hatched in December. She as a nice variety of eggs--I hatched EE's and Marans. Out of 12, 10 made it to lockdown and 7 hatched. 6 out of 8 EE's and 1 out of 4 Marans. Elvirta is not too far from you.

Ron

 

[Wisher1000]

I have another tip for guineas. If you brood them in a cardborad box, you can take it to the coop you want to raise them in to let them free range the first time. They imprint on where they are raised and will continually try to go back there. I learned this the hard way by brooding my first keets in the garage. That flock would not stay out of the garage as long as I had them. They would go there at dusk to look for a place to roost. With the next group, I kept them in a large cardboard box and carried the box to the coop on nice days to let them out for a while. Once they were big enough to stay outside, I left he box in the coop and they stayed in there at night until they were packed in like sardines. I began cutting big holes in the box for ventilation and escape routes. Once they decided that the box was no longer safe, they started roosting above the box but frequently went in the box to reminisce. I finally removed the box a year or so later when it was flat on the floor of he coop and all they could do was walk on top of it! My guineas go back to the coop every night and only occasionally will one or two try to convince the others to take to the trees. Those are ignored and soon fly down to join the others inside the coop. I don't even think that would happen if I hadn't been late opening the coop a time or two, forcing them to think of an alternate roost to begin with. There are pics on my page, check it out!

 

[Razadia]

Thanks for the info on guineas! I needed it since we're still trying to convince my dad. The only thing he doesn't like is that you can't sex them as chicks.

Now, I'm off to take pics of the chicks.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Guineas tend to want to sleep in the trees unless you keep them in a coop and run until point-of-lay. If you can do that, they can then range and will come home every night- thus keeping away from owls and raccoons at night. It's what's worked best around here. They don't seem to be a risk for hawk predation, somehow, despite the Lavenders and Pieds being a bright target...I don't know if it's their shape, their screechiness, or what.

Thanks for the info. I may just see if I can locate some eggs for the hatch-a-long.

 

[karimw]

I like the idea of guineas, but we don't have them and probably never will. We went to a farm to pick up hay once, and my DH asked the guy what that horrendous noise was. The farmer pointed out the birds shrieking at us from the top of the horse stalls and said "they are telling me strangers are here!" I said "oh how pretty!" My hubby gave me a pointed look and said "NO!" So just FYI they are noisy. Really noisy.

 

[crazypetlady]

I know everyone says gunieas are noisy so it took me awhile to talk DH into some, they are not as loud as our Macaws and Cockatoo !! We actually like to hear their calls. The male and female have different calls so I have been told so going by that I have a pair!! I'm hoping for some keets this spring.

 

[crazypetlady]

I'm waiting for those pic RAZ!! Maybe I'll go take some more pix myself I had 3 sizzles hatch yesterday and I have the cutest little polish and brahamas in the brooder too.

 

[Spangled]

Once they decided that the box was no longer safe, they started roosting above the box but frequently went in the box to reminisce.

Well, I have learned one thing today. Guineas aren't chickens. I thought they were a bit more like chickens, but after that story I know they is a differ'nt critter. They do sound amusing, though. Next year ... Guineas ... or geese.