New guinea owner...

[Dutchgirl]

This morning we went to a chicken sale as a seller and ended up as being mostly buyers, just like every time.

We got 5 guinea keets, and we've never owned guineas before. Any clues on how to care for them?

Should we feed them chick starter or chick starter/grower? I don't know how old they are. They're feathery, that's all I can tell.

How long do we have to keep them penned up? I've heard you have to keep them caged for a long time to get them to come back every day. How long is that? Six weeks? Six months?

Thanks!

 

[PeepsCA]

You should feed them a turkey, pheasant or game bird starter that's between 25% and 30% protein medicated with AMPROLIUM until they are 6-8 wks old. I would keep them penned up AT LEAST until you think they are 12 wks old and be sure to herd them back in each night so they are safe from predators. It's always a good idea with Guineas to establish a routine of getting them to come back to the coop or a safe pen to roost every night rather than letting them roost in the trees. You have to be consistent, or they will choose on their own where to roost... and it may not be safe. If they choose unsafe places to roost rather than a coop or pen more than likely one by one you will end up losing them.

Best of luck

 

[9farmgirl9]

Quote:
I feed mine chick starter im not sure what % but i get a different kind everytime, i also feed them hen scratch, its just corn and some other seeds. Do you have chickens or any other poultry? And are they free range? Do you plan on letting your guineas free range? If you have other poultry you shouldn't have to worry about there running away. When mine are a month old i let them free range and they find there way in the coop with my chickens, ducks and older guineas. But if you don't havechicken or other poultry i would suggest keeping them pinned up till about 12weeks, so they get used to home. And i keep a light in my hen house, but only because none of the birds will go in without it, and if a preditor does get in they can see it, also so they can get a drink or eat.

 

[PeepsCA]

I feed mine chick starter im not sure what % but i get a different kind everytime, i also feed them hen scratch, its just corn and some other seeds.

Chick starter does not have enough protein in it for the keets to develop at the proper rate, as I stated before keets should be fed a higher protein starter feed. I really wish people would stop recommending chick starter for keets, because it's not the correct feed for them if you want them to grow and develop at the proper rate. Just like little kids can survive on twinkies and soda pop, but it's not healthy and it doesn't meet their nutritional needs!

Scratch should be given as a treat only after they are adults, and only in small amounts, it's too high in fat and does not have enough protein in it to be their staple diet. They can develop major health issues from being fed incorrectly. They are not chickens have completely different nutritional needs, they need more protein than chickens do. Please, anyone getting Guineas Fowl or already currently owning Guinea Fowl - do your homework and read up on their nutritional needs.​

 

[9farmgirl9]

My guineas do just fine on chick starter, they even grow faster than my chicks and our feed store does have game feed, only for adults.

 

[leonphelps]

they may look fine to you, but the experts say you are wrong.

many people think they do fine, but you may be risking things that you shouldnt.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
Well said leon !!!

I'm far from an expert, but I know enough to know the reasons why to feed a proper diet. I wonder how many that disagree with what Guineas should be fed have had necropsies done on the diseased birds that only live a few years rather than to their full life expectancy? I've seen some pretty gruesome/graphic pics of how the internal organs look in birds that have been fed improperly their whole lives. It's not a pretty sight, not to mention the birds suffer, (from the inside out!)

 

[Dutchgirl]

We're going to buy gamebird feed as soon as possible, but for now we've been feeding them chick starter/grower.
One of them died last night. However, it had seemed weak since we purchased it on Saturday. It had probably been too cold in the cage for it.

Is there anything else we should know? We're keeping them in a small rabbit cage filled with hay, with a heating pad and a heat lamp.

Also, they won't shut up! Is this because they miss the one that died?

 

[9farmgirl9]

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On them not shutting up you never no mine after hatch peep constantly until there a week or so old or if i take away the chick i have with themthey go crazy. So maybe.

 

[robin416]

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That is exactly why you need the higher protein feed, they go through a tremendous growth period. One that is far beyond what our chicks go through. Its how they adapted in their native surroundings get the strength and speed they needed rapidly to survive.