New ti Guineas

[flyingdragon]

I've just received my order of 31 (that's right!) French guineas. Fives days old today and heathy. How long do they need to be on medicated starter (turkey or game bird)? I have 25 two month old barred rocks in my run now. How old should the meets be before I introduce them to the chickens? I want them to roost together. I'm keeping them in the basement of my house right now. After two weeks I'll move them to an enclosure in my mini barn. All suggestions welcome.

 

[greathorse]

Most reccomend game starter for higher protein for Keets I have started them on a number of different feeds with no problems. Your Keets should likely be at least 6-8 weeks old before going in with the chickens. I hope you have a lot of room if you have 30 of them. Mine mixed with the chickens quite well in the beginning. They are a lot quicker than a chicken and so were just fine, as a matter fact by the end of the summer they were running the place and I sold most of them so the chickens could get some peace.

You may have much better results Guinea fowl are very unpredictable. I tend to think you may have better luck mixing them if the chickens out number the guinea, but again ymmv.

Good luck with them. Where did you get the guineas if I may ask? I didnt think my French guinea were as hardy as the standard ones but again that was one experience for me. My neighbor has one of my original cocks and he is doing just fine at two years of age.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Good for you. Follow the directions from the Hatchery. If you did not receive this, call them. Most Guinea fowl will require a much higher protein diet such as "game bird", but you can start them off with chicken starter.

French Guineas are just bit different in personality than regular Guineas. They tend to be less flighty and more friendly.

They intermingle well with chickens and regular Guineas. I have about 6 of them and I really enjoy them.

 

[flyingdragon]

I got my guineas from J.M. Hatchery in New Holland, PA. They ship year round. I must say that in only a few days they have become quite active and agile. I have some 30% game bird starter which I mix 50/50 with medicated chicken starter (20%). I ordered turkey starter from a local Agri Supply and they still hadn't shipped it by the time my keets arrived so I have been feeding this mix. It seems like all they do it eat, drink, poop, and take the occassional nap. I have plenty of roaming room for them once they mature. And the majority will be table birds (as well as the chickens). Do French guineas mature slower than the standards and how old should they be before they can be processed? Do those fowl plucking machines with all the fingers really work? I've plucked a few quail and dove but I don't think I like the prospect of hand plucking a bunch of large birds.

 

[greathorse]

That is where I got my French Guinea which is why I asked. I got my birds in March and processed them in Sept.

They were perfect in size and delicious. A freind of mine and I set up and did about 20 of them in an afternoon and we hand plucked them. If you get them scalded properly they go pretty quickly. We pithed some and some we did not, it seemed like the feathers slipped more easily on the ones we pithed.

They are similar to pheasant in some ways in terms of flavor.

 

[Soccer Mom]

I know the French guineas are bigger, but how much bigger?

 

[Guinea Goonie]

The french Guinea fowl are about 1 to 2 pounds heavier than a regular Guinea. This may not seem like a lot, but a Guinea is not all that much of a bird any how. This is why the french Guinea are better to butcher and freeze.

They are a dark meat except for the WHITE Guinea (Jumbo and French do not come in white).

 

[Soccer Mom]

Oh yeah, I've eaten regular guineas, I just wondered about getting some of the larger French ones just for the dinner table. I think guinea tastes like quail.

 

[TedsFarms]

and here I was thinking along the flavor of grouse. My french guinea were really rich and had a nice fat layer. I was probably feeding them too much game bird conditioner. I have still not weighed one bird after or before processing to check the weights.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

The FRENCH raise these bird especially for the table. Too bad they do not come in white.

I could not eat one unless it became a pest or become a problem in the flock.

Next year I am ordering "jumbo" Guineas as they apparently can reproduce without having to AI.