Picking up Guinea eggs tomorrow for the incubator

[PeepsCA]

Sometimes, depending on how the eggs were stored, or if they were in a nest being warmed by the sun etc the eggs can start to develop a little bit before being set, or they could have been in warmer areas of the incubator that made them develop faster... so they will be the ones that hatch first. Completely normal, and I have been caught off guard many times, lol so I know how you feel (I hate rushing or being rushed!). It's rare that all of my keets hatch the same day tho. Good luck with pulling out the dry keets. Post some pics if you can once you get them in the brooder.

 

[JanO]

I will defiantly post pics. This is too exciting not to share.

As of this morning we still have 6 noisy little keets. I can't really tell if any more have piped because of the angle. However 1 chicken has hatched and another one should hatch soon. I can see it trying to zip. I think another chick has piped too, but not sure because it's at a weird angel and difficult to see.

 

[PeepsCA]

I have Turkey poults and Guinea keets hatching in my cabinet hatcher right now... it has a big huge clear door on it but I can't see much of what's going on in there and it's frustrating as heck

. It needs viewing windows on the sides! LOL.

 

[JanO]

OK, have a potential problem. I just went to pick up game bird starter at the feed store, but they are out until Wednesday. I picked up some regular chick starter instead, and flax seed. Would starting them on a mixture for the first day or so be a problem for the keets? They are going to call me as soon as they get the higher protein starter in and I'll run down immediately to pick it up, but it may not be there till after noon and I sure can't make them wait that long to eat.

 

[JanO]

I have Turkey poults and Guinea keets hatching in my cabinet hatcher right now... it has a big huge clear door on it but I can't see much of what's going on in there and it's frustrating as heck

. It needs viewing windows on the sides! LOL.

I agree. I think my next one is going to be built out of an aquarium so I can see in from all angles.

 

[PeepsCA]

OK, have a potential problem. I just went to pick up game bird starter at the feed store, but they are out until Wednesday. I picked up some regular chick starter instead, and flax seed. Would starting them on a mixture for the first day or so be a problem for the keets? They are going to call me as soon as they get the higher protein starter in and I'll run down immediately to pick it up, but it may not be there till after noon and I sure can't make them wait that long to eat.

I've never used flax seed for newly hatched keets... but it will probably be fine as long as it's ground extra fine, they can't digest whole seeds tho. You can also give them scrambled or crumbled hard boiled eggs for some extra protein too.
Just a couple days on the substitute diet won't hurt them, but be sure to watch for pasty butts from switching to the new starter feed.

An aquarium is an excellent idea for a hatcher, lol, and easy to sanitize.

 

[JulieOK]

5 Acre Rooster - oh, my! $20 each? Where do I go to sell them for that much? =)

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

5 Acre Rooster - oh, my! $20 each? Where do I go to sell them for that much? =)

We live in north central missouri and thats the going rate, from 15-35 for adults and young adults coming into maturity.


And you will NEVER guess what I just found today cleaning up some old wire. 57 beautifully perfect little guinea eggs. In 1 clutch. We have 6 hens and 2 Males. We collected these and I am going to set them in bator and let them start another batch. Awhile back I found 1 egg in the coop. Since then I guess they decided I couldn't have them. I will take these they can have next (Until they hatch and I will let them care for a few. Bad Bad brood last year lost like 28 keets last year cuz mama wasn't very mama like).

 

[JanO]

From everything I've read, and been told, guinea hens are lousy mamas. I had one fellow tell me that if he had a hatch of over 40 keets from a nest in his barn that he didn't know about. It took him the better part of a day to gather up the keets and get them to the brooder. He said he really didn't want to brood 40+ keets but he couldn't stand the idea of leaving them because they would surely die. I think he sold most of them within a week though. I know that if I have one hatch out a clutch they'll be in the brooder as quick as I can catch them.

So far I have 2 chicks and 6 keets hatched, and 4 more chicks piped. I suspect they will hatch sometime tonight. It doesn't appear that any more keets are piped, but it's still early. After all, they weren't suppose to hatch for 2 more days to begin with. I did move the 8 that have already hatched to a temporary brooder in my laundry room and they all appear to be doing well. They are all sleeping, pooping, eating, and I've seen some of them drinking. After I'm sure that the hatch is complete, sometime towards the end of the week, I'll move them all to the big brooder in the coop. If I get at least 10 keets out of 18 eggs I'll be ecstatic, but if I don't I'll call the fellow I got these eggs from and get another batch. I definitely want at least 10 or 12 guineas, if not more, when all is said and done.

My husband asked me today how many I think I could sell if I hatched out more. He's really getting into this!

 

[PeepsCA]

5 Acre... if you completely cleaned out the nest, the Hens probably won't lay there again (they will think a predator cleaned it out, and move elsewhere). You might get lucky if you go put 6 or so of the older looking eggs back to "salt" (bait) the nest to keep them laying there tho (candle them and check their air cell size). Or you can use chicken eggs, the Guineas don't know the difference... as long as there are still eggs in their nest and they do not feel it's been too messed with/invaded they will use the same nesting spot.

Guinea Hens only make good Mommas in a very controlled environment, especially while the keets are so fragile the first few weeks.