Pics of Development Stages of Guinea Fowl?

[Gill-b]

The keet is now ten weeks and one day old (or two months and eleven days; or 71 days total) and these next two photographs were taken today...

By comparison to other images of keets I am thinking that this keet is far behind in its development. As you can see it still has most of its "baby" fluff on its head.

Is there anything I should be concerned about?

I decided to still give it its starter feed (which it now goes mad for) as well as the wild bird seeds, just in case it still needs it to develop since it appears to be about two weeks behind.

Am I on the right track?

[I just want to add that I also give it cooked egg almost every day, along with cheese which I use for treats. And it also gets bits of cooked fish when available, and ham.]

 

[Gill-b]

...and it is free ranging ...eating ants, spiders, snails, geckos, wasps, moths, dragonflies, grass, a variety of indigenous succulent plants, cutworms (beetle larvae), grapevine leaves (which it loves), passion fruit flowers, ...eeeerm, trying to think what else.

Oh yes... leaves from the indigenous thorn trees, which are small (about 3-5mm in length) [...and my grass front door mat. **sigh**]

 

[2ndTink]

I can't comment on the development but it is so beautiful and your photos are so crisp and clear, love it!

 

[Gill-b]

I have updated the layout of development pictures of the keet. It still has some "baby" fluff on its head, but it has lost a lot of it over the past two or three days.

 

[2ndTink]

I love the collage! Your keet is growing up beautifully

 

[Gill-b]

I found this beautifully illustrated book 'Gamebirds of Southern Africa' by authors Rob Little and Tim Crowell; and artist Simon Barlow.
On page 97 of this book are images of the Helmeted Guineafowl growth and development. The illustration of the juvenile at three and a half months compares really well to what our keet looks like which is now at the same age. I feel quite relieved of my worry that the keet was not developing correctly. I can only assume that wild Guineafowl develop differently to domesticated ones.

Book cover

The keet compares correctly to all the growth and development stages that are on this illustration plate.

Yay!

 

[Sydney65]

Are you giving it food as well as free ranging, and is it a singleton or part of a flock? The fluff on it's head is the last thing to go. Size-wise, yours is comparable to Numi at 2 months, if a bit slimmer. A few reasons for that could be: 1) Numi was a singleton raised inside through the winter & quite spoiled. 2.) You aren't supplementing enough feed in addition to free-ranging. 3)it's part of a flock that limits it's time at the trough. This is common for weaker,smaller birds. Is your bird developing well otherwise, ie flight, running, stamina? If so then I wouldn't worry about it, some are smaller. Just make sure it's getting adequate nutritional needs without going overboard (being overweight isn't good, either).