Pics of the happy family (brand-new keets!)

[shelleyd2008]

My broody guinea hen brought her family home today. They are so cute!! I was just thinking this morning that it should be about time for her eggs to hatch, and about 1/2 an hour later my dad says 'come here and see what I found'...

The lighter colored guinea is the proud papa, and the darker one is the mama. So far it seems that the male is setting on the keets the most, but they are brand new!! She has 8 or 9 babies. There was another baby in the nest that had fully hatched and died somehow, and another egg that was almost fully zipped and dead. The other eggs (4) were no good. Aren't they cute??

 

[speckledhen]

Aw, I love guineas! Congrats.

 

[EC]

They look so darling.

 

[maine chicks]

They are some cunning. Do you let the parents take care of them or do you bring them in?

 

[Biddieacres]

what a beautiful family. ugh oh, now I may want some! They are so pretty!

 

[Debbienmousey]

That is so precious

. I so wish that we could safely let one of our guinea hens hatch a clutch.

You're very lucky

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
This is the first time I have had a broody guinea, and I have heard nothing but bad things about guinea mamas. I was planning on penning mama and babies up, around the time they were due to hatch, at least until the babies were a bit older. With all the chaos this week, I totally forgot that she was due to hatch!!

But, I think my guinea mama is an exception

My 4 y/o son went out to see the new babies not too long after I took the pics. I guess he got too close. I went outside, knowing that's what he would be doing, and hollered 'where are you???' He comes walking from the barn, saying how all he was doing was looking at the babies, and when he turned around to walk away, the guinea mama flew on his head and started pecking him

So I think it's a good possibility that the babies will be safe!!

I'll keep an eye on the family, to make sure they aren't running off and leaving the babies. I will take them away if I need to, but I'd like to let mama raise them if at all possible.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Day 2, mama and daddy still have all 9 of their babies!

They are basically sticking to one part of the yard, right between the chicken's house and the barn. I believe they are sleeping under it (the chicken house) as well. I don't see them wandering around at all. But mama is very protective, so I have high hopes that they will be all right. She won't let anything near them, and was even fighting my dad's mama game hen earlier today when she got too close. That game is mean, so this guinea is determined!

 

[Maryallison]

Awwww, congrats! I just let my 3 month old guineas out yesterday and I would really hope one day they will have a family!