Questions about Guineas. Coop is finished! Keets were moved out today.

[StevenW.]

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That's really nice! I don't think anything will be able to move that sucker!

PeepsCA - Do you have any pictures of your set-up?


I need to get off the computer and brain storm or go on google for more ideas of houseing...

 

[perchie.girl]

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I might try Dry incubateing next year.

I think Keets will be a better way to go! Anyone else have anymore Pen designs or pictures?

Have you thought of buying keets from a breeder instead of eggs? Most of the big hatcheries send them in the mail. You just have to be able to zoom down to the post office to get them. Or better yet If you have a local feed store arrange to place an order for keets with them. You will be required to buy thirty minimum but it would be worth while.

OR you could give the fertilized eggs to a broody hen. Chickens are better mommas.

 

[StevenW.]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
I might try Dry incubateing next year.

I think Keets will be a better way to go! Anyone else have anymore Pen designs or pictures?

Have you thought of buying keets from a breeder instead of eggs? Most of the big hatcheries send them in the mail. You just have to be able to zoom down to the post office to get them. Or better yet If you have a local feed store arrange to place an order for keets with them. You will be required to buy thirty minimum but it would be worth while.

OR you could give the fertilized eggs to a broody hen. Chickens are better mommas.​

I was asking if anyone ordered from Guinea Farm because they have Buff Dundottes keets.

Our PO is about 2-3 miles away so it won't hurt me to walk there and back.

Ok for 30 Buff Dundotte Keets it will cost $123.00 (

) That includes shipping!
I was going to order the Fancy Assorted Keets but they cost more per keet for some reason??

I need to E-mail them to make sure they still have any spots left for them on the list. I hope they will be able to get me in!

And the reason I want Buff Dundottes is because you can sex them by color!

 

[perchie.girl]

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I have heard good things about Guinea Farm. Remember its OK to have lots of males. You don't have to worry about them like Roosters. They have a different social order. Woo Hoo more Keets in the mail...... LOL.

 

[PeepsCA]

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Usually you can sex them by color, this is true with any of the Guineas in the tan gene family... BUT sometimes there are slight variations in the keet's colors due to different genetics of Buff Dundotte breeding flock, (different dilutions of the tan gene they carry). I've found that color variations pretty much appear in all of the colors that I've been breeding, even the Pearl Greys. To better clarify what I mean... I have some Pearl Greys that are darker, some that are lighter but they are all still Pearl Greys (I have birds from several different gene pools). So keep in mind that it is a possibility that you may end up with some of your BDs sexed wrong, and some that you just won't be sure about until the Hens start buckwheatin' or layin' eggs lol.

 

[jcatblum]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
I have heard good things about Guinea Farm. Remember its OK to have lots of males. You don't have to worry about them like Roosters. They have a different social order. Woo Hoo more Keets in the mail...... LOL.

I think my males have a pecking order. That is why I rehomed 2. I have 4 adult males left & only 1 coral & 1 pearl seem to be competing. It might be worse right now since the corals girls is sitting on some eggs right now...... Will see if it let's up. Giving her some eggs that are scheduled to hatch tomorrow.​

 

[StevenW.]

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Usually you can sex them by color, this is true with any of the Guineas in the tan gene family... BUT sometimes there are slight variations in the keet's colors due to different genetics of Buff Dundotte breeding flock, (different dilutions of the tan gene they carry). I've found that color variations pretty much appear in all of the colors that I've been breeding, even the Pearl Greys. To better clarify what I mean... I have some Pearl Greys that are darker, some that are lighter but they are all still Pearl Greys (I have birds from several different gene pools). So keep in mind that it is a possibility that you may end up with some of your BDs sexed wrong, and some that you just won't be sure about until the Hens start buckwheatin' or layin' eggs lol.

That makes sense!

I didn't know that guineas have a different pecking order than chickens do, it's kinda neat that I won't need to worry if I have more males than needed. (That must mean that the eggs will be fertile!

Lol )

I just don't want to go the egg route since I have had bad luck with eggs this year. And since Guinea Farm is in Iowa, I won't really need to worry about the keets in the mail.

 

[Cowgirl71]

A Guinea lover here!!!

They eat ticks, baby snakes, fleas, Japanese beetles, mosquitos, grasshoppers... Just about everything! Although you're not going to benefit as much if they're locked up instead of free ranged.

Unlike chickens, a 1:1 male/female ratio is okay for Guineas. 1:2 or 1:3 is better though. We currently have 6 males and 8 females, and this ratio seems to be fine. With our first Guineas we ended up with 1 male and 6 females. That also worked well, though the fertility wasn't 100% like it is now. We started out with several colors (Pearl, Pearl Pied, Lavender, Lavender Pied, Royal Purple, and White), but this year I'm planning to only keep the Pearl keets because a much higher percentage are able to survive predation. Our Guineas are completely free ranged, i.e. they roost in trees and forage for their own food. We collect some of their eggs every year to incubate and then release the teenager keets, who eventually join the adult flock. I've never tried dry incubating with Guinea eggs, however this year I tried putting the eggs under Orpington broody hens and had high hatch rates. In the past I've incubated them, and they were easier to hatch than chicken eggs. The keets are also hardier.

P.S. Make sure to get your Guineas a mirror. It'll provide both them and you with hours of enjoyment, LOL!

 

[StevenW.]

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I'll have plenty of room for them, they of course will be inside in the brooder room for a week or so to make sure they get a good start. I need to butcher the extras drakes, cockerals, and roosters on Monday. We just have way to many Roosters and drakes around here.

Lol I'll need to be looking for a mirror then!

 

[StevenW.]

Oh dear! I can feel an obsession coming!

I dreamt about guineas last night!