Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[harley587]

Why let her have the eggs?

You better than most know she will either eat her young or sell them into the illegal feathered sex trade as slaves to fuel her own drug habit..

You know us women, just as nurturing as possible, we are hoping that she will do neither of those. We did put her through detox, so maybe they won't become illegal feathered sex trade slaves. One can only hope! I must say, we're just plain shocked that she hasn't left her nest!! We probably should crack those eggs open to make sure they're not filled with drugs or contraband!!

 

[harley587]

So I have a broody hen. This is her first time going broody, but she is my favorite so I want to let her try. I have heard you guys say hen raised Guineas are slightly better behaved, this might be the perfect opportunity for me to finally get Guineas. You guys said a minimum of ten, any advice in where to get them?

I picked my guineas up at the local feed store - but they were already hatched! I know a friend of mine went to a local breeder and picked up eggs for her broody....

 

[Pyxis]

So I have a broody hen. This is her first time going broody, but she is my favorite so I want to let her try. I have heard you guys say hen raised Guineas are slightly better behaved, this might be the perfect opportunity for me to finally get Guineas. You guys said a minimum of ten, any advice in where to get them?

You can see if a feed store near you has them, but it's a little late for that. You can also check your local craigslist, you might get lucky. You can also order keets from a hatchery - Ideal has several colors available and they don't have a minimum number you have to get like most hatcheries do.

If you want to slip eggs under her, there are several places you can get them online, such as eBay or through Stromberg's. Or again you can try craigslist and you might get lucky - this is preferable than ordering online because shipped eggs are less likely to hatch.

I know a lot of people say you need a minimum of 5 to 10 but I have not found this to be the case. The most I ever had at one time was three (I will have more this year because I've hatched) and the fewest was actually one when I lost two. I promptly hatched him a mate because it's not fair to any bird to not have at least one companion of its own species and then I only had two for a year. Now I will have more, but still not ten. I haven't had any issues. Same thing for my friend who got guineas - she had five and never had problems. My aunt also only had a small number - three or four - and they were fine too. They've never caused any problems with any of my other birds.

Out of curiosity, can anyone tell me why they recommend at least ten guineas? Maybe I'm missing out on something by having fewer than that.

 

[duluthralphie]

10 just seems to be a good number. Some will die, as they live reckless lives. 10 seems to be a good number to stick around the farmstead. Guineas are pack animals and the pack seems to break down under 10, for me anyways.




Also 10-12 is about the right number for a chicken to cover.


I have some guinea eggs, I could send you but by the time I get an import permit from NE and you get them the hen would be off the nest or the eggs too old. I have not checked the nest today yet so I am not sure if they have moved it or left it be.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

10 just seems to be a good number. Some will die, as they live reckless lives. 10 seems to be a good number to stick around the farmstead.  Guineas are pack animals and the pack seems to break down under 10, for me anyways.




Also 10-12  is about the right number for a chicken to cover.


I have some guinea eggs, I could send you but by the time I get an import permit from NE and you get them the hen would be off the nest or the eggs too old.   I have not checked the nest today yet so I am not sure if they have moved it or left it be.

It is ok, I was just hoping for good recommendations. I will look at ideal. I have never seen keets at the feed store, and definitely not any birds right now. But I do like this bird, and I have wanted keets...just seemed like a good time to give it a try

 

[guineapeeps]

It is ok, I was just hoping for good recommendations. I will look at ideal. I have never seen keets at the feed store, and definitely not any birds right now. But I do like this bird, and I have wanted keets...just seemed like a good time to give it a try

I live in SE Iowa and all of our local feed stores only carry keets in the fall. I'm not sure why this is, but even our surrounding towns only carry chickens and ducks the spring and summer months and if you want any thing else, you have to wait for late summer to early fall, so you may have more luck finding keets if you wait a few months. I guess that doesn't solve your need for eggs to put under your broody hen, though. I currently have 9 (1 1/2 week old) keets and I just found one of my hens sitting on 20 eggs across the road. I flushed her out at dark so she wouldn't get eaten and now need to do something with the eggs. I'm not really wanting to incubate, so would give you some too if you lived closer! I could mail you some but I've never done that before and from what DR said above, it sounds like you need permits to mail eggs? If you think of a way to get them to you, let me know..I'm happy to share!

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote: Hi, Thank you so much for being there! I have a HovaBator 1583, with fan circulation. Ok so you're saying, just leave her in there. Ok. I think the argument that the already-hatched help stimulate the not-yet-hatched is a good one.

Yes, I agree it's a 50/50 thing-- I helped 2 eggs in my first hatch-- 1 thrived and the other passed away. But I lost another 1 or 2 that were glued in/shrink wrapped (had a physical problem with my incubator that meant a lot of opening and closing). I can mist with a fine-spray bottle with warm water in it, something I didn't know for the other hatch.

However, let me describe what I'm seeing. I'm seeing a patchy zip (large areas chipped out but not attached-- so it's not a linear zip but 3-4 openings. Inside that, the membrane is visibly detached from the shell and white, not clear/translucent and not moist looking. I see movement of the egg as the chick is very much alive in there.
Got home from appts in town and the egg had made no progress and definitely shrink wrapped. Got set up with warm water in cup and in sprayer, tweezers and etc, snatched egg out quickly, and at first was convinced keet already dead but no, still breathing, and yolk fully absorbed. Keet now doing very well in incubator. Humidity never went below 70.

Thank you for support and all is well. New pips but no further zipping. Watching humidity carefully.

 

[duluthralphie]

I live in SE Iowa and all of our local feed stores only carry keets in the fall. I'm not sure why this is, but even our surrounding towns only carry chickens and ducks the spring and summer months and if you want any thing else, you have to wait for late summer to early fall, so you may have more luck finding keets if you wait a few months. I guess that doesn't solve your need for eggs to put under your broody hen, though. I currently have 9 (1 1/2 week old) keets and I just found one of my hens sitting on 20 eggs across the road. I flushed her out at dark so she wouldn't get eaten and now need to do something with the eggs. I'm not really wanting to incubate, so would give you some too if you lived closer! I could mail you some but I've never done that before and from what DR said above, it sounds like you need permits to mail eggs? If you think of a way to get them to you, let me know..I'm happy to share!

I looked up Nebraska import rules, they require all eggs to come from NPIP flock and have a state import permit. I could not see how to get one online, I am going to call, just for my curiosity, our poultry board that helps us get permits.

 

[harley587]

Mama finally stepped away from the nest. We have btwn 20-25 eggs. I figure we'll be lucky to have 3-5 hatch and live!!

 

[pattyhen]

Mama finally stepped away from the nest. We have btwn 20-25 eggs. I figure we'll be lucky to have 3-5 hatch and live!!

Thank goodness for incubaters or guineas would be extinct with those odds. Good luck I hope she hatches more then that.