Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[duluthralphie]

Again, I think it would be better to let the mother guinea take care of raising the keets. She can do a fine job on her own with the help of her males. They aren't as likely to accept the keets as their own if they don't raise them themselves, and the keets will be better off. Much better to let them reproduce on their own if at all possible. If you try chasing the female guinea and steal her babies I think it wouldn't be that great for your relationship.

People on here do talk about taking the eggs or taking the keets, but it's quite clear that you'll have trouble integrating the babies if you do that. Many of them take eggs and hatch the keets for sale, not for return to their own flock.

I am going to sound contrary to you, I would never let the mother guinea raise the keets in the wild/ real world. I would lock them inside a shed/brooder so she cannot drag them through the dew or rain. Guineas are poor mothers.

I have never had a problem getting keets I raised by hand to integrate into the flock. The old guineas are surrounding the brooder pen and talking with the new members before I release them. They welcome the newbies into the flock.

 

[Jessie22]

This is the situation. The 3 guineas (2 males, 1 female) belong to my neighbor but stay here 95% of the time. They go home to eat and roost at night in the trees. My land is more open then my neighbors. She laid her eggs on my property but when he found out, he wanted to destroy them because he didn't want anymore guineas. His wife has destroyed 2 other nests and also doesn't want anymore guineas. I told them when she hatched her babies, I would gather them up and keep them all. That is the only way he would let her hatch her eggs. I don't have to worry about integrating them into the flock because they are the only guineas I will have. My neighbors guineas are friendly to me even the guinea that is incubating her eggs. I guess because they see me alot and I talk to them. I will let them free range during the day and put them in the coop at night. When the baby keets free range, my only concern is when they run into each other, will they fight? I also want some bearded silkies chicks (2 hens) and 1 male. I would like the white or black bearded silkies to go along with my baby keets. I would like them around the same age so I won't have problems. Does any one know where I could get the bearded silkie chicks or maybe eggs so I could incubate them? I am going to use the heating pad method for the baby keets along with a medium dog crate.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

This is the situation. The 3 guineas (2 males, 1 female) belong to my neighbor but stay here 95% of the time. They go home to eat and roost at night in the trees. My land is more open then my neighbors. She laid her eggs on my property but when he found out, he wanted to destroy them because he didn't want anymore guineas. His wife has destroyed 2 other nests and also doesn't want anymore guineas. I told them when she hatched her babies, I would gather them up and keep them all. That is the only way he would let her hatch her eggs. I don't have to worry about integrating them into the flock because they are the only guineas I will have. My neighbors guineas are friendly to me even the guinea that is incubating her eggs. I guess because they see me alot and I talk to them. I will let them free range during the day and put them in the coop at night. When the baby keets free range, my only concern is when they run into each other, will they fight? I also want some bearded silkies chicks (2 hens) and 1 male. I would like the white or black bearded silkies to go along with my baby keets. I would like them around the same age so I won't have problems. Does any one know where I could get the bearded silkie chicks or maybe eggs so I could incubate them? I am going to use the heating pad method for the baby keets along with a medium dog crate.

If all the guineas hatch and you add chicks, you will need more than a medium dog crate. That will only work for about the first week. I just had 15 keets and four chicks in a large dog crate and they outgrew it in a week (luckily the buyers picked them up yesterday).

As far as eggs, I typically get mine on ebay.

 

[Victoria-nola]

This is the situation. The 3 guineas (2 males, 1 female) belong to my neighbor but stay here 95% of the time. They go home to eat and roost at night in the trees. My land is more open then my neighbors. She laid her eggs on my property but when he found out, he wanted to destroy them because he didn't want anymore guineas. His wife has destroyed 2 other nests and also doesn't want anymore guineas. I told them when she hatched her babies, I would gather them up and keep them all. That is the only way he would let her hatch her eggs. I don't have to worry about integrating them into the flock because they are the only guineas I will have. My neighbors guineas are friendly to me even the guinea that is incubating her eggs. I guess because they see me alot and I talk to them. I will let them free range during the day and put them in the coop at night. When the baby keets free range, my only concern is when they run into each other, will they fight? I also want some bearded silkies chicks (2 hens) and 1 male. I would like the white or black bearded silkies to go along with my baby keets. I would like them around the same age so I won't have problems. Does any one know where I could get the bearded silkie chicks or maybe eggs so I could incubate them? I am going to use the heating pad method for the baby keets along with a medium dog crate.

Wow, what a difficult situation. Well I understand. But, just so you know, you will be unlikely to be able to keep "your" guineas on your property if they want to go with the others. They are incredibly flock oriented. Would your neighbors be interested in your taking over feeding and care at your place? The guineas are used to roosting over there but if they are being fed at your house they might reorient toward your place. I mean, if it sounds like they don't want them? (I feel sorry for the guineas in this situation.)

Anyway, not my business. I wish you luck and I really do hope, for the guineas' sake, that they stay on your property.

 

[Jessie22]

He feeds his guineas and they roost at his house. He loves his guineas but doesn't want anymore. I didn't mean to say he was mean because he and his wife love their guineas and are good neighbors but just don't want anymore. He ask me if I minded that his guineas are here alot. Of course I said no I don't mind. I was happy to see them here. I live on 10 acres but there is numerous acres that no one lives on and its great living here in the country. I am a Wildlife Rehabilitator and love all animals.

 

[Victoria-nola]

He feeds his guineas and they roost at his house. He loves his guineas but doesn't want anymore. I didn't mean to say he was mean because he and his wife love their guineas and are good neighbors but just don't want anymore. He ask me if I minded that his guineas are here alot. Of course I said no I don't mind. I was happy to see them here. I live on 10 acres but there is numerous acres that no one lives on and its great living here in the country. I am a Wildlife Rehabilitator and love all animals.

I love all animals too, and now live on 29 acres in the country, am so so happy. We have a new flock of 25 guineas that have been free-ranging for 2-3 weeks and they are so great to have here. Already for sure fewer ticks here.

So anyway, sorry for interfering. I basically super get along with animals and nature, struggle to understand people. But hey, humans, can't live with em, can't live without em. heh

--V

 

[generaldsherman]

Just getting ready to set 15 guinea eggs in the incubator this afternoon. They are Royal Purple. Planning on gifting them to my aunt, who is nuts about guineas.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Just getting ready to set 15 guinea eggs in the incubator this afternoon. They are Royal Purple. Planning on gifting them to my aunt, who is nuts about guineas.

You got those from another member on here, right? I'm jealous. I've lost all my purples over the past year

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I love all animals too, and now live on 29 acres in the country, am so so happy. We have a new flock of 25 guineas that have been free-ranging for 2-3 weeks and they are so great to have here. Already for sure fewer ticks here.

So anyway, sorry for interfering. I basically super get along with animals and nature, struggle to understand people. But hey, humans, can't live with em, can't live without em. heh

--V

Hey, Victoria - Where abouts do you live? I actually moved up here to MD from Bay St Louis in 2013. We miss the outdoors life but not the suffocating heat and humidity lol.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:
Hey SHK-- outside McComb on 29 acres with cold creeks and mature mixed hardwood/pine forest with a large meadow. I found I needed rolling hills and needed to leave the city (where we had a microfarm), so we left New Orleans and came here. Spent most of my life in northern Calif, but my mom's family is from Louisiana and she's been ailing, moved to NOLA to be nearer her and other family, but then came here and expect to stay, we're just finishing a little cabin for my mom to move into here on our farm. I find that the temps and humidity is much easier to handle out in the countryside than being in the city or the flatlands, even the Gulf Coast. I love having lots of water and not having to worry about fire as we did in the country in the West. Anyway, I understand your decision, but I'm so so happy with ours. My biggest challenge is learning to garden before and after the hottest summer months when most things collapse. We are well situated to have a farmstand and have a lot of interest in anything we might offer so are gearing toward that.

And to stay on topic, let me say that our keets have been free-ranging now for 3 weeks or more and we LOVE LOVE them. I already see a difference in the tick population-- they love me so anytime I would work in the garden I'd come in with ticks on me. Not happening now. And they are just a blast to have around. They run to me when I call, just to say hello (no food involved), I totally didn't expect that.
--V