Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[R2elk]

This is the only game bird feed Tractor Supply carries and it's supposedly to be fed til 16 weeks, https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...d-flight-conditioner-50-lb-50-lb?cm_vc=-10005

Tractor Supply is a Purina dealer and can order Purina Game bird + Turkey Startena if the local management is willing to.

https://www.purinamills.com/game-bird-feed/products/detail/purina-game-bird-turkey-startena

 

[duluthralphie]

TSC should be able to get this.. good luck

 

[CityGuineas]

Hi my friends, from my San Antonio backyard! My 2yrs Guineas, Rosie n Lee, have now been safely cooped for nearly 2 weeks- and they're NOT happy! Rosie esp! She hasn't laid any eggs yet- understandable after the adventure that forced me to coop train them!
As long as I am out on patio they seem ok...but as soon as I go in- they raise holy hell...except at night!
Pleasant surprise since for 2 yrs they have roosted in the oak tree above their coop! I did install 2 good suspended oak branches...they go up and roost now routinely as they did b4 their misadventures that landed them in Gitmo!
Wed night, they- and I were miserable. The 1st day they began rebelling a bit to being cooped...and I was feeling terrible guilt.
At 2:3]am, I was awakened by Rosie's cries- they're very quitet usually at night, even in Gitmo! So I ran outside to check...and I started in disbelief at a humongous Barn Owl atop their coop!!! I scared it away- decided to stay outside( the coop is topped well with caging material- and Owl came back 3 times!!!
Had I given in to my human guilt, broken the week and half confinement training- I would have likely lost my beloved Rosie and Lee!!
Just wanted to share this - now a firm believer that if you don't train to coop them safely...then you WILL lose them!
Best $400 in building materials I ever spent!
Hope Rosie lays an egg soon...dont care about eggs, just that last year by now she laid a whole bunch in neighbors yard!!

 

[CityGuineas]

Weird, muy Guinea fowl poop has no odor and is ez to wash away in grass with waterhose...kinda like pieces of chewed gum, normally!

 

[R2elk]

Hi my friends, from my San Antonio backyard! My 2yrs Guineas, Rosie n Lee, have now been safely cooped for nearly 2 weeks- and they're NOT happy! Rosie esp! She hasn't laid any eggs yet- understandable after the adventure that forced me to coop train them!
As long as I am out on patio they seem ok...but as soon as I go in- they raise holy hell...except at night!
Pleasant surprise since for 2 yrs they have roosted in the oak tree above their coop! I did install 2 good suspended oak branches...they go up and roost now routinely as they did b4 their misadventures that landed them in Gitmo!
Wed night, they- and I were miserable. The 1st day they began rebelling a bit to being cooped...and I was feeling terrible guilt.
At 2:3]am, I was awakened by Rosie's cries- they're very quitet usually at night, even in Gitmo! So I ran outside to check...and I started in disbelief at a humongous Barn Owl atop their coop!!! I scared it away- decided to stay outside( the coop is topped well with caging material- and Owl came back 3 times!!!
Had I given in to my human guilt, broken the week and half confinement training- I would have likely lost my beloved Rosie and Lee!!
Just wanted to share this - now a firm believer that if you don't train to coop them safely...then you WILL lose them!
Best $400 in building materials I ever spent!
Hope Rosie lays an egg soon...dont care about eggs, just that last year by now she laid a whole bunch in neighbors yard!!

It is normal for guinea hens to start laying later each year as they age. Of course the cooler weather we had this spring can also be a contributing factor.

 

[CityGuineas]

City Guineas update!
2yr old Rosie and Lee- on week 2 of coop confinement in new coop- were agitated today for 1st time!!! Pacing, crying...watered them down, as our first heatwave has hit...still unhappy.Went to visit neighbor, came home- and there was Rosie's 1st egg!!! Right at coop door! She was resting in inner coop, and Lee was once again content, calm...
I entered coop, ready to give up if they got defensive- but no, they were fine with me in there.I took a stick, gently rolled her big, pretty egg Into the safety of under the plank of inner Gitmo house inside coop.She followed, was fine- finished contentedly covering it up with leaves.I left, no attempt to escape.
They are safe, contented.
Best news I could possibly share!

 

[CityGuineas]

It is normal for guinea hens to start laying later each year as they age. Of course the cooler weather we had this spring can also be a contributing factor.

 

[CityGuineas]

I had no idea! Thank you for sharing that!
I am so happy her 1st egg is now here, big, pretty and perfect! She is, they're both calm, content inside coop- they allowed me to roll it gently with a tree liimb- under there direction, of vourse- under the sanctity of their inner house coop wooden plank.She finished my lead of covering it a bit with leaves. They are both enjoying a good dirt bath right now!

 

[CityGuineas]

Thank you so much, my friend!!!
I so appreciate your kind help!

 

[CityGuineas]

Oh, BTW- I was only anxious about Rosie laying an egg for her health!
I do NOT want any keets (according to all I have read - and last year's experience- that doesn't seem to be a worry...I also don't eat eggs, and neighbors love the Guinea s, ( except the one notable exception!) But no one is exactly anxious to eat one that has been outside in 100 degree heat...Rosie will eventually forget about it, unless it is different now that she is laying inside her coop instead of her preferred neighbors' yard, like last year!