Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[starlingdaly]

I don't think I would try risking keets that was not hers. Guineas are not the best mothers even with their own babies. I would be afraid she would kill them.

I don't have experience with guinea broodies yet, but my friend who has guineas was telling me about how his broodies will attack you if you're messing with ANY keets, not just theirs. But maybe he has weird guineas

 

[Sandshaven]

I don't have experience with guinea broodies yet, but my friend who has guineas was telling me about how his broodies will attack you if you're messing with ANY keets, not just theirs. But maybe he has weird guineas

I actually don't have that much experience with the hens hatching. I have only tried last year which was a disaster.
And this year.... We have hatched/brooded 28 keets. We still have a community nest with around 60 eggs. I have found mistakes I have made along the way.
I do check their nest a few times a day and I grab their keets. I tried at first to let them raise them but they are so crowded. The keets were being stomped to death. My hens are tame with me and peck me less than the other guineas.
I might actually have the weird guineas since mine still expect me to fluff their nest.

Thought I would share a pic too...

 

[starlingdaly]

I actually don't have that much experience with the hens hatching. I have only tried last year which was a disaster. And this year.... We have hatched/brooded 28 keets. We still have a community nest with around 60 eggs. I have found mistakes I have made along the way. I do check their nest a few times a day and I grab their keets. I tried at first to let them raise them but they are so crowded. The keets were being stomped to death. My hens are tame with me and peck me less than the other guineas. I might actually have the weird guineas since mine still expect me to fluff their nest. Thought I would share a pic too...

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. I think some of this is just live and learn since some flocks will do things differently. I LOVE that picture, though.

 

[Sandshaven]

Thanks...
I know we have learned a lot over the years... Actually still learning.

 

[starlingdaly]

Thanks...
I know we have learned a lot over the years... Actually still learning.

 

Of course! We all are, and if we stop, we're dead.

 

[starlingdaly]

Random question for all you guinea savvy.

Do guineas have a higher vitamin D requirement than chickens do?

I would imagine evolving in Africa, they would've developed some sort of sun protection just as humans have with darker skin.
If I am correct, people of African descent do not absorb as much vitamin D as a Northern European descended person due to the amount of melanin in the skin.

So going by that, it would appear possible for guineas to have evolved similarly and need more exposure to the sun to synthesize their daily requirement of vitamin D when compared to a chicken or turkey.

I am pondering this because my current two guineas are showing that they are a little weak in the legs (despite my vitamin D supplements and outside time when I'm home) whereas the baby chickens in the same brooder with the same food and supplements show no sign of deficiency at all.
I am going to start feeding the keets separately with a significantly higher dose of vitamin D and see if that helps. They are spending the day outside today as well.

 

[Sandshaven]

What kind of feed are you giving them?

 

[starlingdaly]

What kind of feed are you giving them?

I give all my chicks a mix that I make which includes einkorn, coconut, millet, quinoa, sesame seeds, brown rice, coarse ground pumpkin seeds, coarse ground sunflower seeds, nyjer, flax, DE and powdered kelp.
I also sprout organic wheat and occasionally organic rye for them.
All the growing babies get some raw ground beef or liver mixed with liquid D and a little extra powdered kelp, sometimes topped with raw minced garlic or a drop of oregano oil thoroughly mixed, a several times a week.
Their water contains Save-a-chick vitamin/electrolyte supplement (contains vitamin D) and sometimes the probiotics by the same brand. I put ACV in there when I have it on hand.

Oh, and I sometimes give them scrap minced veggies and some fruit (blueberries today)

Their symptoms are weak legs. Not paralyzed and they are still alert, just weak.
I have dealt with severe vitamin d deficiency before in chickens when my vitamin supplement (in the water) oxidized from improper storage. This was before I supplemented additional D. They all had symptoms like this which is why I ask.

I am fully confident they will recover after a day or two of double dose vitamin d and extra outside time (it has been raining almost every day tho) but was just curious if anyone knew if their requirements are naturally higher (so I can prevent it happening again).

 

[Sandshaven]

Hmmm... I have actually never heard of people feeding such things. But I am new to poultry.. Learn something new..
How are your weak legged guineas doing?

 

[starlingdaly]

I like it better when they all free range but I still have a mix on hand for super rainy miserable days or if they are babies in my brooder.
They all seem to do well with it and love the sprouted wheat and raw meat most of all.

They seem to be doing a bit better. I want to put them outside more but it has been raining nonstop since the day I last posted so they've been getting all their supplements from me.