Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[fuzidragonbunnie]

Thanks for the information! There may be a potential adult Guinea Fowl in our future. Friends of mine have been caring for one that has been dumped (or lost it's way) at their apartment complex. They are going to try and trap him/her, but can't take the bird when they move. I have a couple of concerns regarding the Guinea.

We have dogs who have had their share of chasing, killing and eating the one or two hens who have been foolish enough to fly over our chicken pen and not been able to get back or be saved in time. Do I need to worry about the Guinea being too intimidated to come home after being spooked by our dogs?

Also, how do you train an adult to come home to roost, or should we wire in the top of the enclosure with chicken wire so he/she can't fly out? The bird has been living semi-wild for at least a year now.

Third, if the Guinea is female and by herself, can she be safely integrated with the chickens, or will she show the same aggressive tendency towards the chickens as the males do?

I'm hoping it will be awhile before my friends can convince the Guinea to be caught so I can prepare a good place for it.

 

[Goaldielocks]

So I have been researching guinea hens for a few weeks now and have decided to get between 3 and 4 to add to the flock. The guy selling the keets said that there are 4 weeks old. I have read nearly everything I can find on this forum and there really is a wealth of knowledge, thanks all for that. I am wondering if it would make sense to close off the chicken door from the coop to the run, and let the keets finish feathering and growing up a bit, while at the same time establishing their "home base." We have 10 hens that free range during the day now, and our run is about 16'x8' and is completely wired up, floor too, with a nice metal roof. I have discovered it is probably best to keep with a higher protein turkey or game bird food, from this here forum. But I wasn't sure if I would also have to provide a lighted area for warmth at night, as we did when the chickens were young. I know this is a lot of questions I just want everyone to be healthy, happy and get along. How long should I keep the keets isolated, and not free ranging? I saw someone posted that you can let half of them out and the remaining will call back the travelers. Thanks to all that can help with some info, I really do think it is great what these little creatures do to enrich all of our lives!

 

[momma_raven]

I am hatching my first batch of guineas in an incubator and yesterday at day 22 one of my eggs had pipping! The keet has made a hole all the way through the egg but I don't see any zipping? How long should it take for the keet to hatch completely? I may just be worrying too much but don't want it to die in the shell. What do you all think?

 

[PeepsCA]

Keets usually hatch between 26-28 days. You have a really early keet. Make sure your humidity is up around 70% and if it's meant to be it'll hatch fine on it's own. It may take another day or 2 for it to zip and hatch. Maybe by the time it hatches you'll have a few more eggs pipping.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
I suggest keeping the keets in a brooder for a couple more weeks with a heat source until they are 6 wks old. You also want to make sure they are healthy and active and that they won't bring any diseases to your coop (quarantine). After the 2 weeks, I'd partition off a section in your coop specifically for the keets, letting the chickens and keets see each other but not get to each other. Depending on the night time temps you may or may not need to provide them heat any more (I usually take mine off heat at 6 wks with no problems). I'd give them 6 weeks to adjust and reprogram their little peabrains that the coop is home before you start letting them all out together. The keets will need to be taught/trained to go back in at night, so be prepared to consistently work with them before dark every night and establish a routine of going in. You may get lucky and they will bond with your chickens as a flock and go in when the chickens do, but you never know with Guineas. Keep the keets on high protein Starter feed medicated with Amprolium until they are 6 weeks old, then switch to a Turkey or Game Bird Grower feed for the last 6 wks (Flock Raiser works too). After that they can eat any all purpose poultry feed or layer feed containing a minimum of 16% protein as their main diet.

Good luck

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
That's a good question. I wondered the same thing. I have 1 batch of guineas that are 2 weeks old and I placed them outside in a large wooden brooder box with no heat lamp. Our temps in HOT louisianawere in the upper 70's last night and I wanted to see how they would do outside last night. I kept an eye on them all night (kept going out every hour) and believe it or not, they were all separated inside of the brooder as if they were "comfortable". They were not bunched up together as if they were cold. It was VERY humidout last night and I'm figuring the humidity had something to do with them being warm. Any thoughts?

 

[momma_raven]

What type of bedding should I use in the brooder box when I put my fresh hatched keets in there under the heat lamp?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
The only thing that I use is old towels and free puppy pads that I get from time to time.

 

[prairiehen74369]

question: It probably has been asked before and I've missed it. How do you experienced Guineas Keepers feel about spraying the eggs in the incubator with warm water starting day 26??

 

[kyle7630]

Quote:
I was given that same advice from another byc member last week and it helped alot. I just hatched 18 of 19 eggs, and even opened the bator while some had pips to spray. The water in my bottle was room temp though. I'd say go for it. It really helped keep my RH up.