Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[PeepsCA]

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For the first few days I use old towels with no loose strings(they will eat the strings and choke), textured paper towels (like Bounty), rubberized shelf liner you can get at the dollar stores or straw or grass hay. It's not a good idea to use shavings for several days after they are familiar with their starter feed, otherwise they can fill up on the shavings, clog themselves up and die. When I finally do put them on shavings I try to get the coarse flake kind, not the fine fluffy stuff (Tractor Supply usually carries the coarse flake).NEVER EVER EVER use newspaper as bedding unless you have something non slip on top of it, the keets will slip on newspaper, (they end up doing the splits), injuring their joints and you will be dealing with splayed legs which if not corrected ASAP the keet will be crippled for life and suffer in pain.

 

[PeepsCA]

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I'm sorry to have to point this out, but this is incorrect info regarding the brooder temps required for keets...

Keets from hatch to 1 wk old initially need their brooder temp to be 95 degrees (only at ONE end so they can get away from it if they get too hot), then with each week of age the temp needs to be lowered 5 degrees until brooder temps and night time temps are the same, or until they reach 6 weeks old when they are close to being fully feathered. Depending on your weather you may not need to provide heat for the full 6 weeks, but in some areas they may need a heat source a little longer. Sometimes you only need a light for warmth at night.

You can lower the temp by raising the light, or using a lower watt bulb. Regular white light bulbs work fine, you do not have to use a red heat lamp type bulb. Measure the temp on the floor in the center of the brooder lamp glow.

Cold keets develop slowly, aren't as active/lively as they should be and their immune systems aren't as strong as keets that are kept at the proper temps.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I'm sorry to have to point this out, but this is incorrect info regarding the brooder temps required for keets...

Keets from hatch to 1 wk old initially need their brooder temp to be 95 degrees (only at ONE end so they can get away from it if they get too hot), then with each week of age the temp needs to be lowered 5 degrees until brooder temps and night time temps are the same, or until they reach 6 weeks old when they are close to being fully feathered. Depending on your weather you may not need to provide heat for the full 6 weeks, but in some areas they may need a heat source a little longer. Sometimes you only need a light for warmth at night.

You can lower the temp by raising the light, or using a lower watt bulb. Regular white light bulbs work fine, you do not have to use a red heat lamp type bulb. Measure the temp on the floor in the center of the brooder lamp glow.

Cold keets develop slowly, aren't as active/lively as they should be and their immune systems aren't as strong as keets that are kept at the proper temps.

Thanks for pointing this out. I posted in this thread #66 and I wondered about the temps/humidity. I moved my keets outside at 2 weeks old with no heat lamp. The temps were in the upper 70's (South Louisiana) on their first night out but it was SOOOOOOOOOO humid out there. I checked on them every hour and they were fine. They were not huddled up together as if they were cold. They have been outside ever since.

 

[PeepsCA]

Yah it really does depend on your climate and weather variances and humidity level too... I always forget that factor when I am giving advice to others not in my area, or not even in my state (I sell a lot of keets locally so it's pretty much a routine/conditioned response for me to repeat the same things over and over AND OVER, lol for people needing keet advice in my area, lol.

If your keets are acting fine, happy and as active as they should be, eating and pooping normal etc... then I see no problem with reducing or eliminating the heat source if it's really not needed. Sometimes I wish I had your weather... but you can keep your warm weather humidity levels tho lol

 

[southern oaks]

When I first got guineas, I followed the advice of many and let 2 out at a time. Now they stay on the 20 acres. I never intended to breed them, however, I had one missing and sure enough found her on 20 eggs today

Now I need to know if I can just put them in the bator and keep the temp correct and wait till they hatch? I am thinking she has been sitting for about 11 days now. by the way.. Thanks for all the great info on here.

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

We had a guinea hen adopt us on Sunday. I don't know where she came from. She must have heard our rooster. She's settled right in. She won't go away. I've tried shoo-ing her away but she comes back and sleeps on our railing. She's adorable. I've asked around but no one knows where she came from.

 

[PeepsCA]

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Sure you can! I'd candle all of them and pop the ones that look viable (showing developement) in the incubator! (99.5 degrees for forced air incubation, 101.5-102 degrees for still air incubation, aim for 45-55% relative humidity until lockdown, then drop the temp a degree and bump the relative humidity up to 65-75% for lockdown). You might want to candle them once a week or so to check on their progress, so you have a general idea of when to lock them down and raise the humidity. There's a previous thread recently ( from last week) about "guestimating" the lockdown day and how to tell when they are close to being ready. Good luck and post pics!

PS... I'm sure your other Hens are doing the same thing too... so be on the look out, lol.

 

[PeepsCA]

I've answered this question on this forum time and time again, only to have people argue with me that their keets do fine on chick starter. So I am posting it here in hopes of educating people that Guinea Fowl have different nutritional needs than chickens do, from keet all the way up to adult age.

What do you feed keets? Do they get medicated crumbles or just plain crumbles, or do they need the higher protein game starter crumbles?

I have always fed mine regular chick feed. That may not be the best though.

No, it's not the best... and yes they DO need a higher protein starter feed. Many people get away with raising their keets on it but chick starter does not have enough protein in it for the keets to develop at the proper rate. Guinea fowl keets should be fed a higher protein Turkey, Game Bird or Pheasant starter feed containig between 25%-30% protein (27-28% is the best), medicated with Amproium until they are 6-8 wks old, then they should be gradually/slowly switched over to a grower feed or flock raiser with no less than 20% protein in it until they are 12 wks old. After that their main diet can be switched over to an all purpose poultry feed or a layer feed containing between 16%-18% protein. 16% protein is the absolute minimum adult Guineas should be fed as a main diet.

I really wish people would stop suggesting chick starter feeds and chick grower feeds for raising Guinea Fowl keets on, because it's not the correct feed for them if you want them to grow and develop at the proper rate (feathers, bones, muscles and organs etc). I always compare feeding chick starter to keets with feeding little kids twinkies and soda pop, yes they do still grow and develop (always slower than the rest of the kids, and usually with developing health issues later on in life because of it), it's just not healthy and it doesn't meet their nutritional needs! Guinea Fowl keets are not chickens, they develop at a completely different rate and have completely different nutritional needs, they need more protein than chickens do... I cannot stress this enough.

Scratch and grains/seeds like wild birds seeds and millet should be given as a treat only after they are older, and only in small amounts, all of these feeds are way too high in fats and sugars and do not have enough protein in them to be their staple diet. They can develop major health issues from being fed incorrectly, and will never live up to their full potential as they will if fed correctly from day one.

Please, anyone getting Guineas Fowl or already currently owning Guinea Fowl and you really do care about your birds' health - do your homework and read up on their nutritional needs! If you don't agree with what I've posted here, then contact a major Guinea Fowl breeder and ask them what THEY feed their keets and Guineas.​

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:

I have always fed mine regular chick feed. That may not be the best though.

No, it's not the best... and yes they DO need a higher protein starter feed. Many people get away with raising their keets on it but chick starter does not have enough protein in it for the keets to develop at the proper rate. Guinea fowl keets should be fed a higher protein Turkey, Game Bird or Pheasant starter feed containig between 25%-30% protein (27-28% is the best), medicated with Amproium until they are 6-8 wks old, then they should be gradually/slowly switched over to a grower feed or flock raiser with no less than 20% protein in it until they are 12 wks old. After that their main diet can be switched over to an all purpose poultry feed or a layer feed containing between 16%-18% protein. 16% protein is the absolute minimum adult Guineas should be fed as a main diet.

I really wish people would stop suggesting chick starter feeds and chick grower feeds for raising Guinea Fowl keets on, because it's not the correct feed for them if you want them to grow and develop at the proper rate (feathers, bones, muscles and organs etc). I always compare feeding chick starter to keets with feeding little kids twinkies and soda pop, yes they do still grow and develop (always slower than the rest of the kids, and usually with developing health issues later on in life because of it), it's just not healthy and it doesn't meet their nutritional needs! Guinea Fowl keets are not chickens, they develop at a completely different rate and have completely different nutritional needs, they need more protein than chickens do... I cannot stress this enough.

Scratch and grains/seeds like wild birds seeds and millet should be given as a treat only after they are older, and only in small amounts, all of these feeds are way too high in fats and sugars and do not have enough protein in them to be their staple diet. They can develop major health issues from being fed incorrectly, and will never live up to their full potential as they will if fed correctly from day one.

Please, anyone getting Guineas Fowl or already currently owning Guinea Fowl and you really do care about your birds' health - do your homework and read up on their nutritional needs! If you don't agree with what I've posted here, then contact a major Guinea Fowl breeder and ask them what THEY feed their keets and Guineas.​

I'm glad to report that I feed my keets Purina Game Bird Startena 30% protein. I truly believe in feeding the correct feed to all of my animals.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate your post.

 

[southern oaks]

Quote:
Sure you can! I'd candle all of them and pop the ones that look viable (showing developement) in the incubator! (99.5 degrees for forced air incubation, 101.5-102 degrees for still air incubation, aim for 45-55% relative humidity until lockdown, then drop the temp a degree and bump the relative humidity up to 65-75% for lockdown). You might want to candle them once a week or so to check on their progress, so you have a general idea of when to lock them down and raise the humidity. There's a previous thread recently ( from last week) about "guestimating" the lockdown day and how to tell when they are close to being ready. Good luck and post pics!

PS... I'm sure your other Hens are doing the same thing too... so be on the look out, lol.

Well good and bad and unsure news!!! Bad first, The guinea I took the 6 eggs from(while waiting for more room) something got all the rest of her eggs last night i have checked her 3 times a day and all seemed ok.) I went to take the rest this morning and the shells were scattered. Good news is I have 6 of her eggs and yes I have 2 more girls MIA. Unsure news..We have heard them and searched high and low and can not pin point where they are. I was going to take there eggs so I didnt have a repeat. Thanks for replying as It sure looks like you have loads of experience. Sad Happy and confused today!!!