Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[MeepBeep]

mmmkkk, I gotta ask....by "plumbing" do you mean to say their"junk"/ Sorry am trhing to understand without being too graphic as I know we have younger members (no pun intended

) just curious.

Yes, that is what they mean, male ducks are QUITE endowed, while male chickens have NO endowment...

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Yep. Nothing wrong with clarifying it IMO!
I had a mixed flock in the beginning, and my scovy drake never has any interest in the hens, just his ducks.
I got pekin, forget it! They will mate anything they can catch.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well, my guinea hens hatched their first brood. Not doing it again!
One stopped brooding, and the other hen is ignoring the chicks. I found 5 dead chicks

Saved the rest. Taking the remaining eggs tomorrow.. just sad.
They have a separate coop, do not understand it a bit.

 

[potagergirl]

Well, my guinea hens hatched their first brood. Not doing it again!
One stopped brooding, and the other hen is ignoring the chicks. I found 5 dead chicks

Saved the rest. Taking the remaining eggs tomorrow.. just sad.
They have a separate coop, do not understand it a bit.

So sorry for the loss of your 5 keets. I'm sure the others will have a better survival in your brooder under your watchful eyes.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
After further observation today seems the pekin ducks are the problem.
Have not been home a lot due to dads open heart surgery and caring for my mom.
Found most of my ducks trampling my guinea coop, stealing their food and eating their eggs!
There's around 50 planned for the freezer. They just made me feel alot less guilty about it!
I took any remaining eggs, and they are safely tucked away in the bator.
Restored my faith in my guineas and they got the whole box of mealies tonight!
I won;t be raising any more pekin. The flock will be processed and I'm done.

 

[potagergirl]

After further observation today seems the pekin ducks are the problem.
Have not been home a lot due to dads open heart surgery and caring for my mom.
Found most of my ducks trampling my guinea coop, stealing their food and eating their eggs!
There's around 50 planned for the freezer. They just made me feel alot less guilty about it!
I took any remaining eggs, and they are safely tucked away in the bator.
Restored my faith in my guineas and they got the whole box of mealies tonight!
I won;t be raising any more pekin. The flock will be processed and I'm done.

Wow, I'm new to chickens so I am glad you found the problem. This is something I will keep in mind for the future in case I ever do think I want ducks.
I wonder if it is the breed of duck or if all are like this?

 

[Tikkijane]

I'm having a horrible time of it with my hatching keets under broody hens. They do fine for the first week and then seem to get smothered. Besides taking them away from mama, what else can I do? I've had bantams and LF. I've left the unhatched eggs in to help keep them more confined and not wander off without the keets in my grow-out coop, but sheesh. Not that I need more keets, but I really would like to hatch out some of my own and keep them alive........ :/

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm having a horrible time of it with my hatching keets under broody hens. They do fine for the first week and then seem to get smothered. Besides taking them away from mama, what else can I do? I've had bantams and LF. I've left the unhatched eggs in to help keep them more confined and not wander off without the keets in my grow-out coop, but sheesh. Not that I need more keets, but I really would like to hatch out some of my own and keep them alive........

Bantam breeds do better with the keets. My guinea hens run off and leave the keets too often, so I am letting my OEGBs hatch them now, and probably the silkies too.

Quote: My muscovies have never done this, and we are on the 3rd year with them. Pekin will eat n eat n eat... their crops are always bulging!
My only egg stealers are the pekin too

.

 

[Tikkijane]

Bantam breeds do better with the keets. My guinea hens run off and leave the keets too often, so I am letting my OEGBs hatch them now, and probably the silkies too.
My muscovies have never done this, and we are on the 3rd year with them. Pekin will eat n eat n eat... their crops are always bulging!
My only egg stealers are the pekin too .

2 bantams and a BO- the one bantam is the only one left with a keet. :/

 

[Tacampbell1973]

Well, my guinea hens hatched their first brood. Not doing it again!
One stopped brooding, and the other hen is ignoring the chicks. I found 5 dead chicks

Saved the rest. Taking the remaining eggs tomorrow.. just sad.
They have a separate coop, do not understand it a bit.

HI Jc.....
I just wanted to let you know I am going through hell with my guineas too. lost all but one hen to a coyote that we can't seem to elimijnate. all were sitting on nests. finally the last hen hatched her brood of 18 only to have the five males kill 5 of them....I amm brooding the remaining 13 keets and now trying to trap a ferret thing (mink( that has his heart set on chicken. I am giving my neighbor half and keeping the others, but seriously considering gving up on guineas. I love mine to pieces. they are the goofiest animals on the planet. onegot into the live trap we set for the mink and couldn't figure out how to back up out of it.....idiot.they are always making me laugh though when they follow me around the yard. I would like to try my hand at raising a pair of peacocks though, just have to learn more about them before I try. Well just wanted to let you know your not alone with this guinea thing...crossingmyfingers for your remaining eggs.