Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[PeepsCA]

Found the following info on my local Co-op web page where I have ordered my keets from for May. Does this all seem accurate information?

Personally I don't agree with a few things written there...

Lowering their brooder temp 5 degrees every 3 days is not acclimating them slowly enough, IMO. 5 degrees per week until the brooder temp is equal to the outside ambient temps is what I always recommend. They are not fully feathered and able to regulate their own body temps until they are 6 wks old and will need a heat source up to that age. And yes, if it's cold at night after they are 6wks old they may still need a heat source for a while longer. Cold keets do not thrive.

They do need to be raised on high protein starter feed, but jumping down from 28% protein starter feed to a 16%-17% all-purpose feed is just asking for a protein deficiency, possibly resulting in feather picking and/or cannibalism, plus a batch of keets that wll not mature, molt and feather out into adult plumage fast enough. I suggest gradually weening them over to a grower feed of no less than 20% protein at 6-8wks old and then continue feeding this thru their 12th-14th wk, then gradually ween them over to a layer feed or all purpose poultry feed with no less than 16% protein (which can then be their staple diet). If you choose to not feed a layer feed then be sure to proved oyster shell for the Hens free choice. If they are hatched early enough in the Spring/Summer, the Pullets can start laying their first eggs as early as 14-16 wks old, and will need the extra calcium so they do not have to pull it from their bodies.

Only keeping keets for 2-4 wks in their new pen/coop is not long enough, IMO/IME. It typically takes 6 wks for them to imprint on or be reprogrammed to a new home, (and knowing where their food, shelter and safety is). If you let 8wk old keets out after only 2 weeks in their pen they are going to fly off, scatter, get separated and become predator food really fast. They will have no idea where home is or how to get back into their coop (everything looks completely different to them from the outside, and Guineas hate abrupt change). I don't start letting mine out to free range until they are at least 12 wks old, have more wits about them (if that's possible with Guineas), and are able to escape predators better. Hawks have no issues swooping down on younger/smaller keets.

My Guineas have done fine on pelleted feeds once they are mature, you just have to mix the grower crumbles and the pellets together for a while until they start eating the pellets, then gradually feed more pellets, less crumble. Abrupt food changes usually result in a refusal to eat, especially if they are free ranging during the day and finding the bulk of their diet when they are out.

 

[amberr]

[COLOR=4B0082]Personally I don't agree with a few things written there... [/COLOR]

Thanks Peeps I had picked up on a few of your points in reading here on byc. Trying to get a game plan all written out for when my keets arrive in April/may.

 

[Evadne]

I raise my keets in a coop. At what stage can they be allowed to start free ranging?

Evadne de Jager

 

[rubia]

Does anyone raise guinea for meat? We have a customer who wants guinea meat so we're looking for info on what age is best for butchering, butchering tips, etc.

Thanks!

 

[PeepsCA]

I don't raise my Guineas specifically for meat, but I have put quite a few of my flock culls in the freezer/on the table... assorted ages between 12wks and 2+ yrs old. I only raise the standard sized Guinea Fowl tho, not Jumbos or French which are a couple/few pounds heavier when mature. Jumbos and French are basically the meat bird versions of Guinea Fowl, and are typically processed between 12-16wks of age. With my standard sized Guineas I prefer to wait at least until they are 16wks old. But no matter the variety/size, IMO, after 16-20wks of being raised on high protein feeds they are full grown, and as big as they are going to get. After that you are just wasting feed from that point on if you are raising them specifically for meat. They don't gain any significant weight or size after they reach that age and they just end up tougher, with more connective tissue developing, and maybe a little fat accumulating. I home process them just like one would process a chicken... sometimes skinning them, sometimes scalding and plucking them depending on what I plan to do with the meat. You can dry pluck Guineas, but you may tear the skin so I always scald if I want a presentable looking bird for the table. Be sure to let the processed bird rest in the fridge for 48 hours before you cook it (or you can brine it over night) to make sure they are as tender as possible.

HTH

 

[JTifft]

Hello Folks.

New to the site and new to chickens and guineas as well. I have read the entire thread and am feeling much better about the whole thing. I have the added bonus of having a wife who knows chickens too. We have had several discussions on points brought up here. I am thinking this is going to be a good time. Still working on fencing the 680 (ish) sq foot coop / aviary. Should be done this weekend. The chicks and the keets have been living together in perfect harmony for a couple of weeks now. I am expecting that "The Chicken Channel" is going to be very entertaining this year. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer all these questions (sometimes repeatedly ) I know as a new coop keeper, reading the information over again helped to cement it enough that I know where to look for the answers now.

Thanks again,
Jeff

 

[kuntrygirl]

Does anyone raise guinea for meat?  We have a customer who wants guinea meat so we're looking for info on what age is best for butchering, butchering tips, etc.

Thanks!

We have made guinea gumbo here is South Louisiana. I wish that we could process more but I don't know the males from the females and I can't process females.

 

[JacqueOCS]

I raise my keets in a coop. At what stage can they be allowed to start free ranging?

Evadne de Jager

Hi! We raised 15 guineas last year and kept them in the coop for about 8 wks. At 6 wks we moved the house they were in to the chicken coop so they could see the chickens and get used to their schedule. At 8 wks we let them out of their house and they done fine and fit right in w/the chickens. We lost one guinea before ever letting them out of their house. Over the winter we lost 3 more. Ours do to back into the chicken coop at night to roost. I love to watch them roam the yard and pasture. They're def unique birds

 

[JanO]

I plan on raising mine, about 10 or 12 of them, in the brooder pen (wire encased 4x4x2 pen with a light) placed inside the coop for about 6-8 weeks. The coop is very secure and has good ventilation without being drafty. At about 6 or 8 weeks I'll allow them to come out during the day to explore the coop and I expect that they will venture out to the yard and blend in with the chickens to some degree. I want them for pest control and have no problem allowing them to roam the whole 10 acres, but I know that will allow them become preditor bait. Although I expect I can teach them to come back to the coop when I do the evening feeding so they don't feed the owls I expect to lose some to preditors so hopfully I can find enough eggs to incubate and replenish the flock throughout the laying season.

 

[PeepsCA]

When the Hens in your flock are old enough to lay (the Spring after they are hatched) try to keep them all penned until they lay each day before you let them out to free range so they learn to lay in the coop right from the start (and not out in the bushes). Makes collecting eggs way less of a chore (and you can replenish your flock much easier too).