Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[jnjmanning]

I have 5 Guineas, 3 males 2 females. They have cooped with my chickens since I got them last yr in June at 2 weeks old. But now that it has gotten warm they will not go in the coop. They will nest in the Oak tree that is inside the chicken yard. They have been paired up for about 3 weeks now 1-2 and 1-1. Well today I noticed one of my hens never came home. They free range and the hens have been going off every day around noon for a couple hrs, to lay and egg I assumed. I could never find their nests. But today one didnt come home. So either something got her, or she is sitting on her nest. My question Will she come to the feed and water once a day? If so there is a chance I can follow her!

Anyone?

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: She should come for food and water at least once a day, unless her keets are hatching... the Hens do not like to get off of the nest while the keets are hatching. Do you have a specific call they are used to coming to for food or treats?? If so, try that and watch to see if she comes running, and which direction she came from or where she sneaks off to. Also watch all of the Guineas first thing in the AM, the rest of the flock may lead you to her... or start screaming at you if you get close to her nest.

 

[jnjmanning]

She should come for food and water at least once a day, unless her keets are hatching... the Hens do not like to get off of the nest while the keets are hatching. Do you have a specific call they are used to coming to for food or treats?? If so, try that and watch to see if she comes running, and which direction she came from or where she sneaks off to. Also watch all of the Guineas first thing in the AM, the rest of the flock may lead you to her... or start screaming at you if you get close to her nest.

Thanks Peeps. She was here this morning and starving! I let her in the yard and into the coop so she could eat. Right after she ate she headed in the direction I was guessing. Her Mates followed and hunted food for her for about 10 mins, then a calf got out, and I had to jump on the quad, by tyhe time I got back she was gone.....ugggggh Maybe tomorrow! She didnt come for treat call today. I know she has been laying but she has just started setting in the past 2 days.

 

[PeepsCA]

Well at least you know the general direction to look in.
Happy nest hunting... those Hens really hunker down on their eggs and disappear!

 

[amberr]

[COLOR=4B0082]Sorry you lost a keet Amberr. Some just hatch with a suicide wish... and if there is a way they can end their lives in the brooder, they will.[/COLOR] [COLOR=4B0082]I see 2 other dangers in your brooder that you may want to correct...[/COLOR] [COLOR=4B0082]Newspaper is too slippery for keets and should not be used as bedding. They can slip and injure their legs (they can stretch/wobble out their hip and hock joints and end up with splayed legs or slipped tendons), and then you will be dealing with fixing leg issues, or worst case scenario putting a keet down. I'd cover those newspapers with well textured paper towels, old towels with no loose strings, rubberized [/COLOR]shelf liner [COLOR=4B0082]or coarse straw ASAP (I do not recommend shavings at this age, they will eat them). [/COLOR] [COLOR=4B0082]Also, the rim of the waterer you are using is huge and deep, it needs to have a good layer of clean marbles or stones in it to prevent them from falling in, drowning, or getting soaked and cold (they can very quickly die when wet and chilled).[/COLOR]

Thanks peeps. I did have paper towels down and ran out. How long do you keep them on paper towels? Or puppy pads I had a few of those, one was in water area. I did recall the marble thing, it's hard to see but water is on an elevated area (upside down plater) so I was hoping that would help them not get into it.....

 

[PeepsCA]

I usually keep my keets on paper towels (actually shelf liner over paper towels) for at least the first 3-4 days (and that's usually about the time the keets start EATING the paper towels if they can get to them, lol), then I put them on coarse straw or coarse grass hay with no seeds or leaves in it for them to eat and get impacted on for at least a week, then onto coarse flake shavings (not the fine fluffy stuff).

I never risk wet or drowned keets and always add marbles to the rims of my larger waterers, or I'll just use the smaller rimmed quail chick waterers. Like I mentioned, if there is a way for them to end their lives in the brooder they will.

 

[kynewbchickie]

My keets are now going on 4 weeks old - all five look healthy and skedaddle when it's time to change feed or water. I have, however, noticed that one is considerably smaller than the other four even though it's first to the food and the others make room for it to eat well. Is this a gender thing?

I'm still not able to tell them apart - females from males. So I just address them all as "guys" LOL

 

[Tikkijane]

Still reading- how many eggs per week and then how often fertile once maturity hits?

 

[BlueMouse]

I just moved my 2 1/2 week old guineas to the bigger brooder (on straw now, I still don't dare give them shavings.) It only has heat at one end, which I have set to 85 degrees. They were happily running around, taking small test flights, "sunbathing" under the heat lamp, and sucking down prodigous amounts of fermented game bird starter, until I put in the "training roost" That caused a mass panic and they had to all pile up into one corner and STARE at it. They really crack me up. Now that it's been in there for a couple hourse one is testing it out. I can't believe that they're so feathered out at two and a half weeks!

 

[PeepsCA]

LOL BlueMouse... Guineas HATE change.
OMG a roost, it might eat us!!!

I bet they are all over it by now tho, lol.