Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[PeepsCA]

Quote: I can't comment on anything "production"... cuz I don't ever buy chickens, or any of my birds from hatcheries but...

Depending on the situation and location of the nest I think I'd trust my Turkey Hens to hatch a clutch of eggs over my Guinea Hens any day, lol. My Turkey Hens get crazy stubbornly broody... and my Guinea Hens not so much. And due totheir flighty nature they are definitely much more easily persuaded out of being broody vs a Turkey Hen (if you break up a nest a Guinea Hen is DONE, but a dang Turkey Hen will make a new spot right next to her old nest, and sit on nothing for weeks if you let her

).

 

[starlingdaly]

[COLOR=4B0082]I can't comment on anything "production"... cuz I don't ever buy chickens, or any of my birds from hatcheries but...[/COLOR] Depending on the situation and location of the nest I think I'd trust my Turkey Hens to hatch a clutch of eggs over my Guinea Hens any day, lol. My Turkey Hens get crazy stubbornly broody... and my Guinea Hens not so much. And due totheir flighty nature they are definitely much more easily persuaded out of being broody vs a Turkey Hen (if you break up a nest a Guinea Hen is DONE, but a dang Turkey Hen will make a new spot right next to her old nest, and sit on nothing for weeks if you let her

).

OH MY GOODNESS YES YOU ARE SO RIGHT. My turkey hen is STILL being a bit stubborn about me not wanting her broody. I did give her eggs but she broke two of them and they were expensive (chicken eggs) so I put her in a pen alone for several days and when I let her out she *seemed fine* until I came back an hour later to find her incubating a broody bantam! I boarded up the nesting boxes so only the chickens could fit but she could still reach her neck in there and STOLE eggs every time one was laid for what seemed like forever! And now she sleeps in the hen house next to the nesting boxes creeping my broody out. The whole situation would be completely hilarious if I hadn't lost those important eggs. No matter what fowl you keep... It's never boring!

 

[KellyK8]

How did you Re-Home them? I need to get my guineas out of the Chicken Coop. I do not want to roof it, and I am tired of chasing them!?

 

[itsjustme]

[COLOR=4B0082]I can't comment on anything "production"... cuz I don't ever buy chickens, or any of my birds from hatcheries but...[/COLOR] Depending on the situation and location of the nest I think I'd trust my Turkey Hens to hatch a clutch of eggs over my Guinea Hens any day, lol. My Turkey Hens get crazy stubbornly broody... and my Guinea Hens not so much. And due totheir flighty nature they are definitely much more easily persuaded out of being broody vs a Turkey Hen (if you break up a nest a Guinea Hen is DONE, but a dang Turkey Hen will make a new spot right next to her old nest, and sit on nothing for weeks if you let her

). Really? I've had no experience with hen turkeys but I have a guinea who joined 2 other broody guineas on a community nest and then run the other 2 off so she could have it all for herself. I figured her eggs should have hatched last week. They didn't so I figured I was off on my days and left her alone. She's still sitting. She has been run off by the dog twice. Once by something else in the middle of the night and she will always go right back. Ever since she's ben sitting something has been getting her eggs. I don't have any idea what. Some days I find egg shells laying scattered around the outside of the nest. Sometimes its feathers also and I've even found them in my yard. But she will not give up. I plan on tryong to run her off of it today and getting rid of the eggs but I feel like its going to be a fight she has only come off that nest to get me. She doesn't leave for feed or water that I've seen. She's a very protective egg mommy. I was hoping she would hatch a couple but think there has been to much disturbance. I hate to believe all my males are sterile.

 

[starlingdaly]

It's probably not that your males are sterile but much more likely the eggs have just been through too much. You should either candle tonight or do eggtopsy if you succeed in running her off. I have a feeling you will find that most of them began development to some degree.

 

[itsjustme]

It's probably not that your males are sterile but much more likely the eggs have just been through too much. You should either candle tonight or do eggtopsy if you succeed in running her off. I have a feeling you will find that most of them began development to some degree.

I really don't think its a problem with my boys. I think they just lay in a bad spot and to much commotiin in the rest caused problems. I wasn't able to run her off it today. I'm going to need another set of hands. She will come off the nest to get me and that's it. Its hard grabbing up that many eggs while your being flogged by an angry momma. Maybe tomorrow I can get some help?

 

[starlingdaly]

I really don't think its a problem with my boys. I think they just lay in a bad spot and to much commotiin in the rest caused problems. I wasn't able to run her off it today. I'm going to need another set of hands. She will come off the nest to get me and that's it. Its hard grabbing up that many eggs while your being flogged by an angry momma. Maybe tomorrow I can get some help?

Ahaha. I'll come over and help and we can both get flogged!! Haha.

P.S. I am very pleased with how tame one of my hatchery guineas is turning out but so sad it's legs and beak are not the bright beautiful orange that my friend's guineas are.

 

[PeepsCA]

P.S. I am very pleased with how tame one of my hatchery guineas is turning out but so sad it's legs and beak are not the bright beautiful orange that my friend's guineas are.

Certain colors/varieties of Guineas have different colored legs... but I have never seen any Guineas (other than keets) that have orange beaks. Is your friend's Guinea an adult?

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: A Guinea Hen that persistently broody is a rare thing, especially after all that she and the nest have gone thru... but she may be able to feel that she has live keets in her eggs, so that's why she is so determined to stay put. A leaf rake or a future (manure) fork works good to hold back a vicious Hen, but you may want to have a helper gather the eggs while you hold the Hen back (or vice versa).

If you take the eggs and candle them and find that some are alive... she may not get back on them if you put them back in the nest. So you may want to have an incubator set up and ready just in case.

Good luck, hope you don't lose too much blood, lol.

 

[itsjustme]

Ahaha. I'll come over and help and we can both get flogged!! Haha. lol we would borh definitely get flogged she's vicious lol

P.S. I am very pleased with how tame one of my hatchery guineas is turning out but so sad it's legs and beak are not the bright beautiful orange that my friend's guineas are.

that's awesome that they are getting tame. I was told you couldn't tame them so I didn't try real hard to. Mine will eat out of your hands come when called but none like to be held or touched for thst matter ( think I mentioned this b4) and bright orange beaks and legs? On adults? I have never seen such.