Watermelon day

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Ha ha, I treat the cr#$ out of our Guineas and our original flock survivors are 8 this year and many are 7 that have been added in during the second year. I guess the treats may not ne as harmful as you may think - so the Guineas tell me. The others are 1, 3, 5 years old since they were babies added on different years.

The Guineas in the watermelon photo are all 8 years old, except for 2 who are 7.

I had one death from overfeeding (fatty liver) treats in the winter, one from tumors. three wasted away (never knew why), three were taken by predators during the day, and four hens lost since they went broody outside and I could not find the nest.

What kind of treats do you feed? Obviously watermelon... What else?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Well, like you said, if the hygrometer is accurate, it stays right around 30 unless I open it up. Brinsea manual recommended 40-50% & you guys said 50% was too high when I was just testing unit. That's why I double checked re 30%

I don’t know if you’re still participating in the hatchalong, but there is a lot of variation in what works for different people. I followed some official extension guidelines for my first hatch and had the humidity at 55% for the whole incubation. Some chicks didn’t hatch, but we still had a high hatch rate. Since then, I’ve come around to thinking that lower humidity is easier to maintain and more likely to produce a good hatch with my incubator. I still crank up the humidity at lockdown... Some people don’t even do that, which blows my mind!

 

[R2elk]

What kind of treats do you feed? Obviously watermelon... What else?

I wouldn't consider watermelon to need to be included in the treats category since it is mostly water. Boss and millet if over fed can cause problems.

 

[Sydney65]

I use the millet for training and bribing. I had read somewhere, may have even been R2elk, that their food preferences are formed early on, so if they didn't experience it as keets, they wldnt eat it. That has been true for me- I didn't give them anything from the garden last yr, and they don't disrupt my plants now, except to roll in the onions garlic and mint- all very worthwhile endeavors. Like Bennie, it was so hot the other day, the melon seemed like a good idea, but they weren't interested. They love chickweed,the seedlings and leaves from the maple tree,and an unknown squat broadleaf. Point out an ant hill to them and they're in heaven.
Oddly enough, per study I've read,they have no sense of taste.

 

[R2elk]

I use the millet for training and bribing. I had read somewhere, may have even been R2elk, that their food preferences are formed early on, so if they didn't experience it as keets, they wldnt eat it. That has been true for me- I didn't give them anything from the garden last yr, and they don't disrupt my plants now, except to roll in the onions garlic and mint- all very worthwhile endeavors. Like Bennie, it was so hot the other day, the melon seemed like a good idea, but they weren't interested. They love chickweed,the seedlings and leaves from the maple tree,and an unknown squat broadleaf. Point out an ant hill to them and they're in heaven.
Oddly enough, per study I've read,they have no sense of taste.

When studies are done to prove preconceived ideas the results are often not valid. I find it very difficult to believe that they have no sense of taste and have no idea how you can prove such a conclusion.

It's kind of like the studies that claim certain animals can't see certain colors. Since they don't have this particular receptor in their eyes, they must not be able to see this color. I have seen proof that the claim that fluorescent orange is not recognized is false. They may not see what we see but they certainly see something.

A neighbor running dairy cattle would invariably have a cow hit on the road after breaking through his whit washed fence. After he painted the fence fluorescent orange, the problem disappeared because his cattle would no longer go near the fence.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

My favorite humidity/temp meter is this one. I have one in the coop, too, since it tells you the highest and lowest temp since the last reset. Very practical little things. Made for inside an incubator, though.

https://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-remote-thermometer-hygrometer.html

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

What kind of treats do you feed? Obviously watermelon... What else?

Our main treats: Millet, dried meal worms, and sunflower seeds (they don't like those as much but eat some of them - they come in a millet mix from Costco and that's why I get them)

Millet and mealworms every day for "homecoming" - they come home for that and all is well so far.

Watermelon is expensive since I buy organic only with few exceptions. They eat the rind and the inside and I often steal the inside for myself. I would worry about the sugar in the watermelon and yeast overgrowth, possibly, if fed too much. Our Guineas get it when it is very hot sometimes, if I have any, and I give it to them out of the fridge.

In the winter, baby salad greens, kale, lettuce, etc are sought after treats! I think you have to be careful with kale, forgot exactly why, so those treats I really use in moderation.

 

[Sydney65]

Our main treats: Millet, dried meal worms, and sunflower seeds (they don't like those as much but eat some of them - they come in a millet mix from Costco and that's why I get them)

Millet and mealworms every day for "homecoming" - they come home for that and all is well so far.

Watermelon is expensive since I buy organic only with few exceptions. They eat the rind and the inside and I often steal the inside for myself. I would worry about the sugar in the watermelon and yeast overgrowth, possibly, if fed too much. Our Guineas get it when it is very hot sometimes, if I have any, and I give it to them out of the fridge.

In the winter, baby salad greens, kale, lettuce, etc are

Yes, these are Coral Blue but Lavenders are also very pretty, they look like light gray to me with beautiful spots. The Coral Blues don't have spots, but the feathers are almost like they are air brushed with darker blue at the edges, very pretty.

Pearl Gray is my favorite color, with Buff Dundotte and Coral Blue tied in second place. You should see the Buff Dundotte males - some are really cream colored with spots, gorgeous!

We had one Royal Purple keet we kept and she is gorgeous, too.

Mostly I think of them as individuals, though, not just their colors - each bird has such personality and any color is fine, really!

The first picture below was Lillybud and Lucky. I still miss them both very much. They were a really special pair.

We have no chocolates. Picture please, R2elk!

Lavender (with Pearl Gray), Buff Dundotte, and Royal Purple:
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View attachment 2253137
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I'm curious abt your buff dundottes -if you've offspring from them w/different colored mate. This is the roo from my eggs. Ofcourse your pic doesn't show the back and this one is pied, but the shading difference caught my eye.

 

[Sydney65]

I'm curious abt your buff dundottes -if you've offspring from them w/different colored mate. This is the roo from my eggs. Ofcourse your pic doesn't show the back and this one is pied, but the shading difference caught my eye.
As for favs, with my own, it's their personality that decides that more than coloring; my RP is still my cuddler, But my eyes get excited everytime R2elk posts picks of his chocolates. Someday.

 

[R2elk]

Our main treats: Millet, dried meal worms, and sunflower seeds (they don't like those as much but eat some of them - they come in a millet mix from Costco and that's why I get them)

Millet and mealworms every day for "homecoming" - they come home for that and all is well so far.

Watermelon is expensive since I buy organic only with few exceptions. They eat the rind and the inside and I often steal the inside for myself. I would worry about the sugar in the watermelon and yeast overgrowth, possibly, if fed too much. Our Guineas get it when it is very hot sometimes, if I have any, and I give it to them out of the fridge.

In the winter, baby salad greens, kale, lettuce, etc are sought after treats! I think you have to be careful with kale, forgot exactly why, so those treats I really use in moderation.

If available, you can also give them a flake of alfalfa hay during the winter. They will have fun tearing it apart and eating the dried leaves.