Will my Guinea raise chicks?

[kelly52862]

My guinea is setting on eggs and as there are no male guineas, no guinea eggs will hatch. The nest looks to have chicken eggs in it too, which should hatch next weekend. Will she raise chicks?

 

[MeepBeep]

Maybe, they are not always the best parents to their own let alone foster chicks...

 

[GuineaFowling]

She will raise them but guinea mommas are known for being bad parents. Not because they abuse the keets but simply because they are uncareful and always end up kicking, sitting, or stepping on the babies. The babies eventually realize they must avoid the legs though I have lost several keets getting squished to death underneath momma during bed time. What breed of chickens are they? Chicken babies are typically larger and more hardy then guinea keets so she should do fine with them.

 

[kelly52862]

The eggs are just a barn yard mix of Orpington-Wyandotte-Barred Rock. The Orpington's are really large birds, so most of the chicks will be much bigger than the guineas.

I have eggs in the incubator that will hatch around the same time, so there is a back up plan with the chicks if needed.

 

[GuineaFowling]

Those breeds are quite large. You could compare the size of the guinea egg with an Orpington or barred rock and you will know the babies are going to be big. Guinea keets are really small during their first week but grow faster than chicks, that's the benefit of them they'll leave the brooder before chicks of the same age will.

 

[kelly52862]

The Guinea flew off her next for food Friday night (chicken eggs to hatch over the weekend). I ran down and pulled out the 4 chicken eggs as they were peeping and put them in the incubator! They all hatched. If the Guinea eggs are fertile, they should hatch next weekend.