Guinea hatched her own eggs

[R2elk]

They are all on All Flock high protein feed. I had read that keets raised with chicks will behave more like chickens. My most timid Guinea is best friends with my equally timid Olive Egger.

They are almost 3 months old and this group of 8, 5 pullets, 1 cockerel and 2 Guineas so far stick together.

If it doesn't work out I'll try to re-home them with someone who has Guineas locally.

All flock is not equal to a quality game bird or turkey starter feed that has the higher protein, lysine, methionine and niacin levels that keets need for their rapid growth.

There is lots of bad information on the Internet promoting brooding keets with chicks. The claims are made mostly by people that have not yet been through the first breeding season.

At the onset of breeding season, the guinea's instincts kick in. Since the imprinting removes their ability to understand that chickens are not guineas, they treat the chickens the same as they treat each other. It can cause the chickens great stress.

 

[ChicNmom]

All flock is not equal to a quality game bird or turkey starter feed that has the higher protein, lysine, methionine and niacin levels that keets need for their rapid growth.

There is lots of bad information on the Internet promoting brooding keets with chicks. The claims are made mostly by people that have not yet been through the first breeding season.

At the onset of breeding season, the guinea's instincts kick in. Since the imprinting removes their ability to understand that chickens are not guineas, they treat the chickens the same as they treat each other. It can cause the chickens great stress.

Well, as I said. If it becomes a problem I will re-home them.
The people at the feed store give their Guinea's all flock but I can buy something else if that's better.

Many people around here have them mixed in with the only problems being that they may want to roost in trees.

So I thought I'd give it a try.

If it doesn't work out for the chickens or Guineas I have a plan.

It's the best I can do at this point because I already have them.

 

[R2elk]

People working in chain feed stores rarely feed keets or poults properly. When they first opened here, two different chain stores refused to carry proper starter feed for poults or keets. It took time to educate the store employees and corporate management.

 

[Gill-b]

Everyone seems happy to have more room, and the incubated group in the back got to experience roosting for the first time last night.

Hello
How is mum hen and her keets doing? Any developments?

 

[fowltemptress]

Hello
How is mum hen and her keets doing? Any developments?

For the last few nights I've been having to move her off the roosting bar and back onto the ground. I wasn't thinking about it when I tossed my incubated keets in with her after her own keets had hatched, but they'll take a while longer before their feathers grow in enough that they're able to join her on the roost, and I prefer the youngest ones have the hen available for nighttime warmth.

I've tried opening the door a couple times to allow the male guinea in and watch what he'll do, but so far he just stands outside the doorway and yells at me.

 

[Gill-b]

Thank you for the update. I love your photographs too - they are full the story and life.

 

[MrsMeanGreen]

How is your guinea family doing now?

 

[fowltemptress]

How is your guinea family doing now?

There isn't much to report. They spend their days in the coop, eating, sleeping, pooping, and testing out their tiny wings. I'd planned on letting them out to wander by now, but I've got a bobcat hanging out so everyone is staying cooped until she gives up and moves on. This happens every year around this time - there's a female bobcat out there somewhere who never causes trouble until August hits and I have to lock down the birds for a while. I'm kinda okay with the arrangement. Bobcats are territorial so she's keeping others away, and when she does start taking birds she just takes one from the outskirts and runs, and I won't see her for at least another couple days. It's not like having a neighbor dog come in and decimate an entire flock in under half an hour.

 

[Sjherrod]

What colors will these keets be when they grow up?

 

[R2elk]

What colors will these keets be when they grow up?

You need to take pictures that clearly show the tops of their backs and heads. Individual photos are best. One way to get the pics is to place the keets in a bucket and take the photo looking down at them. The pics need to be in focus.

Bottom left one might be a Chocolate. Bottom right if it has a solid middle stripe on its head, is a Lavender.