I am going to have baby guineas running out of my ears very soon.

[Maddy McCall]

I have 24 adult guineas. They are laying eggs so fast that I can't keep up with them.

I have 48 eggs in one incubator, set to hatch Monday. I am setting 48 more today, in another incubator. As soon as the other incubator is free, I'm going to set 48 more.

Guineas all of the sudden have become all the rage around here. I can get $5 for a guinea keet (chick) at the local bird sale, or I can sale the lot of them to the feed store here for $3.

Woohoo! I'm in the money! :D

[XanaDUer]

1. That's a fine looking fellow.

...

[Maddy McCall]

2. He's not mine...

but mine look an awful lot like him. Mine have black feet, amazingly.

I have pearls and royals. The royals are really pretty--a deep deep purple color.

[Lorien]

3. Do people mostly use them for gardening?

I've read that organic gardeners are wild about guinea fowl, since they gooble up pests, fertilize the soil, and don't scratch up the garden plot the way chickens do.

[Maddy McCall]

5. Yes. They eat insects of all kinds.

Lots of people in the south like them because they will eradicate ticks. And they are fearless. They will kill a snake in a heartbeat.

Plus, they are watchdogs. They alert whenever anything that's not supposed to be around enters their vicinity.

Their call sounds like this: Buckwheat! Buckwheat! Chee-chee-chee!

The males say "chee". The females say "buckwheat." That's the only way you can sex them.

[Lorien]

8. Are they as loud as peacocks?

There are a lot of people with peafowl here in Florida, and some neighborhoods can get pretty deafening at times!

[Maddy McCall]

16. No, I don't think so.

I have my guinea roost built about a hundred or so feet from my house. Even though they can get really loud at times, most of the time I can't even hear them, until I walk outside.

[ScooterTramp]

4. The chicks are so beautiful and fun to play with!

:)

[Maddy McCall]

6. Can't wait until they hatch.

I bought my guineas as year-old adults. This will be the first time I've had baby guineas.

I'm going to keep some of the babies, I'm sure.

[ScooterTramp]

12. Yes, you will! They're gorgeous as babies!

:)

[AlCzervik]

7. ok i don't jack about a lot of animals so can i ask

are those for eating or for pets?

[Maddy McCall]

9. Mostly for pets. I refuse to eat any of the animals I raise.

But some people do eat them and claim that the meat is delicious.

I have about 30 quails right now. I KNOW they're delicious, but I can't bring myself to kill them, so they will all be pets until they die. I have friends who are begging me to give them some of them, but I just can't do it. And they are laying eggs, too, which I incubate.

I have quails, ducks, guineas, and chickens. They are all pets. We eat the chicken eggs, but that's all. And two of my hens have gone broody right now, so I'm going to have about 30 chicks pretty soon...some Kelsos (game chickens) and some BB Reds (also game chickens, but banty, or small breed).

Feel free to ask questions. I love to talk about my fowl. :D

[AlCzervik]

10. I love chickens! I'm glad you don't eat your birds

If i ever live in a place that would allow it zoning i'd have at least a couple. These are my favorites.

[ScooterTramp]

13. Silkies? They're superb brooders.

[Maddy McCall]

17. Cool! Another chicken person on DU!

Tell me about your flock. I'm chicken-crazy. I go to bird sales on Saturday mornings, and I have a HARD TIME leaving empty-handed. I love chickens---well, all kinds of fowl.

It's the best hobby ever. :D

[ScooterTramp]

20. I don't have any right now, but

I was exposed to all sorts of fowl while growing up. It is a fun hobby :)

[Maddy McCall]

14. Is that a white silkie?

Silkies are great brooders. You can put a dozen eggs of any breed under them, and they will not only sit on them, but will raise the young. When they stand up, the babies will fall out from under their wings. They are beautiful.

I want some of these, but my feed bill is already pretty high, so I can't afford any more right now:




A Jersey Giant Roo will get TWO FEET TALL or better. Huge birds. Magestic looking.

I have a Kelso hen and stag right now. They are pretty rare birds, but beautiful. I can't even find a picture of them on google images.

[AlCzervik]

19. Yes, thats a white silkie and i really, really, really want one!!

There is something about chickens that i find appealing, the guy a few miles down the road has a small chicken farm and i buy eggs from him, he a total liberal and uses all organic stuff, the eggs are huge and there is a taste difference from store bought. that rooster is awesome, i hope you can get one.

[Maddy McCall]

21. What are the limitations that keep you from getting a couple of silkies?

I hope you can get some silkies. You'll love raising chickens. :D

[AlCzervik]

25. I have no yard what so ever, just a lot of concrete decking and a pool

i can't get any animals unless i move which looks unlikely at this point. i also really want a bassett hound but again i want some yard for the dog.

[Maddy McCall]

27. Maybe one day it'll work out for you.

Have you considered ducks, since you have a pool? ;)

[AlCzervik]

29. we have many ducks visit, last time 2 mallards

were "courting" a female....."Mom are they trying to kill her?"

[Maddy McCall]

32. HAHAHAHAHA!

I remember, when I was a kid, seeing two dogs mate, and asking my dad the same thing. He drew the blinds and tried to distract me.

Only later did I realize....

Actually, I've never seen my guineas mating, but I see the quails mating all the time...like 24/7. Horny little bastards! :D

[ScooterTramp]

45. Something I've often thought about is this:

I've considered using bantams as cage birds inside. Some like the Sebrights http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sebr/BRKSebrights.html are so very lovely and tiny.

[Maddy McCall]

48. I had three silver-laced seabrights. Two hens and a roo.

Unfortunately, they got out of their cage and I think the coyotes got them.

They are BEAUTIFUL birds. I've been watching the bird sales around here, hoping to find some more.

I might just order some from one of the bird catalogs online.

The seabrights are lovely.

[ScooterTramp]

50. My dad bought some once and

we trained them from chicks. We had a variety of bantams and from the first day they arrived we fed them out of our hands. By the time they were half grown they'd fly to our hands held waist high. He taught them commands to fly to our shoulders when they matured. Most bantams are so light they're quite good flyers.

[AlCzervik]

52. they look pretty but my husband would go over the edge

he already teases me about the guinea pig having me trained and i know damn well if that bird was in my house it would be sitting on the couch with my watching tv while i praise and fawn all over it.

[ScooterTramp]

55. ~Giggle~ Fowl respond to early

bonding like any pack, herd, or flock animal. Get them right out of the shell or start as soon as they come in the mail and they can be spoiled rotten. :)

[Spinzonner]

11. What, no Guard Geese ?

[Maddy McCall]

15. LOL! No, the guineas are just fine for that.

I once was attacked by a turkey at a friend's grandfather's house. Let me tell you, no pit bull could have put fear in me the way that turkey did. :D

[Lorien]

22. Is it very time consuming, raising all those birds?

I'd love to raise chickens and guineas someday (I amost never eat meat; I would keep them for their eggs and gardening) but I just don't know how much time each day I would need to devote to them.

[Maddy McCall]

26. Actually, no.

I have seven ducks, about 30 quails, seven chickens, and 24 guineas. It takes me about 15 minutes to feed and water them each day. I let the ducks run to the creek to splash around each day, and I let the guineas free range for most of the day each day.

I worm them with water wormer when they're young. Your local co-op or feed store can give you all the advice you'll need. If you let them free range, your feed bill won't be very high. Even if you keep them penned, feed isn't that expensive.

The ducks imprinted on my son, so they love to play with him. The guineas will imprint on whomever feeds them. :D

I don't find that it's time consuming at all. I've had to go out of town for several days at a time, and I just make sure their feed pans are overflowing and their water is fresh. I imagine I could be gone as long as a week, as long as their fed well and watered well before I leave. I have the kind of feed pan that you can fill and not refill for several days, so that's not a problem.

You must get some guineas. If you are ever interested in incubating your own, let me know, and I'll send you some eggs. :D

[uppityperson]

18. You keep your baby guineas in your ears?

That's gotta tickle. You are hatching out a gross of eggs. Wow.

Lulu, my black silkie hen is setting on eggs, a mixture of Faverolle (father) and silkie, faverolle, americana, light brahma (hens). It will be an interesting mix when they hatch. And Mama dove is setting on her 2 eggs too.
Looks like Arnie, Belle, Suzette and ZsaZsa
Like Lulu and her sisters

Like Ruth

[Maddy McCall]

23. I don't have any doves.

I bet they are fun to have around. You're going to have an odd mixture! You'll have to post photos when they hatch.

Would you be interested in a farm-life group? I'd like to have one so that we can discuss stuff like this in a group. What do you think?

[uppityperson]

31. A farm life group would be good.

Be nice to be able to talk about this stuff in a more organized section. I bet some non-farm people would enjoy checking it too.

[cornermouse]

24. Every time I've seen them, they were asking $7 per keet.

[Maddy McCall]

28. WOW!

WOW! I may have a more lucrative business than I ever thought. :D

[cornermouse]

34. You might.

That was just for the regular garden pearl guinea.

[Maddy McCall]

38. I have about a dozen pearl and a dozen royal purples.

Woohoo! I might be able to afford a nice vacation this year. :D

[cornermouse]

39. Royal purple?

Bad Maddy. I'm jealous. I've always wanted the royal purple. I have several pearl, a couple of white, and one white tinged with tan.

[Maddy McCall]

40. I bought all 24 of them...

for $100. The woman who sold them to me said that she was tired of caring for them. They were spring 2004 keets, so this is their first year to lay.

I had to look for six months to find someone to sell them to me. I was in the feed store, buying feed for the chickens, when I asked the store owner if he'd be getting any guinea keets in. The woman overheard me, and offered me all of hers, but the condition was that I'd have to take all of them, for $100. I was at her house the next evening, with the cage in the back of the truck, catching guineas as they came in to roost.

I'm so attached to them. I love them. When I moved them from their pen to the roost, one hooked my forearm with a talon, and he cut me up pretty good, but, still, I love to watch them and to handle them.

I bet your white and tan guinea is pretty. I've never seen one.

We need to get a farm life group going on DU. I certainly will have some eggs to spare later, and we could offer each other advice.

What do you think?

[cornermouse]

57. How much do you want for the eggs?

[Akoto]

30. LOL. Before I saw the picture ...

I thought you were talking about guinea pigs. I was like, they lay eggs? :rofl:

[Maddy McCall]

33. Now THAT'S funny!

No, I'm talking about the bird kind, not the mammal kind. :D

And, welcome to DU, since I've not said so before. :toast:

[XanaDUer]

35. Me too.

:blush:

[MissB]

36. Same here.

I guess I didn't read the title line too closely. I could not figure out how the hell guinea pigs suddenly started producing eggs.

[uppityperson]

37. Cross breed with a duckbilled platypus since they lay eggs?

[H2O Man]

41. They are great!

They make fantastic "watch dogs." They can be very loud. I used to raise them, along with chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks, until I was disabled in a car accident. Do you have any of the lighter colored ones?

[Maddy McCall]

43. No, just pearl and royal purple.

Man, I'm sorry about that. I'll tell ya, raising these birds and getting more birds has become a hobby/obsession.

I'm thinking about recommending a DU Farm Life group. Would you be interested in joining it?

You sound like someone who could offer a wealth of info to me. For instance, I found a wild turkey nest last week in the front field with over a dozen eggs. Should I take the eggs to incubate, or do you think the mom was just off the nest for a little while? These are the kinds of questions we could ponder in a farm life group.

[madrchsod]

42. i used to have several of these birds

along with geese ,ducks, exotic chickens,dogs, and cats...ah the country life...

[Maddy McCall]

44. After seeing all the interest in birds here...

I'm thinking about proposing a DU Farm Life group. What do you think?

[ScooterTramp]

46. I think you've got the talking part done.

I'm certain there would be many who would participate. :)

[uppityperson]

49. Sounds like a good idea.

Propose one and I'd join.

[HEyHEY]

47. I thought you were making a bad joke

[wovenpaint]

51. Guinea fowl are GREAT!

My friend had a flock and they used to "buzz" me whenever I went to visit her...boy, are they LOUD! I wish I could have some, but since neighbors objected to roosters and a peacock, I'll have to enjoy my hens.
I LOVE fresh eggs and got some sex links a couple of years ago (yes, that's their names!)never realizing how attached I'd get to them. Lost one this winter to the incredible cold and was very sad. They're all an iridescent green with touches of copper. Follow me everywhere!
I'd definitely be interested in a farm animals group here at DU. Then I can brag about my alpacas and horse as well as my chickens, lol. And 2 min pin dogs and 2 cats.....3 kids, 5 fish

[Maddy McCall]

53. Sounds great!

I have always read about sex links, but didn't know what they are. As in someone would put in the Market Bulletin in my state that they have sex links for sale. I didn't know what they were!

Ok, when I can get a mission statement together, I'll Pm everone who has expressed interest, and we'll see if we can get a Country Living group going.

:toast:

[wovenpaint]

54. Definition of "Sex link" chicken

Popular around here in RI/MA, They are a crossbreed of a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock chicken. Bred for large brown eggs-I have 3 chickens and they all give me an egg a day spring to fall, for which I say "thank you" every day.
They're called Sex Links because they can tell right off the bat if they're a hen or a rooster...I don't know how tho, off hand. :D

[Maddy McCall]

56. Thanks for the info.

I was talking to my dad about my Kelso sitting. I asked him if, after she hatches this set of chicks, if she'll go back to laying.

He said he didn't know. He said that he remembered having eggs all year round when he was a kid.

He didn't know what kind of chickens they had. He just called them "yard chickens."

I was wondering what breed of chickens lay all year round.

[DistressedAmerican]

58. Guinies Are Beautiful Birds. I See A Lot In Belize...

Nice!