Guinea Fowl

robbies coop · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:59 pm **Posts:** 41

Hey EW if you don't mind me asking what % of eggs do you get to hatch? do you have many losses? I get around 95% with my guineas and 0% losses I would imagine you have similar %'s? I leave all my chicks in the brooder shed for 12 weeks without any heat after 8 weeks if its hot. Do you have any trouble when you put them out side? I do a slow adaption which works for me.

Robbie

robbies coop · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:59 pm **Posts:** 41

I forgot to ad I hope all your eggs hatch RJW

Robbie

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

eggwatcher wrote:

I hatch 100's of eggs every year from all sorts of fowl and 80% of them are in an incubator. I have never taken any chick out at 2 weeks nor would I that would be a death sentence to the chick. 6 weeks is normal and no less. No chick can fend for them self’s in 2 weeks nor do they have feathers other than a few flight feathers.

Good luck with the 17 eggs Robyn

EW

P.s Love the forum

Hi Eggwatcher, Welcome to A.P.F, never truer words spoken, well put and 100% accurate. We have sent you a PM please check your messages by clicking "New Messages" at the top left.

Good to see you joined

Thanks
P.A

Bourke · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:45 am

danny boy wrote:

they hit the ground outside after being in a brooder for 2 weeks,

2 weeks

no way

Bourke

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

Seems everybody is a bit bewildered by Danny B's timing :-|

. I have never left chicks in the brooder at "this time of year" for more than 4 weeks, feathered or not, winter is a very different matter.

Our night time temps here are at least 25c, my next pen up from the brooder is 2ml x .90mw & high it is covered with avery wire but it has ample warmth in the shelter that is supplied. I put the keets out in the morning & have noticed once they get over the initial shock (usually by the afternoon) & settle in they will roost on the perches above the shelter not in the shelter. I have been breeding guineas for 4 years now & have not lost any once out of the brooder & into this 1st pen. If the weather is still a bit dodgy, cool at night or rainy I will hold off putting them out of the brooder till it improves.

The thing is everybodies advice may be different & will depend on where they live also as far as weather goes, maybe find someone in your area in the ph book or on the net & ask for some advice, most chook people are friendy & only to happy to help, just dodge the no it alls that think their opinion is the only right one :-|

(no dig at the previous posts, just what I have discovered in the chook world)

I thought this was a friendy forum, how many times does it have to be mentioned you have a different opinon to another member? I thought a forum was a place for constuctive discussion on different topics

.

Bourke · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:34 am

Sorry but nothing in the posts above are in anyway un-friendly there called opinions and yes we do respect Danny boys opinion however we respectfully disagree, forums are all about different people coming together with different opinions. If we disagree with something it is ok to say so we are all grown ups here. This is the friendliest forum BY A LONG WAY, FACT, everyone in poultry knows that FACT no debate on that.

Have a lovely day Lou, Merry Xmas :-D

Bourke

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

It should be noted that even in summer in varying parts of Australia we can and do have sudden rises and falls of temperature particularly in storms these can and are 10 to 15 degrees in a matter of minutes. A two week old chick is not adapted to climate and these variation hit them hard. Keeping them in a brooder a little longer than 2 weeks should not be an issue.

Thanks
P.A :-D

Drew Smith · **Posted:** Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:47 am

We get wild temps in summer here one minute its 35 next its 25 and poring with rain, I agree with PA a few weeks at least is much better. If the chick was with its mother would it be brooded by her at 2 weeks? the answer is yes, so when we artificially hatch eggs we should emulate a hen as best we can. To each his own all the same and if you want to put them out at 2 weeks it’s up to you but 99% of breeders may disagree with a friendly explanation.
Cheers Drew Smith

rjw2108 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:22 am

Thank you everyone for your advice,

I have yet to make the brooder, however I do have a large box and my neighbour has offered to lend me a heat lamp. When the brooder gets too small I was going to make a wire run and put them in a vacant horse stable for protection. I would also be able to move them onto grass whilst cleaning other stables and able to keep an eye on them.
I will let you know how I go with the hatchings.
I love this site, very helpful and informative. Am certainly learning all about guineas and chooks.
Thanks
Robyn (RJW)

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

That's great Robyn, look forward to reading about your Keets and your experience. Great idea with the heat lamp and keeping the keets protected from the element in the horse stable in the first few weeks after the brooder is also a great idea.

Good luck with the eggs

Thanks
P.A :-D

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