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Guineafowl provide an interesting addition to
a farm or acreage. Guineas are the farm yard watch dog, sounding the
alarm whenever anything unusual occurs. They will consume large amounts of
insects and seldom bother your garden or flowers. They are easy and
inexpensive to raise. Once started, they fend for themselves, living on
insects, seeds, and grasses. They can co-mingle and exist with chicken
populations, although they tend to roam farther from the chicken coop or
roost than the chickens.
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They control deer ticks, wood
ticks, grasshoppers, box elder bugs, flies crickets, and all other insects.
Their call will discourage rodents and will kill and eat mice and small
rats. They will kill snakes, and will alert you to anything unusual.
Some people who live in areas where snakes are common tell how their Guineas
will spot and find snakes so they can kill them before they cause any harm,
and the Guineas themselves will kill snakes. Other people keep Guineas
because they enjoy having them around. They are very curious and interesting birds, having
quite a personality. Others enjoy having the various colors, especially the new
colors that are being developed.
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The incubation period for Guinea eggs is 26 to 28 days. The
eggs may be incubated under Bantam setting hens (10-15 eggs) or Chicken setting
hens (25-30 eggs), or any reliable incubator. Follow the instructions. If
nothing is listed for Guineas, follow the instructions for Pheasants or Turkeys.
Raising |
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Start on a good Pheasant or Turkey starter feed (28% to 30%
protein). The high protein makes them grow fast. Brood at 95 degrees the first
week. Reduce 5 degrees per week. Keep them warm and dry and you won't have any
problems with them. Be sure to prevent drafts in the brooder area.
First water given keets on arrival should be warm to prevent chilling. You may also add 1
tablespoon of sugar per quart of water to give them quick energy. You may also add
electrolytes or Terramycin to help relieve shipping stress. Make sure they
can't get in the water or they will get wet and chill or drown. Use marbles or
rocks to fill the water area so as to make a shallow drinking area. Also place
the feed and water close to the heat source for the first day. A large
cardboard box (2 or 3 feet square) makes a good brooder box for 25 to 30 Keets.
It's fresh and clean for each brood of chicks and can be thrown away when
soiled.
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
| Phylum: |
Chordata |
| Class: |
Aves (birds) |
| Order: |
Galliformes (heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic
or game birds) |
| Family: |
Numididae (insect & seed-eating, ground-nesting
birds; featherless heads) |
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| Genus: |
Numida (Guineafowl) |
| Species: |
Numida meleagris (Helmeted guineafowl) |
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| Genus: |
Agelastes (Guineafowl) |
| Species: |
Agelastes meleagrides (White-breasted guineafowl) |
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Agelastes niger (Black guineafowl) |
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| Genus: |
Guttera (Guineafowl) |
| Species: |
Guttera plumifera (Plumed guineafowl) |
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Guttera pucherani (Crested guineafowl) |
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| Genus: |
Acryllium (Guineafowl) |
| Species: |
Acryllium vulturinum (Vulturine guineafowl) |
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