Today we went to the farmer's market and got nine day-old guinea keets!
We were told their colors were chocolate, coral blue and one white one, straight run. The white one is on the bottom left in the above picture.
They were very lively when we got them, but by the time they got home they were all tuckered out and wanted to sleep.
We gave the guinea keets to the hen Bella to raise. Bella has been broody for many months now, and has been sitting on a clutch of chicken eggs for the past week.
Bella had no problem accepting the guinea keets as hers. We started by giving her one, then slowly added the rest to her nest. They haven't left the nest box yet, everyone is sleeping.
We gave Bella's eggs to Zoner. She tucked the additional eggs up underneath her.
Here is Zoner sitting on all the eggs now.
Sleeping keets and proud chicken mama.
13 comments:
Beautiful new babies! We'd like to have guineas here some day!
I didn't know that it was as easy as that to get a chicken to accept other chicks, I learned something today. Thanks
Jenny
Are these Guinea chicks? Like the Guniea hens? -- They will be fun to watch grow up! And their adoptive mama looks very happy!
IsobelleGoLightly - Do it! Get some guineas!
Jenny - I read on someone's blog that they got their hen to accept day old chicks, so I figured I'd try it. Bella has been wanting babies so badly, she deserved them. Bella was a little started when the first baby moved around, she didn't know what to think, as she only had eggs under her, not living, moving babies. But she quickly cuddled it up next to her & accepted it. By the time we added the remaining 8 babies, she was a proud and defensive mama hen. Now she's vicious with her pecking if we go near her babies.
Barb - Are you home again? I hope Bella is a good mama. Tomorrow I hope they leave the nest & walk around!
~Lynn
They're so adorable! Like, Jenny, I didn't realize you could get a hen to accept other chicks so easily. That's amazing! The place where I used to take riding lessons had a flock of guineas that free ranged on their property. They were the best watch "dogs" you could ever ask for. No one came on their property without them knowing about it. Can't wait to watch them grow.
Oh my goodness, this is so so adorable! I keep showing my hubby your guinea photos, because we want some of our own. They are TOO CUTE under your hen!!!
How cool is that! When we had a hen that was all broody my mom kept telling me to get some chicks to put under it. I never did though because I didn't want any more chickens. It will be neat to see the colors of your guineas when they are all grown up.
I so want some more baby guineas but just could take the chance of more in the churchyard..wonderful pictures....
as for cat food and birds all my poultry LOVE cat food...i use it occassionally to boost a sick hen or one that is moulting
lovely blogs
Awww, so sweet. How did you come up with the idea to give the keets to Bella? I've read of guinea hens being used primarily for tick control, but are their eggs good to eat? Are they meant to be yours pets or are you raising them for another purpose?
Oops, disregard that one question of mine. I just read your comment reponse on where you got the idea to give the guinea babies to your hen... :-)
Hi Genny ~ Yes, guineas seem to be good watch dogs, and they can be loud! But we really wanted them to control the ticks in the yard.
Knatolee ~ I hope you get some guineas, too, so I can read about them on your blog!
Robin ~ Yes, it will be neat to see their colors when they grow up. I really don't believe the man who sold them to us, the fact that they are chocolate, coral blue and white. Well, I believe one is white, but chocolate and coral blue, no. Only time will tell. I'll like them no matter what they turn out to be.
John Gray - interesting about the cat food. I'll have to stash that tidbit of info away in my mind for when I need it, if I have a sick or moulting bird.
~ Lynn
Hi Danni ~ Yep, we wanted the guineas for tick control. Deer ticks are very bad on our property. We had gotten 5 guineas last year, but only 2 survived. And one thinks she's a chicken, so that leaves us with 1 real guinea. So this year we got 9, hopefully we have better luck! Yes, their eggs are good to eat, just like chicken eggs. But they are a little smaller than a chicken egg.
~Lynn
Awww... they are cute. :)
Marla @ www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
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