Are you looking for a new pet to add to your family? Consider a guinea fowl! These unique birds can be great pets and are known for their friendly personalities. Read on to learn more about guinea fowl and why they might make the perfect addition to your home.
Guinea Fowl as Pets
Here in the tropics, I have a lot of ticks, and if you live in an area with Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or other tick diseases, guinea might be the best animal you have ever owned. Guinea fowl are not native to North America, so they have no natural predators here. They will also eat just about anything, including bugs, grasshoppers, snakes, and mice. In addition to being great pest control, they are also fun to watch. They are social animals and have a pecking order within their flock. The dominant birds will often perch on top of the others in order to keep an eye out for danger. If you are thinking about getting guinea fowl, there are a few things you should know.
- First of all, they are very loud. If you are looking for a quiet pet, guinea are not for you.
- Secondly, they can be aggressive when protecting their territory. If you have small children or other pets that guinea may view as threats, you should take steps to ensure their safety.
- Finally, guinea requires more space than chickens. They like to roam and need room to graze.
Overall, guinea fowl make excellent pets and provide effective pest control. If you live in an area with tick-borne diseases, they may even save your life.
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Housing Your New Guinea Fowl Keets
When it comes to raising poultry, many people assume that all birds are the same. However, there are actually a number of different species that require different care. For example, keets (hatchling guineas) are not as easy to care for as chicks. Before bringing keets home, it is important to prepare their housing.
They will need plenty of space to run and explore, so get several birds (at least 6 but 10 is even better).
In addition, make sure to provide them with a few hiding spots where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed. Keets are also very sensitive to noise and sudden movements, so it is important to create a calm and quiet environment for them. With proper preparation, raising keets can be a rewarding experience.
Bedding for Your New Keets
When you are raising new guineafowl, it is important to choose the right type of housing to ensure their safety and well-being. Wire cage bottoms may seem like an easy way to keep predators away and make cleaning simpler, but they can actually cause a lot of problems. Keets can easily get their feet tangled in the wire, which can lead to injury or even death. Sawdust is also not a good choice for bedding material, as keets will peck at it constantly and may mistake the wood chips for food. Instead, choose a soft, dust-free material like straw or hay to keep your new guineafowl comfortable and safe.
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Feeding and Watering Tips
When it comes to feeding your keets, you want to make sure you’re using the right type of feed. Turkey starter ration is the ideal option, as it’s specifically designed for keets. However, if chicken grower ration is the only thing available, you can still use it – just be sure to supplement it with a high-proteinfeed. I personally purchase a fish ration, which is 40% protein and contains a lot of Essential Amino Acids that are necessary for keet growth. No matter what type of feed you’re using, always make sure to monitor your keets’ growth and development – and consult with a professional if you have any concerns.
Adult Housing and Daily Care
Some producers choose to leave their birds out in the evening. Unlike chickens, guineas will find a roost high in a tree and rarely suffer from predator attacks. (If you have owls in your region they can get your guineas that are roosting in trees, so just to be safe, you should train your birds to sleep inside.) guineas tend to be less active at night and prefer to sleep in a group, so they are more vulnerable to predators during the day.
By letting them out in the evening, producers can help reduce the risk of attack. In addition, guineas are more likely to roost in trees if they are given the opportunity to do so. provided with access to trees, guineas will roost in them instead of on the ground where they are more susceptible to predators. As a result, producers who allow their birds to roam freely in the evening can help reduce the risk of predation.
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Production Tips
Guinea fowl are not as commonly raised as chickens, so there is less information available on how to optimize production. However, there are a few tips that can help you get the most out of your flock.
To start, it is important to choose the right breed of guinea fowl for your climate and production goals. If you live in a hot climate, you may want to consider a heat-tolerant breed like the White Breasted or Black Breasted Red. If you’re looking to produce meat, the Pearl or Lavender are good choices.
In addition, it is important to provide your guineas with plenty of space. They are active birds that need room to run and explore, so get several birds (at least 6 but 10 is even better).
In addition, make sure to provide them with a few hiding spots where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed. Keets are also very sensitive to noise and sudden movements, so it is important to create a calm and quiet environment for them.
