How to Raise Guineas

Guineas fowl benefit the landscape by eating a large number of pest insects and they will also consume deer ticks, which pose a serious threat to humans by being vectors of Lyme disease. The birds will also attack and kill snakes, rats, mice and other rodents. Their loud, raucous call will help keep predators away from chickens or other poultry birds. The birds require very little care to flourish. They never become completely tame and tend to retain the wild characteristics of their ancestors. The birds prefer to free range instead of being cooped up. If the birds must reside in a coop, ensure that each bird has 2 to 3 feet of living space.

Things You'll Need

  • Cage
  • Heat lamp
  • Thermometer
  • Newspaper
  • Paper towels
  • Feed dispenser
  • Water dispenser
  • Marbles
  • Medicated turkey starter
  • Shed, barn or poultry house
  • Chicken food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the newly hatched keets into a box or cage. Affix a heat lamp above the enclosure. Check the temperature using a thermometer to determine the correct distance to affix the heat lamp to successfully maintain the required temperature.

    • 2

      Maintain the temperature around newly hatched guinea keets at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower the temperature to 95 degrees Fahrenheit the day after the keets have hatched. Lower the temperature to 90 degrees Fahrenheit when the keets turn one week old. Continue to lower the temperature by 5 degrees per week until the keets can tolerate a normal room temperature and no longer require the heat lamp.

    • 3

      Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper and lay paper towels on top of the paper to create a non-slip surface. Don't use bark chips because the young keets may consume them.

    • 4

      Place the water and food at the other end of the box or cage, away from the direct heat of the heat lamp. Fill a clean food dish with commercial turkey starter. Large poultry farms feed a commercial turkey starter that contains Amprolium to prevent coccidiosis. Healthy keets, raised in a clean environment, will not require the medicated food but will suffice on non-medicated commercial turkey starter.

    • 5

      Use a poultry water dispenser. Line the tray of the water dispenser with marbles so the keets can easily drink water without falling into the tray and accidentally drowning.

    • 6

      Confine the keets to a box until they reach 6 weeks old and then move them to a poultry house, shed or barn. Handle the keets often so they become familiar with you and become more tame. Keep the keets confined in the poultry house, shed or barn for another six weeks.

    • 7

      Switch feed to chicken food after 10 weeks. Mix the turkey starter and the chicken food at a ratio of 50 percent chicken food with 50 percent turkey starter to avoid upsetting the keets digestive tract and so they will more willingly accept the new food. Feed straight chicken food once the keets show no signs of digestive upset and are readily consuming the food.

    • 8

      Leave the door to the poultry house, shed or barn open during the day. The guinea fowl will venture outside and return to the shelter at night. Allow the guinea fowl to free range during the day and to return to the poultry house, shed or barn to roost at night to keep them safe from predators such as owls.