Guineas are an interesting addition to your farm or acreage.  They have great personalities. 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 control deer ticks, wood ticks, grasshoppers, box elder bugs, flies crickets, and all other insects.  Their call will discourage rodents.  They will kill snakes, and will alert you to anything unusual.

Our customers keep Guineas for many different reasons.  They are becoming very popular for control of the deer tick.  Also people living in wooded areas have Guineas to keep the numbers of wood ticks low.  They will discourage rodents with their call and will kill and eat mice and small rats.  Some people who live in areas where snakes are common tell me 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. One customer uses Guineas as  junkyard guards. He says if you use a guard dog, you may get sued if a thief gets hurt.  But the Guineas roost in the trees at night about the junkyard, and when an intruder disturbs them, they make a ruckus and he simply turns on the yard lights and the intruder flees knowing that police are on the way.  He says losses are way down and no law suits.  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. 

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.

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 tbls. 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.