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New Babies; Not Donkeys!
Topic Started: Sep 22 2007, 10:35 AM (410 Views)
OTF
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I've run out of excuses for not weeding the garden. A guinea hen was sitting on eggs among the weeds, so I've turned a blind eye to the 3' weeds for several weeks.

This morning I checked on mom and she was making a little humming noise; I looked closer and saw this:

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So I went about my business and a few hours later:

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And this:

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There are 11 "keats" with 5 adults hovering over them. Can't get close because mom comes at me tooth and nail. I hope they'll make it.

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jillincolorado
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Honey if anything can make it, a guinea fowl can!!! If all mother's were as protective... :o

I had one in my neighborhood that used to chase me while I walked my TWO 80+ pound greyhounds. :unsure:
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stephjm
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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Aw... they are so cute. I don't know anything about guinea hens, other than that they are birds, but they sound as protective as the geese we get up here. :jaw: Those "keats" are so cute though.

Where are you at that birds are hatching babies still? Up here it's getting way too late in the season for that.
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SadiesMom
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Is the meadow on fire?
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OTF, they are so cute! I love birds of all kinds and those babies are precious. I hope they make it and the parents are really beautiful.
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OTF
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stephjm, we're in central VA. Yes, I would consider this a late hatching, but the guineas are wild as cooties so I can't control what they do.

We haven't had any guinea babies for a while; some years the raccoons (or something :huh: ) demolish the nests before they hatch (usually the last week :angry: ) The last batch that hatched were "born" in the ditch beside the road (the mom left the nest when 6 hatched); I stole an egg from that nest and put it under a broody banty hen and she hatched it out a day later. But that guinea thinks she's a chicken, has not assimilated into the guinea group, and I learned that it's not nice to fool Mother Nature.

There are 12 babies, cute as bugs with striped heads and orange legs; they're only about 2-2.5" tall. It's painful to watch them struggle along, barely able to walk, as they try to keep up with the adults. You can see the difference in strength between the first ones and the last ones to hatch, a matter of hours I'd guess. I hope there are still 12 tomorrow morning.

The adults are protective, but if a keat gets lost in the grass or brush, they don't run back to look for it. I guess that's why they have 25-40 eggs at a time. It's fascinating to watch the adults post a "sentry" who constantly looks up in the trees for hawks, while the others tend the babies. And it won't be long before the mother will teach them to fly up into a tree to roost at night. Best of all, they eat TICKS!
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3Bays
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A Cute Overload Warning should be put on those photos! ;)

They are just darling! And, I'm sure they'll do great...looks like the adults are taking GOOD care of them.

We don't have guinea fowl here, but we do have Quail, and I also love watching the Quail chicks and how the adults care for them.

Thanks for sharing your "babies" with us! :clap: :one:
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stephjm
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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OTF
Sep 22 2007, 09:46 PM
Best of all, they eat TICKS!

Now THAT, besides the cuteness, is a great reason to have them around! ;)
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coriander
Is the meadow on fire?
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Guineas!!! Not near as cute as donkeys, but babies are all cute (of animals, *LOL*).
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DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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Anything that eats ticks does not have to be cute.

But those little cuties cover both bases!!! :teehee: <3
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appylady
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One word of warning about something I learned the hard way :( . I had a batch of over 20 Guinea babies hatch out about a month ago and now I have one baby and my two males left. No momma and no other babies :no: . The problem is that the mom won't roost at night because she is protecting her babies and they can't get off of the ground. Something (probably Mr. Fox) came in one night and got her and most of the babies. Her mates took over care of the remaining keets, but were smart enough to go up in the trees at night, leaving babes unprotected below. The one that we have left is plain gray and brown with no white, the others all had a large amount of white. I am so sad. We had the mom for about 4 years and the little trio was wonderful. Now I have to find a new female in the spring and hope that she doesn't run off with my boys following! I would definitely pen your sweeties up if you can until they are big enough to roost with the adults.
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MissBri
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But, I don't care - it's 5:00 somewhere
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Ohhh yeah,
Guinas are cute and they eat lots of ticks and other insect varmints, BUT
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They are NOISY!!!!!! very very noisy!

It'll drive you absolutely bonkers :psycho: if you are at all bothered by it.
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OTF
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appylady, I'm sorry to hear of your guinea losses! :,( If there were any way I could confine them at night, I would. It would be like trying to herd cats. I couldn't even catch them with my crabbing net (can't get close enough without the mother attacking me).

MissBri, yes, the guineas can be very noisy. Kind of like when you visit a big city, the traffic sounds drive you nuts, but after you've lived there a while, you don't hear it anymore. I've gotten used to the guinea sounds, but I also pay attention to them because they know when something isn't right in the yard.

3Bays, I've heard quail this year and saw a few when I mowed a couple of weeks ago. I think they're coming back to this area. I love quail, but have never seen little chicks, just a couple of juveniles. Now I'm waiting to see if my wild turkeys are still around.
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