ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

Our broody guinea hatched out 15-20 keets yesterday. Hard to get an exact count when they won't stop moving She's being a great mama thus far and it's quite funny seeing those little keets bounce along behind her through the field. They kind of hurtle themselves into the air and bounce after her. Every time I've tried for pics she's tried to attack me so I'll have to be sneaky about getting pics if I can. About 50% of the keets are lavender in color with the rest being a standard pearl.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

I am only used to broody hens, so 20 being hatched out at once from 1 broody Guinea!!! Wow! That is alot! Usually can the guinea hen look after that many on her own?

 

[elevan]

Most folks say that guinea hens are bad mothers in our environment (wet grass in morning...ect), but this girl is doing good at keeping everyone safe and warm. She does an excellent job of keeping the keets with her, her mate also is helping her out in watching over them.

She almost took them into the coop tonight. She bedded down a few feet from the pop door. We decided to try to move her and the keets into the coop....that didn't go over so well. DH made a grab for the mama and she released enough feathers into his hands to make a guinea wig and keets scattered everywhere. Mama ran a few feet away and started yelling for keets and they all came to her and she bedded down again. We left her there. Hopefully tomorrow she'll make it all the way into the coop.

 

[elevan]

Mama and keets are doing great this morning despite our disturbing them last night. This girl is an amazing mama and her mate is pretty cool too. He has been cooping himself at night but as soon as he comes out in the morning runs to her and creates a "zone" around her where nothing is allowed to enter so that she can concentrate on the keets. She's quiet when staying in one place but as soon as she's on the move she starts calling and the keets start calling and they all stay together by following the sounds of each other. She knows when one gets too far back and stops to call it until it catches up. It's amazing to watch.

 

[jodief100]

Guineas are very protective mommas, just not very bright. Good luck with her!

 

[elevan]

She had a "not so bright" moment yesterday when she guided the keets into the empty overflow pond...down to the bottom and then they had difficulty getting back out. Thank goodness it's empty!

She still is refusing to coop them at night, but then so is our broody chicken with her one chick. Fact of the matter is that it's probably safer being away from the rest of the flock when they're that young...but still being outside makes me nervous.

We lost our other 4 broody guineas to coons while they were setting on their eggs So we don't want to have a massacre with mama and her keets but so far we've been unsuccessful at moving them inside.

 

[bonbean01]

A guinea WIG???????? Em...I love your sense of humour

 

[elevan]

Yep, a guinea wig

Our male guinea just came in from the field and was flying low. I yelled at DH just in time for him to move before the guinea clocked him in the face.

We released the pot belly pig (Spam) into the old buck's pen. She'd eaten every last drop of vegetation in her pen and I couldn't stand to see her destitute of greens. It's a big pen so she should be quite happy for a while. Her little tail was wagging non stop when she entered the big pen.

 

[autumnprairie]

You need to carry a video camera for times like that. I am glad that your DH was not hurt but it would have made a great video

 

[elevan]