FOODS GUINEAS CAN AND CAN'T EAT

[hyelaw]

I'm getting baby guinea soon, what do you guys suggest I feed them? Is it okay if they eat chick starter or do they need more protein?

I feed mine chick starter and they do fine, be sure to treat and supplement with higher protein sources. Brewer's yeast, fish meal, meal worms, hard boiled eggs, etc.

I also ferment my feed so it makes nutrients / vitamins / minerals more accessible to them and slightly ups the protein %. Just need to take the feed and soak with water and a splash of vinegar for a day.

 

[R2elk]

I feed mine chick starter and they do fine, be sure to treat and supplement with higher protein sources. Brewer's yeast, fish meal, meal worms, hard boiled eggs, etc.

I also ferment my feed so it makes nutrients / vitamins / minerals more accessible to them and slightly ups the protein %. Just need to take the feed and soak with water and a splash of vinegar for a day.

It is a very common misconception that feeding hard boiled eggs is a source of higher protein. If you check the protein content of hard boiled eggs you will find that it is only 12% - 20% protein. I am sure that there is a benefit in feeding hard boiled eggs but it is not a source of high protein.

There is also a great discrepancy in the protein content of chick starter. The chick starter that I use for chicks (not for guineas) is 23% protein. I have seen chick starter as low as 15% protein in the chain stores.

It is also very common for people to say they feed keets chick starter and they do fine because they have never seen the difference between guineas that were started on chick starter and the ones that were started on the proper feed.

 

[Jessie22]

I will have baby keets in a couple of weeks and I am going to incubate white bearded silkie chicks. My guinea is hatching the keets so I will only incubate the silkies. Is there a starter food that I can feed both of them? There might be a difference in age of about a week. They will be raised in the coop together once they are old enough. How long will it take to incubate silkies? There will be a temperature difference because of age and breed. I think it will be better to put them in a different brooder. This is going to be mind boggling. I am a first timer but am also a Wildlife Rehabilitator and also use my telescope to look at the stars. Earth to the sky, I love it all-ha ha.

 

[R2elk]

I will have baby keets in a couple of weeks and I am going to incubate white bearded silkie chicks. My guinea is hatching the keets so I will only incubate the silkies. Is there a starter food that I can feed both of them? There might be a difference in age of about a week. They will be raised in the coop together once they are old enough. How long will it take to incubate silkies? There will be a temperature difference because of age and breed. I think it will be better to put them in a different brooder. This is going to be mind boggling. I am a first timer but am also a Wildlife Rehabilitator and also use my telescope to look at the stars. Earth to the sky, I love it all-ha ha.

When I brood keets and chicks together, I feed them all the same food which is a quality 28% protein turkey gamebird starter. While chicks do not require a high protein starter, they can actually tolerate and do well on higher protein than the others. A study I found showed that chickens can tolerate up to 70% protein before developing kidney disease while turkeys would start getting kidney disease at 50% protein. Unfortunately guineas were not included in the study.

I have never seen any ill effects from the chicks getting the turkey gamebird starter.

Silkies are chickens so they take 21 days to hatch while guineas normally take 26-28 days to hatch.

I have often mixed chicks and keets in the same brooder with no problems. Since your keets should get a higher temperature the first week (90°-95°F) than the chicks require and they will also be much smaller than the chicks, having the keets in the brooder for a week or so will make them more equal to the Silkies. I would not hesitate to brood them together. There have been postings about adding younger hatchlings to slightly older Silkies with the Silkies acting somewhat motherly to the younger additions.

 

[Jessie22]

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your turkey starter food with 28% protein? I will also have free choice grit and I am using the heating pad method so they can go under to get warm or get away from the heat. I will have extra bearded white silkie SQ eggs that I will either give away. How long will the extra eggs stay good and how do I store them if nobody wants them?

 

[R2elk]

Thanks for the info. Where do you get your turkey starter food with 28% protein? I will also have free choice grit and I am using the heating pad method so they can go under to get warm or get away from the heat. I will have extra bearded white silkie SQ eggs that I will either give away. How long will the extra eggs stay good and how do I store them if nobody wants them?

I get my starter at a locally owned and operated feed store. Some chain stores will allow you to order it online through them with free delivery to your local store. At least one chain store will not carry proper turkey, guinea or gamebird feed because they do not feel there is enough profit in it. My recommendation is to check for a local non-chain store. If they don't have what you need they are far more likely to order it for you than any of the chain stores.

Hatching eggs should be stored in a cool area with humidity around 60%. I store mine in egg cartons (pointy end down) with one end of the carton propped up so the carton is at an approximate 45° angle. I alternate the propped end at least 3 times daily (more is better). Recommended length of storage time is 7 - 10 days although I normally store mine for 14 days and have had successful hatches with eggs stored up to 21 days.

@Sally Sunshine did a study where she was successful storing eggs for longer periods of time by storing the eggs pointy end up in cartons placed in a plastic bag without any turning of the eggs. Sorry I couldn't locate her report on that method.

Good luck.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: Hi there!!! Hope you are well!! info below lol sorry for the quick copy paste!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
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Collection, Washing & Storage of Eggs​

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Choose eggs that are of good size, not abnormally big or small. Do NOT set dirty, cracked, or porous eggs.
Clinical studies at the University of Arkansas have shown that if your going to set a dirty egg, set the dirty egg, DO NOT SAND, WASH OR WIPE dirty eggs as hatchability decreases with these practices!
Cuticula is the thin membrane that covers the whole eggshell that is made from the sticky fluid when laid which covers it and quickly dissolves due to carbondioxyde activity.
This membrane can be penetrated by gasses but functions as a kind defensive mechanism to prevent the entry of bacteria.

The washing and rubbing action also serves to force disease organisms through the pores of the shell. Place the eggs upright in an egg carton with the FAT, air cell end of the egg UP! Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for storage. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 55-65 degrees. Rotate your eggs a 3 times a day to keep the embryo from sticking. An easy way to turn all of the eggs at once is to place a thick book under one end of the carton, and later remove the book and put it under the other end of the carton, 3 times a day. Before adding eggs to the incubator always WARM eggs UP slowly to room temperature. IF THE EGGS ARE COLD Condensation can cause bacterial growth on the eggs! You can collect eggs up until 10 days or so, but after the 7th day lower hatch rates may result.
Stored eggs take longer to hatch (about one hour per day of storage).

It is important to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling your hatching eggs!

Omphalitis, yolk sack infection is caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell and easily kills embryo's and newly hatched chicks. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs. For more information on storing eggs refer to Recommendations for hatching egg handling and storage

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If you MUST store longer please see this info HERE:​

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ll-detatched-shipped-eggs/26100#post_13329240 ( pasted below from diary thread)
CONCLUSIONS:
When eggs were stored in the small-end-up position for 2 to 4 weeks, it was, not beneficial to turn them daily as had been previously demonstrated to be advantageous for eggs stored small-end-down.​

PLASTIC BAG EGG STORAGE!!! http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=618820
Temporary heating before incubation and enclosing eggs in plastic bags during storage improves hatchability, especially when storage is prolonged. A high humidity during storage also improves hatchability, probably due to a reduction in water loss. The changes in albumen pH during storage are discussed in so far as they provide a possible explanation for relationships between environmental conditions during storage and hatching results.

eggtochickguide.pdf 186k .pdf file


(1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons per gal )

Sanitizing solution of chlorine (bleach) 6% hypochlorite and water at a concentration of 100 ppm (parts per million) = To make a100 ppm chlorine solution, combine 2 ml. (1/2 tsp.) of bleach with one quart of water.

Quote:​

P. H. Patterson, S. C. Ricke, M. L. Sunde and D. M. Schaefer​

Avian Diseases
Vol. 34, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1990), pp. 1-6
Published by: American Association of Avian Pathologists
DOI: 10.2307/1591327
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1591327
Page Count: 6​

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The Cuticle removal
in hatching eggs as a means to reduce weight loss: Has actually been found to increase embryo weight during incubation and has direct relationship between rate of egg water loss, embryonic metabolism, and growth during incubation. But that warning of contamination is there if you dont follow cleaning procedures correctly. Chlorine treated eggs were not altered either. So with all that it is found that cuticle removal can be an effective method for increasing growth and egg weight loss.​

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The importance of preventing ‘sweating’ eggs Click HERE​

'Sweating' of eggs refers to the phenomenon of condensed water sitting on the egg shell surface. This occurs when cold eggs are suddenly exposed to a higher environmental temperature. The warm air with a certain moisture content cools down rapidly directly around the colder eggs. Since cold air contains less water than warm air, relative humidity will increase until the air is saturated. And at that moment, condensation will take place on the cool egg surface.

Prior to EGG placement in the incubator,
place the eggs at a room temperature for several hours.



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Digital Egg Scale - Accurate Humidity Measurement and Egg Sizing HERE
ZONES OF COLD INJURY fro EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT post #36213
EGG Quality https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
PULLET EGGS??? post #41984 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
DOUBLE YOLKERS NOT suggested but they can hatch with assistance post #46649

Fertility:

• IS IT FERTILE? Many images see post #43324
• Managing Fertility click HERE
• Several Reasons Why Your Hens May Stop Laying Eggs click HERE
• Winter Blues w/the Roos, why are my eggs infertile ugh starting post #1986
• Reproductive Physiology of the Hen post #40628
• HOW long does a ROO SPERM REMAIN IN HEN post #40628
• Polyspermy is typical in birds. Several sperm enter the germinal disc region post #40644

 

[guinea fan]

I'm getting baby guinea soon, what do you guys suggest I feed them? Is it okay if they eat chick starter or do they need more protein?

 

[gguineasfamily]

I completely forgot I posted this thread years ago. Went looking again for why not to feed guineas legumes (after all they are such a good protein source) and it is here for anyone who is interested.

https://guinea-fowl.com/guineas/What-to-feed-and what-to-avoid.html

EXCERPT:

2. Never let your chickens to eat dried lentils or raw beans.​

Beans need to be heat treated or roasted. They contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin which is fatal to humans in surprisingly small quantities let along guinea fowl. Don't let them into a vegetable patch where beans are going. as few as 4 beans can kill.​

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Dried beans are known to create very serious illness and even death in adult humans and poultry, they are always fatal. Kidney beans are the worst culprit but any bean which has not been properly cooked is potentially lethal for your Guineas.​

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Once eaten, there's nothing to be done to save the bird.​

Had a quick look at Google and some science sources; seems like the toxin is highest in red kidney beans. Didn't find much data yet for lentils or other types of beans but it makes sense, since you always cook red kidney beans for 40mins before eating, whereas some other legumes such as garden peas, green beans and peanuts can be eaten raw, and lentils only need to be cooked for 15mins or so. At least that is my general rule for eating them. I'm not sure I dare yet to give any uncooked legume to my guineas though.

That does remind me that the organic chicken feed at the local store contains dried green peas (if I remember correctly). I never bought it. However I would like to look at increasing my guineas' protein, since I know that normal layer mash has less protein than what guineas should have (15%) and mixed grain (which my guineas eat during the winter because they won't touch the layer pellets anymore) is terrible at 10%. I know they eat bugs during the day but I have no idea whether it is enough or if the reason they get through so much layer mash and mixed grain is that they are making up for the low quality food in quantity.

And the probiotic mix I give them ("custard" we call it, it is a treat for them as well as what they eat when they are sick) contains soybeans. Cooked, I presume, as the guineas have been eating it for years with no problems.

I'll keep doing my research, and post sporadic updates here. Probably.

But my question is: do you feed your guineas or chickens any form of legume? What type and how do you prepare it?

And also, refresh my memory, what % protein are adult guineas supposed to get? My old guineas are getting fat. Too many carbs perhaps?

 

[Rugerman]

Hey everyone

I'm hoping to compile a list of all the things guineas can and can't eat.

Please reply and help out, don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong.

DO
• a variety of grains and seeds
• complete chicken feed (preferably in grain form not pellet form)
• shell grit
• bugs
• grass and weeds they eat while foraging
• fruit and vegetables
• wheat bran and wheat germ, or any grain bran or germ. The germ is more expensive but it's got tonnes of healthy stuff

DONT
• potato peels
• avocado
• chocolate
• uncooked legumes, beans and chickpeas
• anything overly sweet, oily, fatty or salty

TREATS
• millet
• grapes
• brown, wholemeal and multigrain bread (with the healthy ingredients, white bread can be fed but it's not as healthy for them). Brown bread contains manganese which can prevent twisted leg or slipped tendon in offspring

...

How about mealworm?