We have keets! Fourth update on Farming Friends’ and Cottage Smallholder’s interblog guinea fowl breeding event
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Guinea Fowl | 14 comments
We are now on day 28 of Farming Friends’ and Cottage Smallholder’s interblog guinea fowl breeding event .
The gestation period for guinea fowl eggs is 26-28 days. This morning I jumped out of bed, pulled on my wellies and shot down to the chicken run. Perhaps the eggs that Sara from Farming Friends had sent us in the post had hatched.
I removed the side of Mrs Boss’s castle. She gave me a cursory glance before she hopped off the nest and hoovered up the corn that I had scattered in her handkerchief garden.
I examined the eggs carefully. All were intact.
At lunch time I took another peek inside the castle. Still just the solitary queen and not a sniff of princes or princesses.
This evening I ventured down to the run. Mrs Boss seemed different. She refused to move off the nest. I lifted up her wing and a tiny pair of eyes peeped up at me. I ran back to the kitchen on air.
Returning with camera, I lifted her wing and spotted three rather wobbly keets. Grey, fluffy and gorgeous. At this stage Mrs Boss became rather animated and protective so I thought it best to leave them in peace.
So our interblog guinea fowl breeding event has leapt over its third hurdle. The eggs arrived intact having travelled hundred of miles from Yorkshire. Mrs Boss accepted them and has sat patiently for weeks and now the keets are hatching.
We are thrilled.
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How exciting to have a completely white keet, although they will all be special in their own way.
Have you checked if the remaining egg was fertile?
Mrs Boss’ hatch rate is 83% which is excellent. Well done Mrs Boss. Five keets is great.
I am so pleased that you are enjoying the experience. It has been a real pleasure to share the guinea fowl breeding experience with someone else. I can’t tell you how pleased I am. I’m like a proud mother hen myself!
I look forward to more photos.
Sara from farmingfriends
Yes, Sara, the keet is completely white and very naughty and brave. She (I have no idea whether she is male or female) is a valiant explorer and great friends with a grey keet with brownish brindle points. They disobey Mrs Boss constantly. But generally Mrs Boss wins and eventually they dive under her downy breast when we are on the horizon.
We love the keets. Thank you so much for giving us (and Mrs Boss) such a special, magical experience. She seems to be a great mother, so far. We have five keets and one egg that was left in the nest when Mrs Boss introduced the keets to the handkerchief garden this afternoon.
I can’t believe you have a white keet. Is it completely white or does it have grey feathers aswell? I have never had a completely white keet!
Hope the keets and Mrs Boss are doing well. I bet it is distracting! Best wishes
Sara from farmingfriends
Hi Ash,
We still don’t know how many we have got as Mrs Boss calls them back to the nest and sits on them when she hears me coming. I have crept up and seen white and grey keets eating and drinking.
Hi Amanda,
It’s exciting and totally distracting!
Yipppeeeee! I bet you really were walking on air too!
How exciting! I love guineas! They are so pretty and quite elegant too. Your babies look so sweet 🙂
Hi Michelle,
The tiny keets are enchanting. Yes, the weeks have flown by. It’s magical to see the broken shells and the chicks.
Yes, Sara, it is amazing that this has worked out well so far. Fingers crossed that Mrs Boss will be a good mum. The keets seem to be very wilful and independent.
Hi KJ,
Thanks for dropping by. It is very hard not to be constantly in the run watching developments in the castle. They all need a bit of peace and quite for a day or so.
I’m thrilled too. How exciting.
Wow, I am so pleased that you have some keets. I practically jumped for joy when I read this.
I don’t think I can quite believe that this breeding event has worked and that Charlie’s guineas are now down South. It’s amazing.
Well done Mrs Boss – you have done a grand job sitting on the eggs and I’m sure you will be a fantastic mum.
I am really happy for you all and hope that the keets are healthy and you enjoy many adventures together.
(Trust my server to be down at the moment I want to announce the new arrivals – typical!)
Sara from farmingfriends
Awwww!!!! I’ve been waiting breathlessly! It has gone by so fast! How precious, I can’t wait until they are out and about and we can see some photos of them in action. Mr. Boss is such a good “mother”.
I hope she gets some very nice treats for being such a good mum!
Congratulations! I almost feel like an auntie!