Tag: keets

For the last couple of weeks the JV Guineas have shared the coop with the two remaining adult guineas, a male with a slowly healing swollen foot and his lovely female companion. We had a large pen within the coop that the JVs could retreat to when they felt the need. We decided to remove the pen on Saturday so there would be more room and it would be easier to get around with food and water.

Well, for much of the morning, this was the view from outside the coop… no harm done, but not a pretty sight… clearly something needed to be done.

Having read on the Raising Guinea Fowl website how much guineas enjoy their reflection, we decided to give the adult guineas something else to amuse themselves. We installed this little parakeet mirror, and it was an instant hit!

In no time at all, the guinea racket of the usual buck-wheat buck-wheat and CHI CHi Chi chi chi changed to a lovely, almost melodious whistling and singing.

The whole atmosphere in the coop changed. It went from pay no attention to us, we are pretending we are invisible…

to Oh, that is so lovely. Can we be your very attentive and appreciative audience?

Those of you who know us are aware that one of us (not mentioning any names) is obsessed with, err… in love with guineas. So much so that she frequently mentions to anyone who will listen that they look like civil war era ladies holding up their hoop skirts when they are running through mud or rain. (Seriously.)

So there has been a lot of distress around here because our guineas have been disappearing, during the day. Now at night they are safely locked up in their wonderful coop, but during the day they are voracious bug-eaters ranging in the pasture and out into the barnyard. We have not had a problem until this summer.

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Fox and family… boldly making daytime appearances about 1/4 mile from the barnyard. Since they have been spotted, seven, (yes – 7, siete, sept, sette, sieben) of our guineas have disappeared… during the day – leaving not a shred or feather of evidence.

Knowing all this, you would think that it would be safe to send above mentioned guinea-lover to the feed store in the pouring rain. Well, think again. Meet the newest PEEPs… Keets. Now you must understand that this guinea lover has even lower keet-resistance when it comes to lavender guineas. And, have you ever seen anything like the other two keets? Having done a little bit of research at the Guinea Fowl Color Chart, I am kind of betting on the Royal Purple.

Rest assured that the Mystery of the Disappearing Guineas will be solved and preventive measures will be taken well before these little keets will be able to make appearance anywhere outside a box… or a coop.

The guinea keets have been moved to dee-luxe accommodations thanks to Jonathan (with the help of Megan). They are really enjoying the roosts and the extra room to spread their wings. We have some question as to whether they enjoy their roosts too much (or maybe the corner is too dark?).

It is fascinating to watch their growth. Their feathers are becoming beautifully black and white speckled. Even their feet and legs are changing to the black and white speckles.

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder!

The keets moved into the barn this evening. Thanks to Terry for the great new brooding box complete with perch! Barn cat and the lambs are fascinated with the ‘peeping’ and keep peering into the box trying to figure out what these strange, new inhabitants of the barn could be.