Guinea Fowl - my new first love

Although I've kept poultry of various kinds for as long as I can remember, I've never kept Guinea Fowl, in fact it's never crossed my mind to do so. That is until I received a phone call one day from my son " Mum would you like some Guinea Fowl eggs to hatch"

He was house sitting for a friend on a smallholding (homestead) and a flock of mixed colour Guinea fowl (or Gleanies as they are known as locally) free ranged the yard.
As I had a 'spare' broody hen and the incubator running at the time I saw no reason not to.

Fertility was low but after 28 days 13 eggs hatched - 3 under the broody hen, 10 in the incubator.

Thankfully the mother hen happily fostered the ones from the incubator and was now a proud mum of 13 keets.

They grow so fast and are so adorable to watch and so un chicken like I love them !!

They do have a practical side too. Their eggs are said to be very tasty, although I'm not sure how well they would sell at the gate. Their meat however is quite sort after.

They are also great at ridding the land of parasites, especially ticks.
One down side but also an upside depending on how you look at it is their alarm call.....it's LOUD ! but it's does warn you of approaching predators .

Video: Warning cry of guinea fowl as a sparrow hawk flies overhead.

They also like to roost high in the trees rather than go to roost in a shed. The young keets already prefer the trees to the ground

Despite any downside I am so taken with them I have 8 more egg under a hen due to hatch in 6 days time.