Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-26
THE POULTRY YARD
GROWING GUINEA FOWLS
There are two varietiea az euinea
BY ED WEBER

| 1850 eAiSAe appear all over tne DOuy
piumage, which is purple. round white
spots that look like pearls. The white
variety has white plumage. Of about the
same character as white turkeys.
| The principal drawback to raising
guinea f,wls is the fact that they have
been so neglected, so carelessly bred
and so ignorantly culled for years and
years as to have almost lost their vital
lty. Having come originally from Afri-
ca, and not many hundreds of them
having been brought from there, the en-
! tire product of America has come from
an original few that must have been
brought into the country during the
early times when slave trading vessels
passed frequently between Africa and
America. In some parts of the south
where guineas are kept in a semi wild
state, there are many of them, the
greater portion small in size, thin in
flesh, and very tough to eat. In some
parts of New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania and Ohio, more attention has
been paid to them than in other locali-
ties. II they are carefully selected for
size and vitality, and frequent inter-
change of new blood is made there is
no reason why they should not breed
well and produce large number of
| eggs.
Pearl Variety Originally Brought Here.
The pearl guineas are undoubtedly
| the originals brought to this country.
| They are larger than the white variety,
| individuals weighing as much as four
or FIVE pounds. Where they are selected
| for strength and vigor. and mature
guinea fowls are used for breeding, they
| can easily be kept at an average size
| OF from three and one-half pounds in
young specimens to four and ne-half
and even five pounds in old birds
GulneaS prefer to live in a semi wild
state, where they can and go and come
as they please, frequent barns, out
buildings and poultry houses during
very cold weather, living out in the
open during the rest of the year. roost-
ing in trees, hiding their nests in out
| of-the-way places and raising their
young at will. Cultivate their friend
ship thru feeding and caring for them
in careful manner. A house built
short distance from other buildings and
arranged like poultry house will an
swer well for them. and they will go in
to the building even to lay If they are
encouraged by being coaAei anu fed III
side or about the house. Usually, how
ever, they prefer to care for themselves
to greater or lesser extent.
Do Not Have More Males Than Females
1t is difficult to tell the males from
the females. Even those familiar with
the habits of guinea fowls are fire.
quently mistaken about this. They all
have a long formation on the top of
the head. which is called helmet. Each
has two wattles. In the male both are
large and more prominent than in the
female.
The males and females will always
mate in pairs. where there is an equal
number of males and females. A flock
Of fifteen guinea hens will be safely
presided over by four or FIVE males, but
if there are five females and six males
or any number of males more than fe-
males there win be continual quarrel
ing, fighting and destruction Of eggs
in the nests.
One feature of success with guinea
hens is to have either an even number
or fewer males than females about the
place.
Use Care In Gathering Eggs.
Laying with guinea hens begins in the
southern or warmer climates in De-
cember or January: farther north the
time of laying is deferred. In New
York and Pennsylvania they usually be-
gin laying in April: still farther north
they may not lay until May. They will
lay from thirty to seventy eggs before
they become broody. A watchful care
must be kept over them to locate the
nests, which they are certain to hide
away if it Is possible to do so. After
they have laid five or six eggs in the
nest, visit the~-nest every day or two
and take two or three eggs from the
nest each time, keeping the number in
the nest about the same as when the
first eggs were removed. If all the eggs
are taken away. the guinea hen is al
most certain to desert the nest. II,
however. some are left she will usually
continue to lay. wooden spoon Is best
to take the eggs out with. 1t is dan
gerous to disturb them with the hand,
as the hens seem to know when this
has been done. The eggs that are taken
away may be Matched under hens.
Cochin Bantams are excellent for this
purpose. 1t takes about four weeks to
hatch guinea eggs. Sometimes day
or so longer is required. The guinea
chicks are very small when Matched,
and are apt to run away and hide in
the grass and become lost. For this
reason when Matched with hens close
ly woven wire fence should be built
about the box in which the hens sit,
making small enclosure three or four
feet square for the hen to exercise in
when she comes from the eggs. The
same enclosure will prevent the little
chicks from running away and being
lost when they are Matched. The guinea
hens will not permit OF this intrusion.
It is best to allow them to manage
their own Matching and the raising Of
the young as well. At the same time it
is always well to feed them with their
little ones two or three times day I'M
til the guinea chicks are four or five
weeks old. They should be fed the
same as are little chicks Of other kinds.
only the particles must be very small.
Guinea chicks are not slow growers.
in the sense Of taking months to ma
ture. They do not grow rapidly for the
first week or so, but as soon as they
have feathered out they grow more
quickly. They require careful attention
at first, but when they have been well
started on their way they grow like
weeds. A large number Of the chicks
are lost when running with the guinea
hens, providing the weather is very
wet. They can not Withstand heavy
showers and live thru many OF them.
Lo nnatl than