Description
Guinea Fowl Keets (Multiple Varieties)
Breed Overview and Origin
Cackle Hatchery® supplies several varieties of Guinea Keets for 4H and FFA showing and breeding, including White, Lavender, Pearl, and Royal Purple. Guinea fowl originated along the west coast of Africa, with historical records showing their presence as far back as 2400 B.C. in ancient Egypt. By 400 B.C., the Greeks considered guinea meat and eggs a delicacy. Cackle Hatchery® Poultry Breeding Farm has been developing its bloodlines of these four guinea varieties since 1977.
Appearance and Breed Characteristics
Guinea fowl are known for their upright posture, spotted or solid feather patterns, and strong flock instincts. They are highly alert birds and are often described as natural “watchdogs” due to their loud calls when something unusual occurs. Guinea fowl prefer to roost high, often choosing trees when allowed to free range.
Egg Production and Performance
Guinea hens lay small, dark, speckled eggs, producing approximately 60–100 eggs per year. While not bred strictly for egg production, they offer a steady seasonal supply.
Temperament and Behavior
Guinea fowl are very active and alert, making them excellent for free-range environments. They are well known for their ability to control ticks and insects, making them a practical addition to farms and rural properties.
They can be difficult to sex visually, but their calls provide a clue:
- Males make a one-syllable call: “chit, chit, chit”
- Females make a two-syllable call: “buck-wheat, buck-wheat”
Guinea hens often hide their nests and may return with a full brood of keets when allowed to range freely.
Assortment and Ordering Information
Guinea fowl are available for purchase from January through August, but hatching and shipping only occur from May through August due to seasonal conditions. It is recommended to order in March and April to reserve availability.
This offering is a Hatchery Choice assorted package, meaning:
- It is sold as a straight run only
- Color assortment is not guaranteed
- Specific colors cannot be requested or tracked
- Cackle Hatchery® does not provide records of which colors were included in your shipment
Breeding and Management
Fertility percentages generally range between 60–75%, with a recommended mating ratio of nine females to one male. Guinea fowl are considered setters and may go broody. They prefer roost heights of 4 feet or higher.
Shipping and Availability
Cackle Hatchery® ships guinea keets May through August, and it is recommended to order early to secure availability.
Guinea keets must be shipped in a separate compartment from other poultry, as they may peck and injure other birds during transit.
Due to shipping regulations, we cannot ship Guinea Fowl to Hawaii.
Guinea Care Resources
Chick Care Instructions (Guinea Section) https://www.cacklehatchery.com/chick-care-instructions/#quail
Selecting Guinea Fowl https://www.cacklehatchery.com/selecting-guinea-fowl/
3 Ways to Brood Guinea Fowl and 1 Way Not To https://www.cacklehatchery.com/3-ways-to-brood-guinea-fowl-and-1-way-not-to/
Raising Guinea Fowl https://www.cacklehatchery.com/raising-guinea-fowl/
Sexing Turkey Poults and Guinea Keets https://www.cacklehatchery.com/sexing-turkey-poults-and-guinea-keets/
How to Keep Guinea Fowl from Flying Away https://www.cacklehatchery.com/how-to-keep-guinea-fowl-from-flying-away/
Guinea Fowl on Tick Patrol https://www.cacklehatchery.com/guinea-fowl-on-tick-patrol/
Getting Guinea Fowl to Roost Indoors at Night https://www.cacklehatchery.com/getting-guinea-fowl-to-roost-indoors-at-night/
Backyard and Farm Use
Guinea fowl are commonly used for insect control, property alerting, and free-range flock additions. Their natural instincts make them especially useful for farms, acreages, and rural environments.
Guinea Fowl FAQs
Are guinea fowl good for tick control? Yes. They are excellent at reducing ticks and other insects.
Are guinea fowl loud? Yes. They are very vocal and will alert you to changes or intruders.
Can guinea fowl be kept with chickens? Yes, but they are more independent and may prefer their own space.
Do guinea fowl roost in trees? Yes. When free ranged, they often choose high roosting spots like trees.
Tandra Woods –
I ordered the assorted guineas with a variety of different chickens. About half the guineas and 1 chick were dead upon arrival. There is couple other guineas not doing well. I don’t look for them to make it. I have ordered several time from this hatchery, for both the our personal farm and our feed store. Usually the orders are great and have a normal death rate. However, a death rate of almost 50%, for the guineas, right out of the box seems excessive.
Cackle Hatchery (store manager) –
We’re very sorry to hear about the losses in your recent order. We do not see that you’ve contacted us directly about these issues, and we’d like the opportunity to make this right. Please reach out to us at help@cacklehatchery.com or contact the call center so we can review your order details and take care of this for you.
slowandold5 –
7/17 hatch date. I received 16 guineas all healthy happy and the packing was well done. So cute! I also received and surprise box 6/21 hatch date. 53 birds total. 2 turkeys, 2 ducks, two guineas, and a bunch of sweet birds that are so colorful and interesting. Healthy and happy and packed nicely. Very bright and chipper lol pun intended. Learning what they all are is so much fun. I appreciate all that cackle has to offer. My grandkids just love them all and are eager to help out.
butterfly17_05 –
Ordered 15 and received 17. Nice variety of all colors of guineas they carry. All are doing great and very lively along with chicks I ordered with them.
rojamin81 –
Awesome variety….worked well with existing chickens and other chicks.
Hatched 7/27/22
I ordered 15 and received two extra. Much to my amusement and horror all 17 survived. In my defense, my hubby said I could get them. I think he expected some wouldn’t make it. They were mixed in with some rare mixed chicks and have done fantastic. They all get along well and integrated smoothly into the older chickens of the coop. They all come in nightly with the other chickens. It is funny to watch them, they tend to form their own little group, often times single file running across the yard.
didden39 –
I ordered 18 hatchery choice guineas and received 20 healthy keets: 8 lavender, 8 pearl, 2 whites, and 2 purples. Quite a nice variety! All 20 have been doing well, and make short work of any boiled eggs or insects I toss to them.
Courtney –
Thank you!
So impressed with my guineas! I got the hatchery choice and ended up with a great variety of exactly what I was hoping for! All were healthy (and have stayed so). I’ll definitely be ordering again and highly recommend!
Pascual –
Silly guineas
Yes they are silly, loud and amazingly they destroyed our local tick population. They go into our chicken coop (thanks to them growing with our chicks). Did I mention they are silly and follow us everywhere.
Joshua E –
Thank you!
The guineas showed up vigorous. The straight run assortment was a good selection. They are now doing their job of making noise and eating bugs. I expect eggs when the light increases.
Karen G. –
Thank you!
I am very happy with my order. I ordered 6 Black Australorp, and 6 Buff Orpingtons and received a baker’s dozen: 7 Black Australorp! I also ordered 12 mixed guinea fowl and received a baker’s dozen as well; a lovely mix of 3 lavender, 4 royal purple, and 6 pearl gray. All babies came on time and I haven’t lost a one! Now we are finishing our run around the coop and they should be safe and happy for the rest of their lives! Olive Hill, KY
henry –
guineas
I orded 20 guineas in 2018 and was able to get 21 to spring 2019 have hatched over 200 keets from them is now oct. 23 and am still getting a few eggs each day . thank you.
Cora –
Healthy keets
Really impressed with these keets from arrival to 4 months’ maturity. Lost one only because it escaped while relief caretaker was cleaning the baby pen. Unfortunately it was my one lavender. These have been trained to return to the coop in the evening s with mealworm treats. They follow us everywhere!
jo –
Thank You
My chicks were picked up from my local post office this morning. All 26 were well and started drinking and eating right away. The brooder box was warmed and ready for them.
Just want to thank you for your service. Have a GREAT day!!
BTW…. my guineas I bought from you are healthy juveniles now. Never lost a one since I started raising them. This is one happy “chicken lady”.
Chris –
Thanks
Wife very happy with the Chicks.
Trina –
Awesome Deal
First time ordering online. I was Very pleased with the experience. I ordered 8 keets on 8/6/18 along with 12 chicks. (Including 5 extra chicks) All arrived healthy and chirping 8/10/18. I received a beautiful mix of keets and chicks. With one extra keet. Total of 4 grey pearls, 3 whites, 1 Lavender & 1 Royal Purple. Thank you so much for such beautiful babies. Look forward to ordering from you again.
F.E –
Thanks
Wanted to say thank you for the baby guineas, they were a quality product and very healthy, thanks again
BRIAN –
Hi Cackle Hatchery
Received my order yesterday. The chicks were in great shape. I have bought from you a few times and am amazed how efficient you are on your orders and how healthy all the birds are. Thank you again.
Happy customer –
Happy Customer
I got my order of guinea keets this morning and, as with my 2 previous order, they arrived happy and healthy!! I’ve seen others talk about having a terrible time with hatchery orders, but i have had nothing but a wonderful experience through y’all! Out of 3 orders that i have received, not a single lost bird before their feet hit the ground. Thank you for a wonderful experience!!!
Bonnie –
Thank You Cackle Hatchery
Hi, as a first time orderer from Cackle Hatchery I wanted to take a minute and let you know how pleased with your service I have been. I ordered small order city/town chick offer and they arrived happy and healthy and on time. With an extra chick to spare!! Also ordered a small order of Guineas, hatchery choice, with a special request that I wasn’t sure you would be able to do but you came through!! As a first time customer i can’t tell you how impressed I have been with your attention to detail and care with shipping. All chicks/keets arrived happy and healthy, eating, drinking and ready to go. So want to say a big Thank You. I will be highly recommending you to anyone who wants a dependable source for poultry.
Buddie –
Guinea and Turkeys
Bought 20 ea. All healthy and act like a bunch of drunk idiots.
Strong stock, solid legs and healthy eater and drinkers (no beer)
Great mix don’t know who taught who what but they are great friends.
I’ll be a return customer next year, great customer service!
Buddie –
Guinea and Turkeys
Bought 20 ea. All healthy and act like a bunch of drunk idiots.
Strong stock, solid legs and healthy eater and drinkers (no beer)
Great mix don’t know who taught who what but they are great friends.
I’ll be a return customer next year, great customer service!
Nicki –
Some of the Best
This was my second time ordering from Cackle and i can say hands down they are the best.
I ordered a total of 10 guineas hoping for at least one white guinea but received only lavender and royal purple. no Biggie as i am sure i will order again next spring for some (:
Thank you all for being so awesome!
Heather –
Happy, healthy arrival!
The post office called this morning at 6:45am and my daughter and I headed to pick up our keets. Received 17, in 3 different colors; one Lavender, two white and the rest I am assuming are Pearl? (This is my first time with Guineas.) They are all very active and seem healthy. Thank you Cackle Hatchery for a smooth transaction, I will be back!
HA Acres –
Great little mix
Ordered the Hatchery Choice for the first time this year and got a nice little mix of 5 birds with 3 different varieties. On day #4, and they are doing great with the other birds I received. Can’t wait for my white ones to grow up.
Mammieshute –
Guinea
I’ve had my guineas for two years. I ordered online, but I picked them up at the store. I love them! I got four colors and they’re beautiful. My daughter hates them… They wake her up at 0430-0530 by getting on the roof above her window. I’ve been getting birds from cackle for three years and have never been disappointed. Thank you
Cute –
Cute cute cute
Everyone wanted some of my meets. Healthier than the local chicks!
Buddo –
Omg
I really want one but I have just about no yard, although I may get one anyway because all of my chickens dies (We have one left) and the Keets look amazing and I like that they are good watchdogs. I just hope it wont eat my tiny dog because I read on another site that they hate other animals-
Martha –
Healthy Arrival
I cried when I found all of the baby guineas dead last week. This morning
the replacement shipment arrived and they are all healthy and happy. Thank
you so much for you kindness and rapid response in shipping the
replacements. I’m delighted. I’ve ordered chicks from Cackle Hatchery for
over 40 years and this is the first time that I have ever gotten a DOA
shipment. Since I am now 80 years old, I probably won’t be here to do a lot
of business with you in the future, but I definitely will be your faithful
customer until the end. I recommend Cackle Hatchery to everyone who visits
our farm.
Jenn –
love our keets!!!
Received our order of 25 keets yesterday. Everyone is extremely healthy and arrived doing very well. We received two varieties which was nice extra!!! Excellent customer service, highly recommend Cackle!
Jason –
Fantastic company!
I purchased a batch of hatchery select keets in a smaller quantity of only 15. The ladies at the hatchery are extremely nice and even called me to ask if I wanted the keets early as they had an over hatch! I was shocked and happy to learn I would get the keets 2 weeks early. The lady I spoke to made sure everything would be prepared in time for their arrival before sending them off. She did warn me that they should be arriving in 1-2 days but sometimes could take 3 days to arrive and gave me instructions to ensure the lowest mortality rate if in the event this issue happened. Well, the worse case situation happened and it took a full 3 days for the babies to arrive.
Upon receiving we had 1 DOA baby and I called the hatchery the very next day they were open (received them on a Saturday so I had to wait until Monday to call the hatchery). Over the course of Sunday to Monday, we lost an additional 3 keets (2 on Sunday and one Monday). Again the lady I spoke to at the hatchery was extremely nice and helpful and made sure I was giving the keets boiled egg yokes and apple cider vinegar in their water to help with the mortality. She let me know to call back every day to give a live count until they stop dying.
We lost one more keet on Tuesday before it was over. Luckily the hatchery shipped out 5 extra keets to compensate for mortality issues from shipping and in doing so we ended up with exactly 15 little feathery fluff balls of cuteness that we originally ordered and they seem to be going strong.
I am extremely pleased with the hatchery and their customer service! They kept me assured that I was doing everything possible and they were going to work with me in the event that we ended up with less than the amount that we paid for. I am extremely pleased we didn’t have to go through shipment of more babies as I didn’t want to but more little ones through the stress of shipping.
Without a doubt, I have found my go to hatchery for all my fowl that I am planning to add to our home stead in the future. Not just for their impeccable (pun intended) customer service skills but also the quality of their birds (even though we had 5 die off, that is still less than any other hatchery I have purchased from where I would lose 1/2 of the flock sometimes!)
ricklorieba –
Slightly Dissapointed
I received my Guinea’s today and all where alive and healthy. I ordered 15 and got 16 which was a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the extra keet. My disappointment is I only received 2 types of Guinea’s, 6 Pearl and 10 Lavender. I expected at least 3 types. I guess it is what it is. Thanks, Rick B.
Steve in Georgia –
I love my guineas
These guineas are awesome! I got more than I bargained for. I received some lavenders which is my favorite color. All of the guineas were healthy and active. They’re all doing great! The customer service is awesome as well and will bend over backwards to help you. You’re not alone with your order, because they’re readily available to offer advice in the event something goes wrong. I love Cackle Hatchery
Perry –
Thanks
I would like to say thanks for the Guineas I ordered (10) of this kind and although 11 was sent I lost 3 which I was quickly taken care of buy the people there and received credit back on my card…they are now about half grown and beginning to be very vocal which is what I wanted because of varmints around here.They get along great with all the chickens also and stay right with them.Thanks again for the great service
Misty –
Extremely pleased
I just received my guineas today. All were well when I opened the box and seem to be doing just fine. Very active and oh so cute when they’re little! Thank you!
Teresa Virginia July 2014 –
Thank You!
A special thank you to all your staff that sent the most beautiful baby chicks. Will be ordering more in the future, Thanks again!
Timothy South Carolina July 2001 –
Thanks
Just wanted to let you all know I have ordered from CACKLE 3 different times, and all my chicks were in great health and still are. I ordered your 30 keets Special and they are now 3 weeks old and have eaten around 8lbs of turkey starter, grower and are still doing Great. and to thank everyone at CACKLE and let you all know you ALL have done a GREAT JOB THANKS CACKLE HATCHERY, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK,
Barbara, Missouri –
Thanks
My guinea’s I got from you are doing wonderful! Love them!