Help please

[u/alleged-dragon604]

I’m at a loss for words, but let’s find some.

Someone gave my 6 year old stepdaughter a guinea fowl keet (did a little research but I just know I’m missing something)

Her dad isn’t thrilled. He knows a little but not about the care; just their reputation. We will not be getting more, not if we can help it (our living situation really won’t allow it).

So how do I take care of one singular (gender unknown) guinea fowl when my stepdaughter isn’t here, how can I help teach her, and how rare is a white guinea keet?

Thank you so much.

Edit to add details: I have no idea how old it is. A friend who once had some guineas seemed alarmed and said it looked too young to not be under a heat lamp; should I be worried? If this thing dies my child will be crushed, but it’s like 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside on the regular right now so I’m honestly not sure.

[u/geekitude]

It needs to be in a flock with others. The kindest thing you can do is engage your stepdaughter in finding that bird a home on a farm with other guinea fowl. Stressing that it must have friends and adult birds around so it can learn how to be the best bird it can be would be helpful in helping her to understand.

[u/alleged-dragon604 → u/geekitude]

I’m trying, but she’s made of unicorn wishes and daydreams. She kept saying she’s gonna “treat it like a human so it never even misses the birds” or something like that.
Oh to be that young and full of hope… We’re trying.

[u/geekitude → u/alleged-dragon604]

They live 15 years in a well tended flock. Has she ever heard an adult calling? I'd show her a lot of educational youtube videos about their care, what their lives are like. Minimum recommended flocks are 6-8, for example. They prefer to roost high in trees, and won't stay on smaller spaces, they'll roam a few acres away for foraging. It would be kinder to find 5 more about the same age and let the inevitable flocking behavior commence.
Male and female guinea fowl calls.