Live with chickens?

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I was wondering if I got one or two Guinea hens if they would be happy with my chickens in an inclosed run. Because I know they need area and big groups. Plus would my heavier rooster take her as a hen (I want to know if instead of needing 10 chicken hens he will take 8 chicken hens and two Guinea hens). And if they get along with bantams. I have 3 roosters and need more hens as well as a guard bird for my silkie from my neighbors tiny dogs.

 

[R2elk]

I was wondering if I got one or two Guinea hens if they would be happy with my chickens in an inclosed run. Because I know they need area and big groups. Plus would my heavier rooster take her as a hen (I want to know if instead of needing 10 chicken hens he will take 8 chicken hens and two Guinea hens). And if they get along with bantams. I have 3 roosters and need more hens as well as a guard bird for my silkie from my neighbors tiny dogs.

I don't recommend it.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I don't recommend it.

ok any ideas on guard birds (no geese or ducks)

 

[R2elk]

ok any ideas on guard birds (no geese or ducks)

Guineas don't even guard themselves. In order for them to do any protection they need to be a whole flock.

The best birds for giving real worthwhile alarms that I had were geese but they did not protect anything.

I did have a Swedish Flower Hen rooster that all the poultry paid attention to his alarms.

Get an LGD.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

LGD?

Guineas don't even guard themselves. In order for them to do any protection they need to be a whole flock.

The best birds for giving real worthwhile alarms that I had were geese but they did not protect anything.

I did have a Swedish Flower Hen rooster that all the poultry paid attention to his alarms.

Get an LGD.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Guineas don't even guard themselves. In order for them to do any protection they need to be a whole flock.

The best birds for giving real worthwhile alarms that I had were geese but they did not protect anything.

I did have a Swedish Flower Hen rooster that all the poultry paid attention to his alarms.

Get an LGD.

Oh large guard dog yeah already got one he is useless when it comes to our neighbors dogs he will tear anything but those dogs up

 

[R2elk]

Oh large guard dog yeah already got one he is useless when it comes to our neighbors dogs he will tear anything but those dogs up

LGD = Livestock Guard Dog

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

LGD = Livestock Guard Dog

That’s what my dog is he is a 130 German shepherd mix who only lets family touch our chickens or approved people. Otherwise he will destroy you he runs extremely fast and has fought coyotes to save the chickens. Along with my blue tic black lab mix who if whatever they’re chasing goes under the shed she spooks it out while he waits. The only animals they allow near my chickens are the neighbors 7lb dogs (who want to eat my chickens ) and my cats (my cats don’t want them dead they just sleep on the roof of the coop). I have guard dogs I just need something that hates dogs

 

[SamLockwood]

I was wondering if I got one or two Guinea hens if they would be happy with my chickens in an inclosed run. Because I know they need area and big groups. Plus would my heavier rooster take her as a hen (I want to know if instead of needing 10 chicken hens he will take 8 chicken hens and two Guinea hens). And if they get along with bantams. I have 3 roosters and need more hens as well as a guard bird for my silkie from my neighbors tiny dogs.

I would not keep any number of guineas penned up for extended periods. The couple times I had to put the flock on lockdown mine got very "punchy" after about a week.

The females can actually be more aggressive than the males. When I've integrated new birds into my mixed flock it's the guinea hens that are the most aggressive to newcomers (even if they're guineas). Guinea hens will also vicously defend a nest or nesting box they're using.

Guineas are much more prone to wander, and don't respect boundaries, roads, or your neighbor's rottweiler. If they do integrate with your chickens successfully, the more confident ones will follow their guinea friends on these adventures.

One afternoon I had the whole lot of guineas, plus a couple of my olive eggers charge off into a neighboring woodland and farm field. I figured that was it for them but they all came back several hours later. I ended up having to fence off an area for them.

Guineas are very unlike regular domesticated poultry, and they have behaviors that range from charmingly quirky to rage inducing. If your chickens are high strung breeds they will get extremely stressed out. This is doubly true if they're cooped up in an environment where they can't get away from each other.

Your guineas will want a separate sleeping area, visually separated from where the chickens sleep.

Your rooster is going to be a much better guardian against your neighbor's barking rats than guineas will. In my experience they're very good at keeping hawks at bay, but didn't help protect my chickens from the bobcat that was snatching lone hens that wandered off to forage by themselves.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I would not keep any number of guineas penned up for extended periods. The couple times I had to put the flock on lockdown mine got very "punchy" after about a week.

The females can actually be more aggressive than the males. When I've integrated new birds into my mixed flock it's the guinea hens that are the most aggressive to newcomers (even if they're guineas). Guinea hens will also vicously defend a nest or nesting box they're using.

Guineas are much more prone to wander, and don't respect boundaries, roads, or your neighbor's rottweiler. If they do integrate with your chickens successfully, the more confident ones will follow their guinea friends on these adventures.

One afternoon I had the whole lot of guineas, plus a couple of my olive eggers charge off into a neighboring woodland and farm field. I figured that was it for them but they all came back several hours later. I ended up having to fence off an area for them.

Guineas are very unlike regular domesticated poultry, and they have behaviors that range from charmingly quirky to rage inducing. If your chickens are high strung breeds they will get extremely stressed out. This is doubly true if they're cooped up in an environment where they can't get away from each other.

Your guineas will want a separate sleeping area, visually separated from where the chickens sleep.

Your rooster is going to be a much better guardian against your neighbor's barking rats than guineas will. In my experience they're very good at keeping hawks at bay, but didn't help protect my chickens from the bobcat that was snatching lone hens that wandered off to forage by themselves.

Ty for the info