Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[perchie.girl]

Thanks Deb, I did know about the aggression thing. My peas have to stay penned as I have a neighbor that tries to hurt them if they go into his yard but I am concerned about my turkeys as they are free range and quite the asshats when anything new comes in and my one tom is super over protective of me even when a human shows up in the yard. He makes darn sure he stays either right behind me doing his poof poof grunt or in between me and the other person lol. I was planning on keeping the guineas penned for quite a while until they are plenty old enough to defend themselves if I decided to go free range on them (I have neighbors that will steal or kill anything that goes into their yard, I guess they stole one of my other neighbors pigs when they got out one time) and they can all get to know each other through the fence. I did read that they need 30 square feet per bird and the pen I plan on for them they should have double that. Do you know what they are like with peacocks? I am in the process of building a huge play area for the peas and was wondering if they could go in with them for more run / play room or do they have a tendency to fight as well?

I honestly dont know... I havent hung around the Guinea fowl threads in quite a while. I started poking back in to this one because I am considering building a new poultry house which a good quarter of it will be devoted to Guineas.

I love Peaflowl but its the night calling that would get to me. So I have never had any. When I get setup I should should have about sixty guineas. Guineas are quiet at night unless they get disturbed. That is partially the reason for having them for me.. My place is two miles from the Mexican border.

deb

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have a question? does anyone just own male guinea fowls? are they just as noisy? With the guinea fowl we have, I always hear BUCKWEAT BUCKWEAT BUCKWHEAT. Sort of driving me nuts now lol. So I am curious to just having males in that case. But wanted to hear from perhaps someone else who has just males and how was the noise level? was it any better?

The boys make a loud tic tic tic sound when alerting for things that don't belong. Younger males alert on blowing leaves, a plastic bag in the wind, and predators too. Its all part of keeping the species. I don't find them annoying but I have them here for predator alert, and insect control. You have to weigh if the noise annoyance is worth the reason you decided to keep them.

I have a question... everyone talks about when they start to lay but no one mentions at what age they quit laying. I read on one site that a male isn't near as fertile after 3 years old... is this true? At what age does the hen slow down?

My oldest hen Quasey is 4, will be 5 in march. She lays 5 days out of 7 during season, and lays the longest of all my hens. Her mate is a year younger and all her eggs were fertile this past year. Beyond that, I can't say. I started keeping guinea 4 years ago. She lost her mate to a fox 3 years ago and chose a new fella the following spring.
From what I have been able to understand, poultry females in general have a certain number of ova they are born with. Once those are dispersed thats it, no more eggs. Now, does that apply to guinea fowl directly, I don't know. I keep hens that hatch here and the cocks they choose for mates. I try to keep my number below 30 total for the housing I have.
So, ask me next fall about fertility, I have several boys that will be 4 or older by then. We do use our excess guinea as meat birds, but I will keep Quasey as long as she lives. She is very tame.

 

[Izacharmed1]

Thanks for the info. I was reading that a guinea will lay 100 eggs per year until they are 5, possibly older. This is the article I found that was saying that a male will breed nearly 100% fertility until they reach 3. http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...aising-guinea-fowl-zmaz92aszshe.aspx?PageId=3

 

[perchie.girl]

Thanks for the info. I was reading that a guinea will lay 100 eggs per year until they are 5, possibly older. This is the article I found that was saying that a male will breed nearly 100% fertility until they reach 3. http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...aising-guinea-fowl-zmaz92aszshe.aspx?PageId=3

decent article.... The season will vary though according to climate. Guineas hear start laying in February and can go as long as october. We had 90 degree temps in January last year. You may get the same results being in Florida.

My climate is very similar to their natural range in Namibia Africa


My area of the world near the Mexican border


I dont have as many rocks but its the same climate below is my driveway

My guineas would hear me call and come flying down from those rocks over the house to fuss at me to Carry on with that whole feeding business.

deb

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

It will absolutely have an effect on the climate you live in too.

 

[Clinton 78]

Do Guineas pair up to mate or do they have one male for several females like chickens?

 

[perchie.girl]

Do Guineas pair up to mate or do they have one male for several females like chickens?

technically they pair off. but they dont mate for life. spring time brings out the showing off for the females running and chasing each other.

Though if you have a breeding program going where you want to achieve a certain color or size you can run one male in with several females.

In a natural flock there will be males that dont pair off they will form a bachelor flock. In the wild they would help raise the keets. I have seen video of males not related standing with about twenty little keet feet under his feathers getting warmed up. While the hen goes off to forage. Other hens will care for them as well.

I think the misconception of Guinea hens not being good mothers is comparing them to chickens. Guineas are different. They have survival adaptations that are more flock oriented than chickens. Um er their flocks are organized differently than chickens.

deb

 

[red horse ranch]

Do Guineas pair up to mate or do they have one male for several females like chickens?

Both! I have one pair that has been inseparable since they matured over 4 years ago. Even thru the winter they are together. In the spring the rest of them will usually pair off with the same mate they had the prior year. The female chooses her mate and she will usually stay faithful to him. But if there are excess females a male will also breed them. Excess males will usually form a bachelor group and follow behind the pairs as they free range.

 

[TammyMay]

Hi, I'm new to BackYardChickens and raising chickens and guineas. Need help.
I have a young guinea pair, probably about 8mos old, and just discovered today, Jan 16, that the hen has a nest at the edge of the woods with at least 13 eggs. We will have below zero wind chill in my part of Indiana for the next few days. Both guineas roost in the corner of the unheated garage with the other chickens in a makeshift pen. What can I do, if anything to save the eggs? Thanks.

 

[perchie.girl]

Hi, I'm new to BackYardChickens and raising chickens and guineas. Need help.
I have a young guinea pair, probably about 8mos old, and just discovered today, Jan 16, that the hen has a nest at the edge of the woods with at least 13 eggs. We will have below zero wind chill in my part of Indiana for the next few days. Both guineas roost in the corner of the unheated garage with the other chickens in a makeshift pen. What can I do, if anything to save the eggs? Thanks.

Gather them up and put them in an incubator. If your Guinea hen is allowed to brood outside of the protection of either the pen or a covered run you will loose one.

VBG OH and

from the San Diego High desert.

deb