Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[Shan30]

My experience with adult guineas and chickens is that it depends on the type of chickens. My adult guineas will NOT stay penned, they fly out of anything not covered. The chickens I had were Austrolorps and they were too heavy to fly out of a 8 foot pen, however my banties would fly the coop along with the guineas as soon as the sun started rising. Hope that helps.

Thank you! That's is exactly what I was looking for and hoped to hear. The only bantams I have are a few silkies, cute but not bright so I doubt they are going anywhere. Not that I don't wish freedom on my chickens but we have a serious number of predators and to be totally honest, a wrap around deck, poop free and staying that way!

 

[Tacampbell1973]

How to tell the boy's call from the girls call:
http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/sounds/





We've needed this thread for awhile! Thanks!

I tried to listen to this and it said windows was unable to playback the download? Is there anywhere else to hear them?

 

[Tacampbell1973]

My eleven are on Medicated Start and Grow, and growing like weeds. Knock on wood have yet to lose one other than the three at hatch.

 

[Tacampbell1973]

What do you feed keets?

Do they get medicated crumbles or just plain crumbles, or do they need the higher protein game starter crumbles?

Sorry i tried before to post this in reply but my eleven keets are on medicated start and grow and knock on wood have not lost any yet. Growing fast too.

 

[Susiederkins]

Thanks tons. I guess (after reading your post) that I am not as bad a guinea mommy as I thought!
Yay me

 

[Susiederkins]

My 7 guineas were hatched July 7th...I think. I will have to re-read my posts. They have been caged ever since they arrived. They come when I call...and crowd the side of the pen when it is meal time. I think I will start this week to let them roam a bit...wish me luck!

 

[Starkasm]

Good luck!!
Ours wander, to my mom's, my sisters, each about 100 yards as the crow flies, as well as around two pastures and sometimes the camp nearby. They always come back to be fed and put to bed in the evening . Yes put to bed. They don't go in on their own. They come to the front yard and yell at us to put them to bed. We love them!

 

[Susiederkins]

we have 5 acres for them to rummage around and the road is dirt. I wonder if the heat coming of paved roads might be an attraction The property is all high desert so lots for them to do. I have many wild quail families as well, and leave the property as is for them...perhaps the guineas will like it as well...so worried...oy

 

[Starkasm]

Well they'll probably be just as leery as you are at first. Ours stuck close to home in the beginning and would even sit on the porch railing and yell at us to come out. Then slowly wandered further and then further when they realized my sister had girl guineas!! Remember Guineas can fly pretty good, especially when spooked! As long as you lock them up safely at night they should be just fine

 

[Susiederkins]

They are so cute. One day (Sep. 9), they got out through a hole in the mesh. They stayed together well. When me and my 79 yr. old mother were chasing them to get them back in the cage they were not as difficult as they could have been. It only took us about an hour and a half to catch them. They would clump in the cage but were not as in tuned to me yet. Now when I come out they all start squawking and yelling at me to bring brekky...or din-din... I think they are ready.