Adding Replacement Guinea's?

[StephensonC]

So, I had 3 guinea's that were purchased together as keets, and recently 2 of them were killed by an unknown predator. The one that survived was the only hen of the 3, and I put her in with 2 chickens. They quickly worked out a pecking order and is happy. EXCEPT, I know guinea's would rather have other guinea's in their flock, so, today I purchased 2 more. A male and a female. My question is, once I establish a clean bill of health and let them out of quarantine, how hard will it be to integrate the new guinea's to the flock containing the chickens and existing guinea hen? Will their behavior be like that of chickens? I do plan to separate them with a wire fencing for a week or two. Do I need to do anything else?

 

[mommaguinea]

Once out of iso (and I always suggest purchasing from NPIP certified breeders), you may want to put the new ones in a crate in the pen with the current guinea (or blend of guineas and hens) for a week or so, then let them stay together in that pen. They may fuss a bit but should work things out fairly fast. Be sure you "re-home" these new birds by keeping them in a pen for a few weeks so they get used to a routine and where the roosting spot is! Do you train your birds to coop at night?

 

[StephensonC]

Once out of iso (and I always suggest purchasing from NPIP certified breeders), you may want to put the new ones in a crate in the pen with the current guinea (or blend of guineas and hens) for a week or so, then let them stay together in that pen. They may fuss a bit but should work things out fairly fast. Be sure you "re-home" these new birds by keeping them in a pen for a few weeks so they get used to a routine and where the roosting spot is! Do you train your birds to coop at night?

OK I will definitely try the crate idea, thanks. None of my chickens ever free range, I have 3 large covered runs with 3 separate flocks in them. When I first got the three guinea's I kept them in a run and coop at night for about 6 weeks, then let them out and they would roost in the trees at night. I thought they would be safe from predators since they fly so well, but I was wrong. After the attack, the one remaining had no injuries, but I immediately put her in with the chickens, and I don't turn her out now. With these new ones, once all is well with them knowing where home is, I will more than likely let them out during the day, but coop them at night.

I feel silly asking, but what is ISO?

 

[mommaguinea]

Isolation. For tips on training them to coop up at night..go to my webpage at www.fowlplayguineas.com and go to the about us page. There is a small ebook you can download. Look in the training section. You can teach them to come in.