Advice about Guienas .. Please

[mumofsix]

Hi Everyone! We want to get a few Guinea Keets . We were talking to Our Friend that runs the feed store . He ask how things are going and we told Him we were thinking about getting some Guineas. The First thing He said was Don't get grown ones or They will leave. I ask Him about putting Them in with the Chickens? ( can't free -range) do to Stray Dogs. He told Me that would be fine. I really love to hear Them ;besides I live in The country . Please give any advice You have . I see 3 Guienas along the Highway sometimes when I go into town so I know They free-range.

 

[Whittni]

You can get fully grown guineas but they have to be cooped up for 6 weeks before they can be let out to free range (this teaches them where to come back home). However, guineas can be perfectly happy when kept cooped up all the time with chickens.

 

[Chicken Review]

Guineas can be kept with your chickens and they should get along ok. My neighbor raised them for years with her chickens. Like the last poster I would keep them up for a few weeks to be be sure to train them to come in in the evenings by only feeding them then! They love to roam for their food. If you have neighbors close by, you may want to consider the noise level. They can be very annoying if you are not used to them.

They are wonderful bug and small rodent control though! A good article on them here, http://goo.gl/pnuqZD

 

[SharkmanDan]

At what point, can the guineas be kept outdoors, 100% of the time? If raised from day old hatchlings, how soon can they be put out to free range? Our guineas are 6 week old, fully feathered, and completely outgrowing the brooder/grow-out pen.
We live where there is a huge tick problem, and want to get them working for us, but are afraid to just start putting them out. And, they are beginning to fly. They haven't had great opportunity to do so, but seem to "get air" far better than Michael Jordan ever did.
Is there a process for transitioning them? We plan to keep a pen for them, but expect that it is just as likely that they may not return to the pen, from what I reading here in the forums.
Please, tell me what to do, to get these babies working for us, at the earliest time, to safely do so?

 

[Chicken Review]

Guinea's can be left out 100% of the time. They are wonderful at free range. They will find 90 - 100% of their own food! If you want them to roost in your coop you will have to put feed out for them in the evenings for to come back to. They pretty much have to be trained to stay in the coop by feeding them there. They like it outside. Turn them loose! Put those critters out in the ticks and let them eat those things!

 

[shannon0716]

This is good to know! I plan to start letting mine roam a little each night starting this evening to get them accustomed to roaming and then returning to the coop at night! Mine are 8 weeks old.

 

[SharkmanDan]

Guinea's can be left out 100% of the time. They are wonderful at free range. They will find 90 - 100% of their own food! If you want them to roost in your coop you will have to put feed out for them in the evenings for to come back to. They pretty much have to be trained to stay in the coop by feeding them there. They like it outside. Turn them loose! Put those critters out in the ticks and let them eat those things!

Even this young? We got them at a few days old, and they're about 6 weeks old now. That's good for them? They are feathered out.

 

[Chicken Review]

You did say they were fully feathered and flying? This is a must as they will need to get away from predators and roost in trees if they do not come in. If not, wait until they are. When they can fly and are fully feathered they should be fine. They usually stay with the mother for 6 - 8 weeks then are on their own.

Keep in mind, the longer you keep them up the more likely they are to come in to roost.

 

[SharkmanDan]

Thank you. They've been pretty much indoors, in their grow out pen, and I have a smaller unused coop. I think that I'll give them a week or two in it, before turning them loose.

 

[Chicken Review]

Sounds like a winning plan. The older they are the better they can fend for themselves. Keep us informed on their progress.