Can I keep just 1 Guinea??

[Billy7871]

I have chickens and want to get a guinea only for the alarm the make. Do I need more than 1 or will it be fine with the other chickens. Can you eat guinea eggs?

 

[shelleyd2008]

You can eat guinea eggs, and you can also keep only one. But it would be better to have a pair, so the guinea (if male) doesn't try to get frisky with your hens. But there are a lot of people that have only 1.

 

[cthrash1]

In my original flock, my guinea was raised with the chickens and so thought it was a chicken... When I gave the flock to a friend the guinea still stays with the chickens instead of trying to integrate with the other guineas.

 

[Billy7871]

Cool... Thanks a lot. 1 it is

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I know a lot of folks say guineas make good "watch dogs" but mine weren't reliable in that aspect. They made the most noise calling to each other, and to passing satellites orbiting the earth, and not when they saw a predator or visitor to the yard. They did have an angry alarm sound they'd make occasionally when they'd see a hawk, but so do the chickens.

I started with 5 guineas & now have only 1. She hasn't been saying much since her last flockmate died. When there were 2 or more they would always roam the yard together. This remaining guinea is now left wandering around by herself, looking like the last Dodo bird on the planet.

Maybe it would be different if a guinea was raised alone from the start with chickens, it would be oriented more towards those birds & not miss its own kind so much.

But I would recommend guineas only if you like guineas & can bear the noise they make. Try to find someone in your area who has adult guineas & listen to them for a while.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
predation left me with just two males last year-----they looked so sad and pathetic wandering around without their mates. I got more keets this year and they immediately hooked up with the bachelors when introduced.