Chickens and guineas

[tucker0104]

Can I keep guineas and chickens in the same coop? Going to have about 10 hens and 1 rooster and then about 2 guineas.

 

[hennypenny99]

I think they would do fine together. I have a dozen guineas. I did have 1 rooster and about 5 hens running loose with them. The guineas and the chickens kept to theirselves for the most part. The pecking order was as follows: Rooster - guineas - hens - silkies.

The rooster was top dog at feeding time then the guineas would run the hens & silkies off and the hens could run the silkies off and the silkies never pick on anyone. I just make sure I sprinkled feed in various places so no one was kept from eating. If your guineas are roosters they may bully your hens. Mine free range over several acres so I'm not sure how they would do cooped up together.

 

[chickathon]

I had three guineas with my 28 other chickens. Everything was fine until the guineas turned 12 weeks. They started to pull my chickens feathers and were really just mean. I loved them and thought it was just a phase but at six months something had to give. So I chose the chickens over the guineas. And now everything is calm and QUIET. My husband was glad when they were gone. He said it was a lot less noisy. I have read that for them to be satified you have to have at least 10. My run couldn't handle it. You may have better luck than I did. I just wish I had done more research before I got my three.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

I myself used to run guineas with my chickens years ago no problem. I have gotten guineas twice and every time I either take them to sale or end up in pot. They are mean run in pack and hunt chickens, they even killed 15 of my half grown chickens pecking on them and crowded them in corner till they suppocated them. I don't know why all have been so aggressive but I am pretty anti guinea anymore since all trouble with them.

 

[hennypenny99]

Mine are only aggressive when it comes to feeding time. I don't know if this makes a difference but they were raised with my silkies as babies. I think guineas really need room to roam and free range. My 12 probably patrol up to 5 acres or so and they have never hurt my chickens. I only had 1 guinea hen and 5 rooster guineas! A few weeks ago I bought 6 more females. They seem to be happier now.

 

[KZ]

I would not put guineas in the same coop and run as chickens. Guineas are very mean to chickens and the poor chickens who are stuck living in the same coop as a guinea are not going to have a very happy life.

I tried having guineas live with chickens - only 4 guineas - thinking that the chickens outnumbered them and everyone would be fine if they were raised together. When the guineas got to be about 3 months old they terrorized the chickens. I had to get rid of a couple guinea roosters because they were absolutely evil. I hatched more guineas from those and have about 10 now. I did not raise them in the chicken coop - they lived in an enclosed barn stall until they got older and now they just go wherever they want all day. They sometimes go harass the chickens but get bored and leave before any damage is done. I enjoy how loud they are and really like having guineas, but unless you happen to only have one hen guinea living with the chickens, it is not going to work out.