Ducks and guineas

[mystry]

I just want an opinion or two from people who have both ducks and guineas. I currently have both, they are about the same age and were raised together. In reading I have read that both the ducks (muscovies) and guineas are both aggressive during breeding season and will go after other birds. I am wondering which should I be watching more closely. I currently do not have anywhere to house them separately. I am surprised at how they seem to have similar behaviors though. An example is when one of the ducks is separated from the others it will start calling and making a fuss, just like the guineas do! The guineas will follow the ducks into the brooder house in the evenings also. I hope this continues, they are a few months old, so I don't know how long it takes for them to start to wander.
Any experience that anyone wants to lend would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[GuineaFowling]

The guineas are what you should worry about. I do not have moscovies but I do have mallards. I know, very different but thats what I am going on. The males often fight (they are now kept in separate areas) during breeding season but its mainly with their inter-species. Occasionally there was the drake and guinea cock fight and the guineas are much more vicious. They have very strong beaks unlike the soft bills of the mallards and they also kick. The guineas would pluck and kick the drakes. As long as you have a big enough space for the amount of birds you have there should be very little fights.

 

[mystry]

I really don't have a "run" for them, I only lock them up at night. In the morning I open the door and they roam. They haven't gone far, most days the ducks and guineas stay fairly close together. I have 5 guineas and 10 ducks, the guineas are too young to tell exactly if they are male or female yet, although I have heard some do the "buckwheat", just haven't seen which ones. I am pretty sure that of the 10 ducks I have at least 4 males, so they may have a good fight on their hands, I am trying to decide if/how I will deal with the drake numbers, it will probably be in the spring after I see how they fare over the winter. From the forecasts I have seen we are supposed to have colder than usual with average or less than average snow. Which, around here could be dangerous because it means well below zero windchill and the birds all seem to want to crowd in the northwest corner of the brooder house. (Usually the direction the wind is from) I guess I'll just try to start a snowbank there as a natural windbreak/insulation.

It seems funny that you say the guineas would pick on the drakes, because right now the ducks seem to bully the guineas more than it being the other way around. Especially when they go inside for the night and try to get settled and the guineas are flying around and bothering the ducks, they start going after them like they're telling them to calm down. lol

 

[GuineaFowling]

If your guineas are younger than the ducks then they will be the ones getting picked on but when they are matured adults they will begin to fight back. As long as there is no blood drawn I would not worry about the occasional squabbles.