Feed during drought?

M-rra

Hatching
Aug 13, 2017
9
1
9
Saxapahaw, NC
It hasn't rained where I live in weeks. My guineas have been hanging close to my house--I've gotten feedback it's because they're young and I have a small group, only five. But, today they've bee squawking away all day and I started wondering if perhaps I need to feed them because of the drought conditions. I feed them at night when they go in the coop but, I've been figuring they're getting stuff to each by free ranging during the day. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help.
 
Although i don't have guineas, I would have food available free choice, all day long. Free ranging birds don't gorge themselves, but they usually need supplemental feed regardless of the weather conditions.
Best of luck to you!

:)
 
My guineas are free ranging including the 2 month old ones. But they are still at the feeders quite a few times thru the day. If they are young and still growing they need feed free choice. And plenty of fresh water available at all times. :drool
 
I leave feed out in the coop free choice, all the time. They eat about half as much in the summer when they are eating a lot free ranging as they do in the winter. Therefore, I would advise that you plan to provide approximately half of their feed requirements as supplemental feed. Also keep in mind that they are still growing, and have higher energy requirements. They probably cannot eat enough feed if it is only offered one time per day because their crops get full.
 
For the last couple of days I've left feed in their coop during the day but, I've encountered a couple issues:
1. They don't go back to their coop unless I herd them there.
2. There is a lot of food on the ground of their coop they're not eating.
3. I've found lady cardinals in there almost everyday and twice they've gotten stuck and I had to fish them out.

I'm worried I'm attracting rodents, too because one of my cats had one in the house last night--play time!
Any suggestions?
Thanks, all!
 
Poultry always seems to attract rodents, so I am not sure how to advise you on that one.

Guineas can easily waste food by spilling it on the ground, and they do not prefer to eat it off the ground. I usually raise the height of the feeder and that typically helps minimize wasted food. It also depends on why the food is spilling to the ground. Raising the feeder helps minimize how much they dig out with their beaks. I have also had the trouble with hanging feeders and guineas that they bump into the feeder so hard that it starts swinging and spills a bit of food (typically if they fly into it but also if they run into it). If that is the trouble you may need to rethink feeder design.

They probably will learn to return to their coop after a few days. It may also be that the coop design does not naturally encourage them to return. Guineas tend to like a pretty open design.
 
That is all great information. Thank you!! I will raise the feeder. I don't think the coop really invites them to enter for several reasons--mostly being that it is outside of our fenced in yard. They just seem to want to be inside the fence but, I'm hoping it's because they're still young. We leave the gate open but, it's not really a wide gate so, they really have to want to go directly there. Also, we could rethink the coop entrance which is a little on the small side for guineas.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom