Feeding 6 feral guineas

[TheKelster]

We have 6 Guineas roaming our rural northern N.H. neighborhood. They belong to a young couple that live a mile away on a dirt road connected to ours. The story is the wife sent her husband to a farm to pick up chicks and he came back with them plus 6 full grown Guineas thrown in for free. I dont think the wife had time to research Guineas before they got loose and started roaming.
i woke up one morning at dawn, like usual, to feed the horses and noticed I had new visitors where I feed the birds. Because of bears I take in my feeders every night but they were cleaning up the seed I throw on the ground to feed the jays and doves. I’m an avid bird person and go thru at least 60 lbs of black oil sunflower and TSC’s farm blend, white millet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds, every week. Needless to say the flock has adopted me and are now hanging around here anytime they’re not out roaming the countryside. We have horses and I’ve always wanted to have chickens but never have due to the fact I work 2 jobs and go to school part time.I don’t have the time after caring for dogs, cats and horses. My barn is spotless but my house far from it. I simply don’t have time to adequately care for any more animals but now have these Guibeas who are here to stay and I want to make sure they’re fed and sheltered. The owners and I have tried numerous times to catch them but it’s impossible.
My seed expenditure per week is now easily 90 lbs since they’ve been here (and the wild turkeys have found me). I’m assuming they’re eating plenty of bugs and ticks but with winter coming I need to know what I can easily supplement to make sure they’re getting the right kind of nutrition. We do have an old shed on property that the previous owners kept goats in. It needs a little work but we plan on getting it ready so they will have the choice of using it for shelter during the winter. What can I buy at TSC to add to my birdseed? I do put out fresh water for the birds everyday and will invest in a heated receptacle for the winter now that they’re around. Sorry for the length but wanted to give full background to hopefully answer any questions.

 

[R2elk]

We have 6 Guineas roaming our rural northern N.H. neighborhood. They belong to a young couple that live a mile away on a dirt road connected to ours. The story is the wife sent her husband to a farm to pick up chicks and he came back with them plus 6 full grown Guineas thrown in for free. I dont think the wife had time to research Guineas before they got loose and started roaming.
i woke up one morning at dawn, like usual, to feed the horses and noticed I had new visitors where I feed the birds. Because of bears I take in my feeders every night but they were cleaning up the seed I throw on the ground to feed the jays and doves. I’m an avid bird person and go thru at least 60 lbs of black oil sunflower and TSC’s farm blend, white millet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds, every week. Needless to say the flock has adopted me and are now hanging around here anytime they’re not out roaming the countryside. We have horses and I’ve always wanted to have chickens but never have due to the fact I work 2 jobs and go to school part time.I don’t have the time after caring for dogs, cats and horses. My barn is spotless but my house far from it. I simply don’t have time to adequately care for any more animals but now have these Guibeas who are here to stay and I want to make sure they’re fed and sheltered. The owners and I have tried numerous times to catch them but it’s impossible.
My seed expenditure per week is now easily 90 lbs since they’ve been here (and the wild turkeys have found me). I’m assuming they’re eating plenty of bugs and ticks but with winter coming I need to know what I can easily supplement to make sure they’re getting the right kind of nutrition. We do have an old shed on property that the previous owners kept goats in. It needs a little work but we plan on getting it ready so they will have the choice of using it for shelter during the winter. What can I buy at TSC to add to my birdseed? I do put out fresh water for the birds everyday and will invest in a heated receptacle for the winter now that they’re around. Sorry for the length but wanted to give full background to hopefully answer any questions.

I recommend an all flock feed which you can supplement with free choice oyster shell from spring through the fall. Since they are seasonal layers, they will not need the oyster shell during the winter.

To keep water from freezing, you may want to consider Alternate method to prevent water freezing.

 

[sourland]

You might want to provide an 'all flock' or maintenance type poultry feed.

 

[TheKelster]

I recommend an all flock feed which you can supplement with free choice oyster shell from spring through the fall. Since they are seasonal layers, they will not need the oyster shell during the winter.

To keep water from freezing, you may want to consider Alternate method to prevent water freezing.

Thank you. I’m assuming it’s ok to feed both of these off the ground. I did forget to put in original post that I also put a scoop of cracked corn out everyday now that the turkeys are regular visitors. I’ve read enough to know that it’s not a good feed choice for Guineas though.

 

[R2elk]

Thank you. I’m assuming it’s ok to feed both of these off the ground. I did forget to put in original post that I also put a scoop of cracked corn out everyday now that the turkeys are regular visitors. I’ve read enough to know that it’s not a good feed choice for Guineas though.

It will be best to put it in some type of feeder. The feeder can be as simple as a large low bowl.

Cracked corn while loved by most birds is a low protein, high fat feed and should be fed in limited quantities. It is great for fattening them up for processing but not a good, healthy, long term feed. This includes turkeys.

Any feeds placed directly on the ground are going to attract undesired guests also. Mice, rats, skunks and raccoons are just a few of the unwanted visitors that will flock to your place if the food is left out overnight.

 

[TheKelster]

Thanks for all the info. I’m heading to tsc so will pick some up today

 

[TheKelster]

It will be best to put it in some type of feeder. The feeder can be as simple as a large low bowl.

Cracked corn while loved by most birds is a low protein, high fat feed and should be fed in limited quantities. It is great for fattening them up for processing but not a good, healthy, long term feed. This includes turkeys.

Any feeds placed directly on the ground are going to attract undesired guests also. Mice, rats, skunks and raccoons are just a few of the unwanted visitors that will flock to your place if the food is left out overnight.

I have a large low black rubber feeder I used to use for salt blocks. I’ll use that. Usually anything I throw on ground is gone by end of the day . We have a lot of birds visiting even before the Guineas showed up. I make sure it’s cleaned up everyday because of bears if there’s anything left. I’m middle aged and have been feeding wildlife most of it so have a good handle on management. I have never used oyster shell so wasn’t sure if it had to be kept dry etc. I’ve been using the extra scoop of cracked corn as a filler. Since the turkeys and Guibeas became regular visitors my BOSS usage has gone from one 40 lb bag a week to almost two. I have to draw the line somewhere.

 

[R2elk]

I have a large low black rubber feeder I used to use for salt blocks. I’ll use that. Usually anything I throw on ground is gone by end of the day . We have a lot of birds visiting even before the Guineas showed up. I make sure it’s cleaned up everyday because of bears if there’s anything left. I’m middle aged and have been feeding wildlife most of it so have a good handle on management. I have never used oyster shell so wasn’t sure if it had to be kept dry etc. I’ve been using the extra scoop of cracked corn as a filler. Since the turkeys and Guibeas became regular visitors my BOSS usage has gone from one 40 lb bag a week to almost two. I have to draw the line somewhere.

I would cut back on the BOSS for the health of the birds. It's like letting a kid have all the candy he wants, not a good thing. They will pick the boss out of everything else first.

Yes, oyster shell must be kept dry. If it gets wet, it will dissolve.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

We have 6 Guineas roaming our rural northern N.H. neighborhood. They belong to a young couple that live a mile away on a dirt road connected to ours. The story is the wife sent her husband to a farm to pick up chicks and he came back with them plus 6 full grown Guineas thrown in for free. I dont think the wife had time to research Guineas before they got loose and started roaming.
i woke up one morning at dawn, like usual, to feed the horses and noticed I had new visitors where I feed the birds. Because of bears I take in my feeders every night but they were cleaning up the seed I throw on the ground to feed the jays and doves. I’m an avid bird person and go thru at least 60 lbs of black oil sunflower and TSC’s farm blend, white millet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds, every week. Needless to say the flock has adopted me and are now hanging around here anytime they’re not out roaming the countryside. We have horses and I’ve always wanted to have chickens but never have due to the fact I work 2 jobs and go to school part time.I don’t have the time after caring for dogs, cats and horses. My barn is spotless but my house far from it. I simply don’t have time to adequately care for any more animals but now have these Guibeas who are here to stay and I want to make sure they’re fed and sheltered. The owners and I have tried numerous times to catch them but it’s impossible.
My seed expenditure per week is now easily 90 lbs since they’ve been here (and the wild turkeys have found me). I’m assuming they’re eating plenty of bugs and ticks but with winter coming I need to know what I can easily supplement to make sure they’re getting the right kind of nutrition. We do have an old shed on property that the previous owners kept goats in. It needs a little work but we plan on getting it ready so they will have the choice of using it for shelter during the winter. What can I buy at TSC to add to my birdseed? I do put out fresh water for the birds everyday and will invest in a heated receptacle for the winter now that they’re around. Sorry for the length but wanted to give full background to hopefully answer any questions.

Hi Kestler, welcome to Backyard Chickens!! Always great to hear from someone else charmed by guineas rather than annoyed with their noise!

My husband is an avid birder who also puts tons of seed and feed out for wild birds. I really don’t want the wild birds mixing with our poultry due to the possibility of disease transmission. He doesn’t want the guineas eating all of his expensive feed... So, what we do is have mostly elevated feeders and platforms for the wild birds, with BOSS, thistle seed, millet, suet, etc in different elevated feeders. He had some ground dwelling millet eating wild birds, which are really a challenge to feed separately. He mostly has a particular dense brush pile that he throws the millet into for them, since they are small birds. We bring the suet in at night and have baffles on the other feeders. The wild birds spill some of the feed, so the guineas do still gather around the base of the feeders, but they are too big and too well fed to attempt to fly to the feeders themselves. I provide inexpensive chick starter/grower crumbles on ground feeders for our guineas for most of the year, with more expensive gamebird crumbles for keets and molting season. I’m wondering how likely your guineas are to confine themselves to a shed since they are now used to being feral and roosting in trees...

 

[My2butterflies]

My only thought would be to slowly move the ground feed closer and closer to the shed each day. Eventually putting the feed inside. Be sure the shed has natural light or a light source so it isn’t dark.
Once they are comfortable going inside I’d get ready to hide and wait for them all to go in to eat and shut the door.
From that point you could let your neighbor come collect their guineas or keep them penned for a month or two to get them used to that being their home now. Then I’d suggest a slow release to keep them from running off right away.

A have the neighbors given up on catching and containing them?