Free Ranging Guineas

[Bubbe]

I am a new guinea owner. We purchased 4 from our local Buchheit. They were only a couple of weeks old, when we purchased them. I now have them in a chicken coop, where they are locked up. I also have 22 chickens. I know that I need to keep the guineas away from the chickens, until they are big enough to defend themselves. At what point can I let them out of the coop? I just want to make sure that the chickens don't scare them, where they would fly away and not come back.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I am a new guinea owner. We purchased 4 from our local Buchheit. They were only a couple of weeks old, when we purchased them. I now have them in a chicken coop, where they are locked up. I also have 22 chickens. I know that I need to keep the guineas away from the chickens, until they are big enough to defend themselves. At what point can I let them out of the coop? I just want to make sure that the chickens don't scare them, where they would fly away and not come back.

How old are they now? I usually train them to return to the coop by letting them out a few minutes before roost time---do that a few times then add a little time to it every couple days. I personally can not let mine free range because my last time I had 29---in a few days about 1/2 of that----a couple weeks later I only had 1 and he Would Not Leave the covered chicken run. Hawks mainly got them. So if I was going to let them out----probably wait until they are a couple months old----turn them out like described above and see what the chickens do. They might not pay them ant attention----then they might.

Because of being a hatcher/seller---I just kept all my guinea's in pens---24/7 and hatched all their eggs.

 

[Bubbe]

They are about 7 - 8 weeks old. I'll try to let them out near roosting time, to see how that works. I guess I'll just keep a good eye on the chickens while the guineas are out. The chicken have been known to be a bit aggressive, when we introduce new chickens to our flock. Thanks so much for your input. It's much appreciated.