General Guinea ?

[mad4horses]

I am getting about 11 baby chicks ( 10 pullets and 1 rooster) this summer. I have 10 acres of woods. I would like to get a couple of guineas to go in with the chickens. Will the 2 be enough to help with the tick population and help to keep predators away? Can they stay in the same coop?

 

[orumpoultry]

From past experience, the more guineas the better. Male to female ratio doesn't really matter, but I've found guineas in small groups to be big bullies. Now, I have one white that's convinced he's a chicken but my others tend to be bullies in smaller groups to my other poultry. Once you get up to about 10 they take it all out on each other and leave the other birds alone.

 

[mad4horses]

Thanks for your advise!

 

[SuperPeacockman]

The male to female ratio DOES matter. Guineas pair up in the wild, they are not always monogamous in captivity but I would recommend 1 to 1, male to female. Guineas are smaller than most chickens but still seem to assert dominance, i have heard of problems with them and rooster but I am not really familiar with that.

 

[orumpoultry]

The male to female ratio DOES matter. Guineas pair up in the wild, they are not always monogamous in captivity but I would recommend 1 to 1, male to female. Guineas are smaller than most chickens but still seem to assert dominance, i have heard of problems with them and rooster but I am not really familiar with that.

Never knew that. We've always just had large groups running loose around the farm. When I moved out here, I can't seem to keep them. Gonna build them a pen before a try again. - As far as problems with them and roosters, the only problems I have ever had is with my game roosters. Naturally a dominant breed, the loose guinea's tend to fight with them through the cage wire. They roost well with the chickens, however, it does take some training as guinea's like to roost REALLY high.

 

[chicklady71]

I have 9.5 acres and 17 guineas . They really only free range about half of it. When you have enough they for band and tend to have their own areas that they cover. Mine will chase my mild little silkies occasioanlly, but never harm them. The larger cheickens they don't bother that much. I have had my silkies raise some keats for me and that is really a sight. Eventually they realise that they are not a chicken and go on their way.

 

[mad4horses]

All such great advise! Well maybe I'll get a couple more than 2. I just want to make sure my coop is big enough.
If the guineas like to roost high, do you then have some of the roosts higher?

 

[BritinMO]

My 26 guineas share the coop at night with my 4 chickens with no problems, the roosting poles are all the same height, I guess around 5 feet off the ground.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it all goes!