Got my new guineas and....................

[BritinMO]

I just got home with my 4 new one year old guineas, 2 males and 2 females, they are now settling into the run next to the chicken coop where they will stay for at least 2 weeks. AND I came back with 10 fertile eggs that the seller gave to me! You have to love the generosity of Missouri folks!

So tomorrow, I shall mark the eggs, get my 2 broody guineas off the nest, remove those eggs that I know are not fertile and replace them with the fertile ones. Hopefully the broody girls won't know the difference, maybe I'll leave a few of 'their' eggs in the nest just to be sure.

Quoting the words of PeepsCA (who gave me fantastic advice and info) "be careful what you wish for"....................

 

[PeepsCA]

LOL YaY!!! Congrats!!! Hope it all works out and you get some adorable fuzzy hyper little keets soon!

You are now addicted to Guineas, and well on your way to becoming a Hatch-o-holic!!!!

 

[BritinMO]

The newcomers have all settled in the outdoor run fine, BUT yesterday and today I've noticed one of the males picking on the other male, nothing really aggressive, just threatening behaviour every time he hopped off the perch to get food. I took a bit of a risk and went and picked him up (felt pretty sorry for him!) and put him on the perch in the coop where the 2 other females hang out with their nest of eggs. The coop door was open as the 3 chickens were free ranging for the day, and the 2 nesting girls were also outside not very far away at the time having their break from sitting

I waited with baited breath to see what he would do, and out he came, joined the 2 girls and around they pecked, needless to say the other 3 newcomers who are not allowed out to free range yet went crazy screaming at him outside with his 2 new friends!
All 3 returned into the coop after a very short time, the chickens joined them after a bit as it was raining and I shut the door quick! Last time I checked before it got dark, one girl was sitting on the nest and the boy was sitting next to the other female guinea on the perch with the 3 chickens - LOL. He looked VERY happy preening himself.

Guess tomorrow I will open the door to the coop and hope that he sticks around with his new friends, they don't go too far from the nest.

 

[PeepsCA]

Good to hear you've got one integrated at least

Hopefully the others will follow suit. Maybe just adding one at a time will be the way to go with the new comers? If not... I'm sure that one male would probably eventually be able to fertilize all 3 of your Hens... if you end up having to re-home the others because of aggression.
Good luck, hope it continues to go well!

 

[Ivywoods]

I hate to have to say it, but you may want to keep your new adult guineas locked up much longer than 2 weeks. Adult guineas, unless they were raised there DO run off. If you raise them there as keats they are more apt to stick around.

If you are going to turn the adults loose, make sure you can let them get back in to eat, and that you only feed them in the coop. Also, it helps to have other poultry (chickens, turkeys, other guineas, etc.) in pens or runs where you want your guineas to return to.

Good luck with it. I love my guineas and I'm hoping to get some more hatched here soon.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
You're right, and I should have stated that in my previous post (oops)... I think she will be ok with the one lone male that was picked on tho... especially since he was being picked on by the other male, and the other Guineas he is familiar with are still locked up. Being flock oriented he should want to stick close to the pen the others are in and close to her other Guinea Hens and chickens (who are already homebodies), and not fly off. But yah... I think leaving the others locked up for a couple/few weeks is probably a good idea so they don't leave and take the rest of her Guineas with them!

 

[BritinMO]

Yes, yes and yes, the other 3 newcomers are staying in their extremely nice pen (which I have to remind them of, when they are pacing up and down the fence) with their perch, water, food and handfuls of personally selected dandelion leaves and flowers at least twice a day - for at least another 2 weeks! They are not happy about it, especially when the other guineas and chickens stroll by and look at them through the chicken wire, so funny!

The free ranger guineas and chickens only get food in the coop and they all return there in the evening for the night, and as the 2 guineas are sitting on a nest in there (they take turns on it, which is a bit weird?), they don't wander far, so I am really hoping the boy will tag along with them. The girls are very determined about sitting on the nest, so I hope he doesn't sweet talk them with promises of a better place to live and take them off somewhere

That's probably a great idea to introduce the other 3 one at a time! I think I will do that!

 

[abundantwife]

The fewer guineas you have, the more aggressive the males can get. Maybe you should see if you can trade out the low cock for a hen? One male with five females is a good ratio. I agree about keeping them in "lockdown" for longer than two weeks-- but I also know how hard that is-- nothing like a group of guineas wandering around "talking" to each other! Make sure you post pictures when the keets are born... they are just too cute!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Its better to go with one to one ratio because Guineas pair off. If you have extras it should be males. The reason is they will chase each other rather than pick on the chickens. I am learning through this site that if your having problems with the males actually more males the better. Right now they are pairing off so spring time chases are common. Its not really picking on each other its their commando "dance".

Last flock of guineas I had seven males and one female. LOL she spent her time yelling Buck Wheat they spent their time in a daisy chain chasing each other.....LOL too funny. I never did get any eggs. And the chickens were oblivious.

 

[BritinMO]

Its gone mad here this afternoon, I had one 'loner' guinea hen that for at least the past month appears from nowhere to come back to the coop for a quick eat and then disappeared again until the next day. PeepsCA suggested that she had a nest somewhere and I have searched for it to no avail. She comes back today, took one look at the new male who is now called George and off she disappeared with him! I COULD not believe it - BUT - LOL, I saw him down in the woods standing looking very confused, and there the loner was sitting on her nest - 47 eggs! I'm amazed that I've never seen her before sitting on her nest, the sneaky thing was under some tree branches!

So I have removed her eggs, George is now back with the 2 other girls and the loner is wandering around where her nest was looking very confused

My question for today is - will the loner come back to the gang now - or will she stay on her own and make another nest somewhere - anything I can do to encourage her to join back with the herd?