Guinea fowl be raise with chickens?

[R2elk]

I have had guinea hens for 3 years it has never been a problem. We have a roo and puts the guineas in there place.

That is not the normal experience. Typical guineas would have removed every feather from the roosters tail and back.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

That is not the normal experience. Typical guineas would have removed every feather from the roosters tail and back.

I have two sets of guineas, one that was brooded with chicks and ducklings and one brooded only with guineas. At 2-3 month old, the guineas started chasing and pulling feathers as a pack from the ducklings and chicks. I ended up rehoming most of those guineas but kept half. Now, when I let the ducks and chickens out to free range, the newer, brooded with keets guineas leave them alone. The cock that was brooded with keets still chases the ducks and chickens, and is particularly hard on the roosters.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

I have two sets of guineas, one that was brooded with chicks and ducklings and one brooded only with guineas. At 2-3 month old, the guineas started chasing and pulling feathers as a pack from the ducklings and chicks. I ended up rehoming most of those guineas but kept half. Now, when I let the ducks and chickens out to free range, the newer, brooded with keets guineas leave them alone. The cock that was brooded with keets still chases the ducks and chickens, and is particularly hard on the roosters.

There was a guinea hen that pulled all of my turkeys breast feathers out so we got rid of him. Is this what you mean.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

There was a guinea hen that pulled all of my turkeys breast feathers out so we got rid of him. Is this what you mean.

With our first group, the whole flock of 2-3 mo guineas together started singling out a single juvenile chicken (often the cockerels but not always) or duck and chasing it. When they caught it, all 15 guineas would mob the victim and start pulling feathers from wherever they could reach (back and butt). The poor victim would be huddled and squawking in terror. All of the juvenile chickens and ducks quickly became terrified of the juvenile guineas and I had to separate them. I only rehomed half of the guineas, including all but one male, in hopes of salvaging the guinea flock in some form. They are still separated and better about the chickens and ducks now, two years later, but the original guineas will still sometimes attack the ducks and chickens when they are out. I have to supervise and drive them off with a stick or water gun. The original guinea cock is the worst about this behavior. The second set of guineas that were only brooded together don’t do this; they ignore our other poultry.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

With our first group, the whole flock of 2-3 mo guineas together started singling out a single juvenile chicken (often the cockerels but not always) or duck and chasing it. When they caught it, all 15 guineas would mob the victim and start pulling feathers from wherever they could reach (back and butt). The poor victim would be huddled and squawking in terror. All of the juvenile chickens and ducks quickly became terrified of the juvenile guineas and I had to separate them. I only rehomed half of the guineas, including all but one male, in hopes of salvaging the guinea flock in some form. They are still separated and better about the chickens and ducks now, two years later, but the original guineas will still sometimes attack the ducks and chickens when they are out. I have to supervise and drive them off with a stick or water gun. The original guinea cock is the worst about this behavior. The second set of guineas that were only brooded together don’t do this; they ignore our other poultry.

Why do they attack them?

 

[R2elk]

Why do they attack them?

Because they are guineas and it is part of their normal behavior. They do it to each other also but they understand each other and know how to properly respond to the attacks. Other poultry do not understand guineas or their behavior and cannot show the proper submission to them.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

Ohhh ok thank you

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Why do they attack them?

I really don’t know. R2elk’s theory below is certainly reasonable. It was not a breeding behavior. At this point, it’s like a territorial vendetta with the original cock, Ghost. I feel like he wants to drive birds he doesn’t approve of (especially ducks and roosters but also some hens) out of his territory. He knows I don’t like it though, so he backs off if I’m looking... His guinea hens will join in as backup when he starts something, but otherwise they don’t care as much.

One of the chicks that Ghost was brooded with was Susan the silkie, a very motherly and subordinate bird. As an adult, I would get Susan out alone to pamper her due to some health problems. Ghost and his girls would come by to beg/steal treats, and Susan would attack to defend her treats as viciously as she was capable. The guineas didn’t respond but would respect her space and wait politely for her to finish. It was funny because the other chickens didn’t respect Susan at all, but I think (total humanizing here!) the guineas remembered her cuddling them when she was an older chick and they were tiny keets. By the same token, the bigger ducklings ruled everything in the brooder and steamrolled over the little keets. Ghost has a particular vendetta still for those ducks, and vice versa, amd they will fence fight and “talk smack” across the fence. Without the fence though the ducks are justifiably scared and run back into the water!

 

[Lovem all]

I have raised Guineas and Chickens side by side and things are fine. keep in mind guineas will be bottom of the pecking order until their crazy hormones kick in especially with the males and then they will harass the chickens for quite sometime until they settle. Also remember Guineas are lovely cute babies but they aren't 100% yours. they do tend to try to run away.

 

[yakitori]

My mix are at 6 weeks, and they're play fighting (?). There's only three of them, vs 5 chooks. Eventually they will have free range over the combined property of a few acres (my neighbors decided they want to share my guineas with me too, lol) we'll see how it goes. The guineas are definitely at the bottom of the pecking order right now.