Guinea fowl + Chickens in the same coop?

[fivecents]

I was thinking about adding a few Guinea fowl to my flock and was wondering if they would be OK in the same coop with my Buffs or if they needed their own separate coop... Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[thechickenchick]

I have 3 guineas. They started out with their own coop. However they free range. Pretty soon they started flying in to the chickens run when ever they wanted too. Then when it got cold ( I mean REALLY cold) they started going in with the chickens at night. We have had a very long cold winter and they spend a lot of days and nights in there. They don't pick on the hens and everything seems fine. They are actually at the bottom of the pecking order and that doesnt seem to bother them. On the other hand I had a friend that had 3 hens and 3 guineas and she said they beat up her hens. I have close to 20 chickens in that coop so maybe the hen/guinea ratio has something to do with it. If I were you I would try it. Good luck

 

[fivecents]

Another question... I read that guinea fowl will eat bees. Does anyone that has honeybees and guinea fowl find that to be a problem?

 

[sonjab314]

I don't know about the bees, but my guineas have slept in the coop with my chickens from day 1 and I've never had an issue.

 

[skya328]

We have 45 chickens and 6 guineas. We got 16 chicks and the keets (baby guineas) last summer and they were raised together. We have a chicken tractor with a couple of roosts outside. We also have a big coop that the tractor is next to and it has a big yard for all the birds. The guineas usually want to be in the run part of the tractor (makes them feel like they're outside but keeps me happy locking them up at night!) When our temps got down to about 25 degrees and a windchill near 0, I noticed that the guineas went in the big coop with the chickens. There aren't usually any problems.

If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to get guineas. I had no idea how entertaining they were going to be. I didn't realize it could get any better than watching chickens!

 

[shamblescross]

My chickens and guineas have spent the whole winter together, with no problems. They all coexist peacefully. Guineas are very fun to have around, as long as you have a high noise tolerance!

 

[fivecents]

Thanks for the replies! I wanted to put a separate coop for the guineas near my flower garden, but in the winter it would be simpler to keep them with the chickens. Also, if we are out of town, leaving them in the coop/run would be easier than having someone put them up in their coop every night. Sounds like it shouldn't be a problem!

What is everyone's favorite guinea breed?

 

[OnlyinGlenloch]

I keep my chickens and guineas together as well. The guineas spend most of the time out of the run and coup but when they are cold they love to come in the coup.
They are very respectful of the hens pecking order and stay out of the way.
I have 6 pearl and just love to see them in the sun. I have heard pearl are the hardiest.??

 

[mrsfarmchick1]

I have 7 guineas and had them in a coup recently with 2 roosters and 4 hens and last week the head rooster decided that his chicken flock would start roosting in another empty chicken house at night (the guineas are young and very noisy). It was very smart on his part and I was quite surprised, but now the guineas are in a chicken house that has 8 week old chicks and a few other chickens and they seem to do okay together, but as I understand it, the guineas will quiet down around 1 year old - I hope so, because it would drive me crazy to have to listen to that much longer!

 

[spiritdance]

We have a Barred Rock hen who has earned herself the moniker "Guinea Mama" because from day 1 when I brought our guinea keets home she adopted them. They slept under her until they were too big, follow her everywhere, cry for her if they can't see her (and she cries for them), and generally seem to think they're (very noisy) chickens. It's all quite amusing given that Guinea Mama wants nothing to do with her own eggs. But her attachment to those keets is so obvious that visitors comment on it. I think if I tried to separate them at this point they would stage a "chicken revolution" and storm the house at beak point!