Guinea Fowl Info and Help

[WindcrestChickens]

Hi Everyone....We are looking to add some guinea fowl to our farm for help with ticks etc. We just recently built our new coop and run, and we have 12 new chicks getting big in the living room. They should be in the coop by Memorial Day.

Does anyone recommend a hatchery for guineas...And does anyone have any advice on how to add them to our family and chickens:??? Thanks.

 

[silkiechicken]

Best of luck and welcome!

I often hear it is best to house chickens and guineas separate because guineas can gang up on the chickens and hurt them. I don't have first hand experience with guineas though. Best of luck!

 

[Chick_in_Indiana]

Great to here you are on your way. I have 5 guineas (3 males and 2 females) and I raised mine w/ my chicks. Since you already have chicks you will want to keep the keets seperate until they are about the same size as the chicks so they arent picked on but keep them in the same coop if possible so they can still see each other. I keep my guineas and chickens together in the same coop. They roost side by side. There are a few chickens that the guineas can run off but then there are others that run them off. It's all part of the pecking order. I have read the more guineas you have the less chances you'll have of them being bullies. They seem happier when they have their own gang. Last summer I got 1 w/ a few chicks from a neighbor and she would not stop chirping. But when I had 5 babies in w/ some chicks they were much quieter. Dont forget to keep them confined for the first 6 weeks. And they can fly. I mean really fly. So if you want to keep them in you will have to put a net over your run. At least until they are 6 weeks. I got some of mine from Meyer Hatchery in Ohio. I suggest ordering more then you really want because chances are a few will wander off. If you have anymore questions you can PM me

Krista Here are a few of mine.

 

[NYREDS]

I have raised Guinea Fowl with chickens for at least the last 20 years and never have had a problem. The 2 species seem to self-segregate for the most part.
Guinea fowl do an amazing job of reducing insect population if you can free range them.

 

[GwenFarms]

Well, the best hatchery would be my town, I have everyone in it hatching guinea eggs at this point. If thats not possible go to www.guineafarm.com They have every color guinea available. Its a neat site even if you don't order from them.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

We have our 'ginea' in with the chickens and even our 3 ducks.
Over the fall and winter they were all in together. They have an indoor coop with and outdoor run. They stayed together the whole time. Then this spring when I let them out they all free range together.
We only have one guinea at this time "Oliver". Not sure if it's male or female. But no the less it's name is 'Oliver. I posted pictures on a different topic a while back.

They all get along fine. Oliver will chase a few of the chickens, but then again a couple chickens chase Oliver. He/She has her favorite birds that it likes to run with. Some days I think it has a 'breed' crisis. As it will sometimes just hang out with the ducks. And others it's right there with the chickens.
At night it sleeps on the roosts right next to the chickens.
The farm up the road has guineas that come down here once in awhile. And 'Oliver' could really care less about them. I dont' think he/she knows what they are....lol

Best of luck
Shawna