Guinea Fowl Questions

[jackson41]

We are moving to our property in the woods in northern Wi. I will have 4 chicken in an enclosed coop. We have lots of ticks what is the least amount of Guinea fowl we should keep and do they need special housing?

 

[lobo307]

as many as you can stand

 

[Pinky]

They are loud. I think they like being in medium to large flocks. Maybe if you have a broody hen you can get some fertile eggs and let the hen hatch them

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
How do you define "medium to large"? What kind of numbers are we talking here?

 

[perchie.girl]

How do you define "medium to large"? What kind of numbers are we talking here?

More than six... at least ten if you can. You will loose some either to predators or what ever. If you can get Keets they will bond better with their home.

deb

 

[GuineaLady93]

We have lots of ticks what is the least amount of Guinea fowl we should keep and do they need special housing?

How many acres do you have? You do need to make sure that you get enough to get the tick problem under control.
As far as the least amount of Guinea fowl you can get, well, that is up to you. You can get 1 or 100. People will say that you shouldn't get 1 but you can get however many you want. My friend has had 1 Guinea for years, he just walks around with the chickens and he is fine.
As far as special housing, no. Guinea do not need any housing really. Some people will shut them up in a coop at night and then let them out to free range all day. Now I have a breeding flock and a free range flock. As soon as it starts to warm up in the spring I will turn my free range flock out and leave them out until it starts to get cool in the fall. The reason that I pen them in the winter is because their are no ticks out and not much for them to eat, the only thing that will happen while they are out in the winter is hungry predators will eat them.
So, depending on how much land you have, it sounds like you just need to get 1-20 to get you tick problem under control.

Hope that helps!
Ashley