Guinea hen and chickens?

[kdolly87]

Ok y'all let me know if this is just crazy. I'm thinking about getting a guinea chick and raise it with two chicken chicks. Is this a no no? Does one guinea fowl need several others or would it consider the chickens to be adequate for their social needs? I've never had guinea or even seen one in person but my friends father in law raises them. I've been looking at videos of their sounds lol wow. Loud things! But they're so sweet and I could use a great bug eater and security system. I've lost 3 of my best hens to dogs. I built a fence but it's more of a deterrent since I live in apartments and can't build a heavy duty fence. Also. Is it wise to clip their wings to prevent then from flying away??

 

[R2elk]

Ok y'all let me know if this is just crazy. I'm thinking about getting a guinea chick and raise it with two chicken chicks. Is this a no no? Does one guinea fowl need several others or would it consider the chickens to be adequate for their social needs? I've never had guinea or even seen one in person but my friends father in law raises them. I've been looking at videos of their sounds lol wow. Loud things! But they're so sweet and I could use a great bug eater and security system. I've lost 3 of my best hens to dogs. I built a fence but it's more of a deterrent since I live in apartments and can't build a heavy duty fence. Also. Is it wise to clip their wings to prevent then from flying away??

Bad idea. Guinea fowl are flock birds and really do better in larger groups of their own kind. Their traits (feather pulling) are not appreciated by other poultry.

Guineas are much better flyers than chickens. Clipping their wings removes one of their means of escape from predators.

If you are losing chickens to dogs, you can expect the dogs to get the guineas also.

If you are living in an apartment it is highly likely that your neighbors would complain about the noise the guineas make.

Before you do anything, visit your friend's father-in-law and learn about guineas from him.

 

[MeepBeep]

R2elk pretty much summed it up...

Guineas are ornery birds and they tollerate each others ornery behaviors, but other fowl don't tollerate it well... If kept with other fowl they need their own space and own kind to socialize with or else they will terrorize the other birds to no end... They also need a lot of room to run around in circles and act like complete idiots chasing each other...

And I second their constant (all day long) noise can be quite an annoyance for those that are not tolerant of it, likely not a good fit in most apartment settings...

 

[kdolly87]

Understood!! Do y'all have a suggestion as go a type of fowl that would be appropriate for me?? I really want something exotic looking. I have a back yard that's about 50x50 feet. I have 3 bantam and 3 large hens. I would prefer something a fat lol a turkey or two?? They're loud too though. Hmm

 

[MeepBeep]

Most of the more 'exotic' birds that I know of can fly and are not real suited to backyard keeping for that reason combined with the fact many don't get along with chickens in small tight quarters...

You can look at some of the more 'exotic' chicken breeds, if you can have a rooster there are some really showy roosters...

 

[kdolly87]

Most of the more 'exotic' birds that I know of can fly and are not real suited to backyard keeping for that reason combined with the fact many don't get along with chickens in small tight quarters...

You can look at some of the more 'exotic' chicken breeds, if you can have a rooster there are some really showy roosters...

Thanks!!