Guinea talk.

[MartinsPoultry]

Her wound is looking good, I have been putting bacitracin on it daily to prevent infection and so far so good. She was not happy with me grabbing her and bringing her in the house for the photo update but she quickly calmed when she saw James. And yes Zelda has a messy face from feeding just before I grabbed her.
I am hoping to grab some suet cakes tomorrow as my woodpeckers and nuthatches are looking for them, as well as the Guinea squad and chickens.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Hi,
I am looking for someone who has been raising guinea for some time who I can interview on raising them. I want to do an article on why different people keep different types of poultry, but as I have not owned every type of poultry, i need some help.

 

[guineapeeps]

Hi,
I am looking for someone who has been raising guinea for some time who I can interview on raising them. I want to do an article on why different people keep different types of poultry, but as I have not owned every type of poultry, i need some help.

I have owned and raised Guineas for 4 years now. I have only Guineas and have never raised any other type of poultry. I am by no means an expert and I am sure there are others on this thread that are much more experienced than I am, but I would be happy to answer any questions you have!

 

[The Duck Ladie]

I have owned and raised Guineas for 4 years now. I have only Guineas and have never raised any other type of poultry. I am by no means an expert and I am sure there are others on this thread that are much more experienced than I am, but I would be happy to answer any questions you have!

I would like to interview you if you would like. It won't be anything requiring expert knowledge just some simple questions.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Hi,
I am looking for someone who has been raising guinea for some time who I can interview on raising them. I want to do an article on why different people keep different types of poultry, but as I have not owned every type of poultry, i need some help.

Hi-- I don't know if I'm the best person for you to talk to as I've only been keeping guineas for a year or so, but I would like to say that I see distinct difference of experience among people who keep guineas for sale or food, and people who keep guineas as pets in small numbers, and then again people (like myself) who have a sizeable flock (now 21) that stays intact as a partner on our farm for insect control (and entertainment!).

The reason I think those 3 different scenarios matter so much with guineas is based on my observation on 2 different on-going guinea threads. What is clear to me is that guineas, being the mostly-undomesticated and therefore close-to-wild animal that they are, have a strong flock structure, and every individual within that flock is dependent on the flock as a whole. Take away any key individual (and there is a hierarchy or "pecking order"), and it affects every individual in profound ways, ways that often cannot be healed. In our flock, 3 guineas in 1 day were killed by a car, and one of the birds turned out to have been a key individual. Their flock has never been as cohesive since, and it's been a couple of months or more. They are happy and functioning, but from that day the flock broke down into sub-flocks that now operate more independently than they used to. I understand there are natural alterations that occur, and as they get older and more comfortable here on the farm their flock dynamics change and have changed, ebb and flow. But because of the extreme difference of behavior before and after the day she was killed, I know it in my bones.

So, just saying, someone who removes individuals from the flock for food or for sale is not going to see the kind of flock cohesiveness, and the flock-intelligence the individuals depend on, that an intact flock has. And someone with just a couple of birds (I've heard 10 cited as the number that begins to act like a self-contained flock) doesn't see the flock part of these birds either. All must be and are valid experiences, but they are very different.

That's just what came up for me in response to your request.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Hi-- I don't know if I'm the best person for you to talk to as I've only been keeping guineas for a year or so, but I would like to say that I see distinct difference of experience among people who keep guineas for sale or food, and people who keep guineas as pets in small numbers, and then again people (like myself) who have a sizeable flock (now 21) that stays intact as a partner on our farm for insect control (and entertainment!).

The reason I think those 3 different scenarios matter so much with guineas is based on my observation on 2 different on-going guinea threads. What is clear to me is that guineas, being the mostly-undomesticated and therefore close-to-wild animal that they are, have a strong flock structure, and every individual within that flock is dependent on the flock as a whole. Take away any key individual (and there is a hierarchy or "pecking order"), and it affects every individual in profound ways, ways that often cannot be healed. In our flock, 3 guineas in 1 day were killed by a car, and one of the birds turned out to have been a key individual. Their flock has never been as cohesive since, and it's been a couple of months or more. They are happy and functioning, but from that day the flock broke down into sub-flocks that now operate more independently than they used to. I understand there are natural alterations that occur, and as they get older and more comfortable here on the farm their flock dynamics change and have changed, ebb and flow. But because of the extreme difference of behavior before and after the day she was killed, I know it in my bones.

So, just saying, someone who removes individuals from the flock for food or for sale is not going to see the kind of flock cohesiveness, and the flock-intelligence the individuals depend on, that an intact flock has. And someone with just a couple of birds (I've heard 10 cited as the number that begins to act like a self-contained flock) doesn't see the flock part of these birds either. All must be and are valid experiences, but they are very different.

That's just what came up for me in response to your request.

Thank you.

 

[guineapeeps]

I would like to interview you if you would like. It won't be anything requiring expert knowledge just some simple questions. 

Sounds great! Just let me know how you want to do it!

 

[guineapeeps]

Hi-- I don't know if I'm the best person for you to talk to as I've only been keeping guineas for a year or so, but I would like to say that I see distinct difference of experience among people who keep guineas for sale or food, and people who keep guineas as pets in small numbers, and then again people (like myself) who have a sizeable flock (now 21) that stays intact as a partner on our farm for insect control (and entertainment!).

The reason I think those 3 different scenarios matter so much with guineas is based on my observation on 2 different on-going guinea threads. What is clear to me is that guineas, being the mostly-undomesticated and therefore close-to-wild animal that they are, have a strong flock structure, and every individual within that flock is dependent on the flock as a whole. Take away any key individual (and there is a hierarchy or "pecking order"), and it affects every individual in profound ways, ways that often cannot be healed. In our flock, 3 guineas in 1 day were killed by a car, and one of the birds turned out to have been a key individual. Their flock has never been as cohesive since, and it's been a couple of months or more. They are happy and functioning, but from that day the flock broke down into sub-flocks that now operate more independently than they used to.  I understand there are natural alterations that occur, and as they get older and more comfortable here on the farm their flock dynamics change and have changed, ebb and flow.  But because of the extreme difference of behavior before and after the day she was killed, I know it in my bones.  

So, just saying, someone who removes individuals from the flock for food or for sale is not going to see the kind of flock cohesiveness, and the flock-intelligence the individuals depend on, that an intact flock has.  And someone with just a couple of birds (I've heard 10 cited as the number that begins to act like a self-contained flock) doesn't see the flock part of these birds either.  All must be and are valid experiences, but they are very different.

That's just what came up for me in response to your request.

Great post! I completely agree! I think you are absolutely correct about the difference in raising Guineas for selling/food purposes vs keeping them as a permanent and cohesive flock and the way they behave as a result. Also, good observation on the 2 threads as well!

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Hi! I just ordered 3 royal purple guineas to show up this May. They are straight run and I'm curious if I'll have issues if they are all male or two males and a female. I have a backup home for one if I need to split them up. Super excited about getting them!

 

[GlennLee]

Hi! I just ordered 3 royal purple guineas to show up this May. They are straight run and I'm curious if I'll have issues if they are all male or two males and a female. I have a backup home for one if I need to split them up. Super excited about getting them!

Oh, the royal purples are soooooooooooooo beautiful! How wonderful. That's good that you already have Plan B if you need it. With guineas, we always need a plan B and sometimes a plan C as well! Please post pictures so we can all drool.

Welcome to this thread and to BYC! Good to have you.