Guinea Tractor?

[jackson41]

If I only had 4 guineas could I just keep them in a moveable tractor during the day and a coop at night?

 

[PeepsCA]

You could but, just from personal experiences with my own flocks... I'd have to say they would be much happier and more productive pest control if they were allowed to free range during the day and were trained to return to the coop every night. (That's JMO tho, there's never just one way to raise/keep Guineas).

 

[jackson41]

My fear is we have so many predators and will be living in the middle of the woods. I thought maybe a tractor for daytime use might be a safe way to have some tick control in our yard space. Our nightime coop will be very secure and will have electric fence around the perimeter.

 

[PeepsCA]

I completely understand the predator loss issue, as well as the need for pest control issue... all you can do is give it a try and see what works best for you and your birds

Good luck whichever route you take

 

[jackson41]

Would I be better off having more guineas and train them to the night coop and not worry so much about the daytime?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Our guineas started flying around in the tractor and I think, banged themselves all up, causing deaths. When I was down to 6 guineas, we caught them and put them in the coop with the chickens. They are about to get their own quarters (almost finished addition) and then the plan is for us to garden with them after they know to come back to the coop.
So personally, from my experience, I wouldn't use a tractor again with them, unless very short term and have a back-up plan ready for if it doesn't work out.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
Yes yes and yes, hopefully...

I really feel that having a happy flock of adult Guineas that free range during the day and are trained to come when called, (especially to the coop at night) is every Guinea owner's ideal goal when they first purchase Guineas, be it a box full of keets or a group of adults, lol. We don't always achieve that goal tho... due to various reasons.

I am not sure what your predator or fencing situation is like, but I'm on 10 pretty securely fenced acres and there is still the threat of predators during the day time. I do worry less about them when they are free ranging during the day now, but they still have risks. I have to deal with those risks tho, because my birds are happier and healthier when they are allowed as much free range time as possible, with lots of room to spread their wings, fly and race around like raving lunatics, eat bugs, grass and seeds... and just BE Guineas!


Quote:
Rhoda you made a great point sharing your chicken tractor experience, I'm really sorry for your losses... but it is food for thought for lots of folks that are considering a chicken tractor for Guineas. Glad to read you are building them their very own quarters

 

[Wisher1000]

I raise my keets in a cardboard box brooder until they are big enough to handle the temps outside. Then I put the cardboard box in the coop with the chickens. Then I cut a door in the box so they can come and go from the box to the coop. After that, I let them range with the chickens and they return to the box (inside the coop) and eventually they roost in the rafters of the coop and the box is eventually removed. LOL! They love their box and will perch on top of it even after they are much too big to! They literally destroyed it. I think that if it were made of wood and still intact, some may even nest in it...hummm...maybe that's a good idea.

I have lost a total of 12 guineas since getting my first four. Two were crushed by a piece of plywood that was leaning against the garage door, they tried to roost on it. Three were killed by cars on the road, they will NOT stay out of the road! Seven were killed by a dog (my fault) and one is MIA and presumed taken by a preditor. One out of twelve lost to preditors in two years and they free range all day on 23+ acres of woods and 2 acres of yard. I catch preditors all the time in a live trap but they seem to target my chickens more than the guineas. I think it is a hawk and once they are adult size, they are too big for the hawk to get. All of my losses to preditors were smallish birds less than 4 months old. So, watch them close or let them use the tractor while they're little but let them out to fly and hunt. You will have happier guineas!

Edited to add - check out my BYC page to see the brooder box in the coop!

 

[tokies]

What if it was made of an extremely soft top to the cage? It was also made very tall and very large.

What if the tractor was also their brooder??? from the start. Then it might work? It would probably be a lot of space but instead of moving that tractor everyday maybe every 2 days instead? since it's so large?