Guineas and Chickens

[Donna4200]

Hi, I'm new to this site but not new to chickens but new to guineas. My question is can a guineas fertilize a chicken egg? I know they can mate because my guineas are mating with my chickens is this normal? thanks for any answers

 

[Stormy39]

That is a really good question. I was wondering that myself because I was thinking of getting some guineas to go with my chickens.

 

[De Wet]

Hi, I'm new to this site but not new to chickens but new to guineas. My question is can a guineas fertilize a chicken egg? I know they can mate because my guineas are mating with my chickens is this normal? thanks for any answers

there is a possibility I think but the outcome will not be fertile when it grow up I know guinea s can hybrid with peacocks their is a website which have photo s with these hybrids aka featherside.com check under hybrids

 

[PeepsCA]

It's possible if the chicken Hens are receptive to it, their anatomy is a bit different so it's not an easy task, lol. Usually it's more often the roosters that fertilize the Guinea Hens, and producing the hybrids.

And yes, hybrids are usually sterile, and do not live very long.

 

[Donna4200]

It's possible if the chicken Hens are receptive to it, their anatomy is a bit different so it's not an easy task, lol. Usually it's more often the roosters that fertilize the Guinea Hens, and producing the hybrids.

And yes, hybrids are usually sterile, and do not live very long.

Thank you for your reply, De Wet gave a link to see hybrids and was looking on there. My guineas are just attacking my chickens, I don't have a rooster a hawk got him. I bought some black copper marans eggs and two chicks yesterday and when I was out there fixing there pin a guinea was attacking one of the hens and it looked just like what a rooster does and I think he made contact!! From what I have been reading I don't think I have enough guineas and surly not enough females. From what I can tell there is only one female and four males. The female stopped giving her double sound but I heard her last night after they where put up for the night, its been over a month that she has stopped making her sound. Maybe she was tired of those --- males attacking her!!! I think maybe I need to get more females but my pin is pretty small to keep them closed in for 6 weeks, looks like I have some work to do. I didn't even know they would cross or I wouldn't have got them. Then to top it off I raised them together in the same pin. I wish I would have found this site last year!!

 

[PeepsCA]

Sorry to read your Hens are suffering the wrath of Guinea, 'tis the season (their breeding season). Sounds like your Hens need a new coop and pen all to themselves. Are you letting your birds out to free range, or are you keeping everybody penned due to your hawk problem? Guineas don't typically do well when penned full time... and if they have to stay penned, adding more Guinea Hens may not alleviate the aggression issues.

 

[Donna4200]

Sorry to read your Hens are suffering the wrath of Guinea, 'tis the season (their breeding season). Sounds like your Hens need a new coop and pen all to themselves. Are you letting your birds out to free range, or are you keeping everybody penned due to your hawk problem? Guineas don't typically do well when penned full time... and if they have to stay penned, adding more Guinea Hens may not alleviate the aggression issues.

No they free range and get put up at night. Yes I think I need to add-on to the coop and make two different sides one just for the chickens. I don't know if I will be able to separate them now though. The guineas pretty much keep the hawks at bay now because they worn everybody. I haven't lost anybody since we got the guineas so that is a good thing its just the other. I have a orpington hen that has gone broody so I got some maran eggs yesterday but now I am wondering what the guineas are going to do with the new babies. If I knew for sure that the guineas would leave the hens alone I would get more females.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Yes, they can. The chicks often have health issues but they can survive.

If you feel like searching on here there was a chicken/guinea cross breed named Miracle. It's a many many page long thread that will have you laughing and crying...but it's a wonderful sweet story.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: The chickens will be a little easier to move to your coop add-on than the Guineas... the Guineas will just want to keep returning to the section of the coop that they already know as home. There's no way you can divide your coop in half with a chicken wire wall or anything for now?

When your broody Orp Hen is determinedly staying put on her eggs, you could build some kind of broody cage to set down over her, or use one of those large dog crates (reinforced with hardware cloth so the chicks cannot escape out of it once they hatch) so the Guineas cannot kill them. You may need to build something temporary like a chicken tractor for the broody and her chicks until you can add on to your coop... but regardless, I would not trust the Guineas with the newly hatched chicks, since they already go after your Hens as it is.

 

[Donna4200]

The chickens will be a little easier to move to your coop add-on than the Guineas... the Guineas will just want to keep returning to the section of the coop that they already know as home. There's no way you can divide your coop in half with a chicken wire wall or anything for now?

When your broody Orp Hen is determinedly staying put on her eggs, you could build some kind of broody cage to set down over her, or use one of those large dog crates (reinforced with hardware cloth so the chicks cannot escape out of it once they hatch) so the Guineas cannot kill them. You may need to build something temporary like a chicken tractor for the broody and her chicks until you can add on to your coop... but regardless, I would not trust the Guineas with the newly hatched chicks, since they already go after your Hens as it is.

Oh great, I sure get myseft in a pickle. My DH had his arm operated on and can't do any building for at least six months so that means I will have to be the one to do any building. Will figure it out before the new chicks are born