Guineas & chickens

[Bekahh]

I am planning on raising chicks and guineas and I've read that if you brood them together they are more likely to get along but I've also read that it can do the opposite. Im planning on at least 10 chicks(ordering online all females) but more likely will get 15-20 (i have 15 chickens rn) this is my 1st time with guineas so I only want a few (probably 4) I plan on housing them separately as adults. I may have to set up 2 or 3 brooders so everyone has enough room (if anyone has suggestion for what to use for a brooder right now im likely to go with large totes or feed troughs) I just need any advice on how to make sure the guineas are good with my ducks chickens and any other birds i may end up with in the future

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Water troughs are good brooders. I raised guineas with chicks but seperated then as they fully feathered and let the guineas roam. The guinea males can be dangerous during mating season to your chickens and roosters.

 

[GotCoop]

The guineas will roam over much greater distances than the chickens. I had a male guinea that took up residence after he was abandon by a neighbor. He tried hard to socialize with the chickens but was always driven off. The turkeys were much more accommodating and let him hang around with them. He would come by during parts of the day to say hello to the turkeys then would go back to wandering around, he covered about a quarter mile radius. He was good at warning all the birds that there was potential danger.

 

[Ghosty]

Brood them separately and house them separately. Guineas are supposed to be more content in larger groups. Mine seemed content with 8 in their flock. Come breeding season they will get more aggressive and things will change. You need enough females for the males. You don't want the guineas treating the other birds like guineas. I went through it. The guy I got them from said he always broods them with a chicken and a duck, so I brooded them with my chickens. Wrong! My chickens went wild like guineas and the guineas would gang up on my later brood of pullets. Some people have ok experiences if there is only a few birds involved and no new broods brought in. Ultimately, though, your guineas will be more likely to take off without a mate. There is a Guinea forum with lots of good advice. If you brood and coop separately you should be able to free range them with the others without much issue. The guineas will know who their flock is and vice versa. Check out posts by R2elk.