guineas free ranging?

[cresent moon poultry]

I have a large flock of about 35 chickens and 4 ducks(free ranging), I want to get some guineas to go with them, but i am not sure if guineas can free range.

thank you ahead for any answers.

 

[R2elk]

I have a large flock of about 35 chickens and 4 ducks(free ranging), I want to get some guineas to go with them, but i am not sure if guineas can free range.

thank you ahead for any answers.

Read Raising Guinea Fowl 101 and pay particular attention to posts made by @PeepsCA

 

[Hope Hughes]

They can, but keep in mind... they do what they want. I had 10 then only 3, now only 2. We think that some are living in the 100+ acres behind our 40. And the 2 we have now stay closer to the coop. And now our female is broody on a nest somehwere. She comes and goes for food. But she is in some thick brush. But ours were also bought from someone who didnt have them housed right and they were terrified of people. So it took a lot to just be able to walk in their coop. When we lived in Oklahoma for a few years the people that owned guineas only free ranged them. Most of then didnt even have a coop for safety
I would definitely read up on them a little but before getting some to understand them.
The answer is yes you CAN free range them. But depending on your property and the guineas you could have some wandering guineas.

 

[cresent moon poultry]

how old are they when they start to lay eggs?

 

[Hope Hughes]

I got mine as adults, but from my understanding 14-15 weeks they can start. But I also read the spring after they hatch. So if they hatched today it wouldnt be until next spring. They need the longer hrs of sunlight just like chickens and other birds to produce the eggs.

 

[Hope Hughes]

Like I have some that are 3-4 weeks old and they wont lay until next spring.

 

[perchie.girl]

And remember Egg laying for Guineas is seasonal.... Spring to the beginning of fall.

I have eighteen acres and my property backs up on BLM land.... I had five guineas all males that free ranged.... Adopted as adults from a woman who free ranged them...

I kept them in for about six weeks and got them used to the Call for dinnner.... I used for my chickens... Which was Here Chick Chick Chick.... EVERY one would come running... The guineas would be about ten acres away and I could hear them talking then flying.... LOL I fed scratch around bed time. Which is like crack to em all. Not a good feed for sure but definately a motivator. Everyone got escorted back to the coop... And locked up for the night.

I fed this in the morning too after they had been out a couple of hours. As long as I kept to that routine we were good. But If I got lazy....

deb

 

[Hope Hughes]

Yes @perchie.girl is right... they are seasonal layers, sorry I didnt think to say that!
And when I got mine from the other people I kept them in their coop for a month(only that long because they were in bad shape they had like no feathers on their backs at all and infected from bug bites on them so I got them better before letting them out) so they knew where home was. And their food and water stayed in the coop. And after awhile these ones I have left they live with the chickens and put themselves up in the chicken coop. They follow me around for food around feeding time.
They are great for tick control and bugs all the way around. As well as good gard "dogs".
So if you get adults I could keep then where they will be living for a week maybe if you are afraid of them leaveing. So you know they know where home is. Just a thought.

 

[perchie.girl]

Most definately intruder alarms for sure.... My buffer of BLM land is a bout one and half miles then there is a train track that parallels the Mexican border... Foot traffic is common here Not as prevalent as other places but it happens. That and Border Patrol Trackers... The Guineas sound off on people they dont knwow.... add to that my Big Black horse that can see very well in the dark thank you .... She weighs 2000 pounds and does a big trot and snort in the middle of the night.... Its like thunder...LOL.

Shes a sweety... but at night when you dont know what it is ? LOL.

deb

 

[Hope Hughes]

Oh boy! You got double security!! I wouldnt want to run smack into a Big Black Horse at night! You couldn't see it, that would scare the bazzebbees out of anyone! We have 40 acres in north florida and we have our house like 3 acres back away from the road so its nice to be able to have them alarm if someone is coming down the drive. Believe it our not our ducks kinda do the same too.