Guineas Life Span

[Notaneggpert]

What is a Guinea's natural life span? Was reading some of the post about Guineas not being so smart but very entertaining, I have to agree, not sure of my Guineas or Turkeys who would win the stupid award more. I had 13 Guineas and thanks to my neighbor's son driving 100 miles down a 30 mile farm road has wiped out 6 of them this past year. I don't pen mine up they go in a large oak tree at night and I have had them about 6 years (not all are 6 years old but two are) I let them free range for several reasons 1) they are an excellent alarm system, even at night (did not realize they were blind at night) they have several time let me know when a fox, racoons or coyotes were around 2) I heard they did wonders on tick and snake control, have seen neither since I got the birds and 3) I just love to watch them. They can be aggressive with the chickens especially at feeding time so I don't coop them with the chickens at night.

The very few times we got down to freezing weather I tried to lock them up with the chickens but it was a no go and they survived fine in the trees. I worried about them the whole night but they alerted me when the sun came up. I can't imagine not having a couple always around. They do make lousy mothers if free ranging I noted and will leave the keets at night. That is when I gather them and put them under a light.

 

[cgmccary]

Notaneggpert: What is a Guinea's natural life span? Was reading some of the post about Guineas not being so smart but very entertaining, I have to agree, not sure of my Guineas or Turkeys who would win the stupid award more. I have pondered this very question before as well . . . I had 13 Guineas and thanks to my neighbor's son driving 100 miles down a 30 mile farm road has wiped out 6 of them this past year. I don't pen mine up they go in a large oak tree at night and I have had them about 6 years (not all are 6 years old but two are) I let them free range for several reasons 1) they are an excellent alarm system, even at night (did not realize they were blind at night) they have several time let me know when a fox, racoons or coyotes were around 2) I heard they did wonders on tick and snake control, have seen neither since I got the birds and 3) I just love to watch them. They can be aggressive with the chickens especially at feeding time so I don't coop them with the chickens at night.

The very few times we got down to freezing weather I tried to lock them up with the chickens but it was a no go and they survived fine in the trees. I worried about them the whole night but they alerted me when the sun came up. I can't imagine not having a couple always around. They do make lousy mothers if free ranging I noted and will leave the keeps at night. That is when I gather them and put them under a light.

I have a friend who has a survivor Guinea (a male) [all the rest were hit by cars] that is about 9-10 years old. Guineas are amazing and amazingly stupid too. Between them and turkeys, I wonder how they survive in the wild. I understand chickens making it in the wild but not Guineas and Turkeys.

I have 14 Guineas and they wander far and wide. I see them in the deep forest off my property, up the road, down the road, cars speeding by, them flying in front of speeding cars and every day I count them expecting to be one or more less Guinea . . . . now 9 months old, I still have them all -- even the lone solid white one. One Guinea hen has managed to keep her nest (even though she can't cover all the eggs there & I removed about 40 to size it down) because she built her nest up next to the house outside my bedroom window (I open the window so if anything tries to get her I can hear her scream) . . three other nests were broken by some creature that ate the eggs (and one of those nests, whatever ate all the eggs didn't get the Guinea as I still have all 14. I broke up another nest i found way out in the woods . . . removed the Guinea but not after finding a big ratsnake in the nest eating eggs in the pitch dark of night . . . what adventures our Guineas wrought us . . . I guess I should catch the keets when this G. hen hatches them because she'll leave 'em and have nowhere to take them?? Will she get over them quickly and move on? They are due to hatch, best I can tell, any day now. The Guinea eggs that don't hatch (those on the nest fringes I am assuming (the fringe changes)) -- if I bring them in, post majority hatch . . . anyone had them to hatch later??? Always questions about Guineas, huh?​