Guineas: Why Did I Bother?

[Sherry]

I still like guineas better than chickens. I hatched out 29 this summer. And if the rest mine survive the winter I'll hatch more next summer.

Of the 6 I have left free-ranging, 5 have decided to roost in the barn everynight, so I lock them up tight.

And I haven't seen a single tick in months.

 

[simba49450]

sorry to hear about the babies. i would suggest you keep them penned so preds dont get them, when you free range the danger factor goes to 100% cause they dont know any better. i have mine penned in a dog kennel with chick wire around that with a top for protection. i hope this helps so you dont lose any more

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Your Guinea exspericene sounds like mine!!
But I love the guineas....

We had one lonely little guinea "Oliver" (which some on here thought might be a girl). That is the only surviving guinea out of roughly 13 keets. It grew up with the chickens-after coming out of the house. It hangs out with the chickens, doesn't wander off, and is always with at least 2 or 3 other birds. Not even picky weither its the hens or roosters it hangs out with.
Then just recently I got 9 more baby keets.
I have 4 left. 2 died after these last few cold nights early mornings. They even had a heat lamp. 1 had injured its leg and was hobbling around...I think the other birds squished that one. And the other 2 I am not sure how they died...Either from the cold, or maybe stepped on by the others...

I love having them around though as they are constantly letting you know they are here. The neighbor has a few and they come and visit every once in a while...Kinda nervous hoping mine don't fly up there someday...

 

[birdnutz]

I have 17 of the litte buggers. Over the course of 6 years i've only lost 3. 1 to a dog,1 was killed by the others and 1 to unknown causes. All we could think was that he flew into a fence post. Strange huh. They come home every night to be shut up in their house. Maybe its because we don't have any trees to speak of.LOL

 

[Marlinchaser]

KEETS

More Keets

The trick, let a chicken raise them, so the will learn from her where home is and they return to the coop every night, I did have one of my original 12 decide he wanted to stay out in the trees, and I had feathers the next morning, but loosing 1 in 2 years is not a bad average. No ticks and a warning system for the chickens.

 

[MissPrissy]

Guineas have to be kept locked up beyond 3 months. At least 4 - 5 months in a closed in coop before letting them out and making sure you keep feed out where you want them to come back to will bring them home.

I have Guineas that have been free ranging for over a year and they never stray beyond my barn and small pasture.

I have a batch from this spring with my turkeys that are itching to get out but those little beasts are staying locked in until they reach 4 months old.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Let a chicken raise them mine have been out since about 3 days old, under the watchfull eye of a Momma Chicken.

I know you dont mix animals, but it might be worth a try. Maybe trick the broody into bringing them back to the guinea area instead of the chicken area????

 

[MissPrissy]

At the time I didn't have a broody. I had to hatch them myself and they hatched 5 days before the turkeys. It made a perfect opportunity to let the keets teach the turkeys. I did not loose 1 turkey. Those keets helped them all learn to eat and drink.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I wish I had thought of that, I hatched a duck with my turkey(1 out of 14 eggs), I would have skipped on the duck, now I have 4 keets and a turkey that think they are ducks.

 

[warcard]

Dangerouschicken - quit scaring my martket away!

(actually you are my market, "I'm so sorry you lost your guineas, would you like to buy somemore?"

), just messing with you here

I do agree with MissPrissy that guineas need to be kept up until at least 4 mths. I try and tell my buyers to keep them penned at least until they are bigger than a football if they can't wait that long. I have raised some with chickens and seem slight improvement in wanderlust, but they need to wander some to eat all your bugs.

luvmychicknkids - Guineas are the absolute best tick control method, watchdogs so-so mine yell at just about everything, but since they are still more of a wild bird that need to roam to do their job they do come with the risk of more losses than confined chickens.