Guineas with chickens? Is that possible?

[Ellen Neudecker]

My Guineas and chickens live together without a problem. When I get home from work and let them out of their fenced yard to free range, they all go in one large group. When the sun starts to set, they all head back into the safety of their coop together. They roost amongst my chickens on the perches, eat the same food and get the same attention.

 

[lvchicken]

Amazing! Do they let you handle them?

 

[Ellen Neudecker]

Quote:
This is great to hear! We have a couple Guineas (who we got as adults) who live with our chickens now without a problem. Next week, we are getting 2 baby chicks and 3 keets. I can't wait to see how they bond and get along as adults.

 

[PeepsCA]

It's nice to see so many posting their positive experiences with housing Guineas with Chickens together

It's also nice to know that, if it's done right... it is definitely possible to have a peaceful mixed flock

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I think as long as you meet the instinctive needs of each species the odds are good. When I had mine together I did perches very high up for the Guineas because they fly so well. Doubled up on feeders in the coop and outside.

My original groups of Guineas (5) came from a mixed flock of chickens and guineas. Because they had been allowed to freerange These five guineas were males. What a bunch of goofballs. Kept them in the coop several weeks to associate the new coop as home. Within that coop during their "acclimatization" they were also kept separate from the chickens. Afterwards they came back home at night an did a general clean up of bugs and ticks in the general area.
My next group of seven were keets and once they were big enough to identify their honks I had only one female. By this time my flock of chickens had grown to about thirty.

My original flock of chickens were from a local farmer who had become overrun. They were all adults mixed breeds some bantams some large... Some of the smaller chickens could fly really well and I found a few of them up on the roosts with the Guineas at night.

All that being said I never had a flock of Guineas where Males and females were closer to a 50/50 ratio. Which I know would bring out more of their instinctive natures. So the next flock I establish will be kept separate from the chickens... at least for a time. I also want to limit free ranging to no more than half the flock.... or only part of the day. I dont know if this is possible but I want to give it a try. I am going to build a very large run for when they have to stay at home.