Guineas

[Laci7210]

Hi Laci!!

Hi!! What state are you in? I might have talked to you on the phone.. I have called a couple of people about guineas recently

 

[paulapern]

LOL, done that, been there.
I will ONLY get chicks also

 

[afarhat8]

nailladi , you have some beautiful young birds. thanks for posting the pics. you have the same incubator i have. great for chickens, haven't tried it for guinea eggs. happy with it for that purpose?

 

[paulapern]

BEAUTIFUL!!

 

[sadie10023]

Ok, some "Free-range starter input" would be helpful.

I have 35 Guineas - 27 approx. 12 week olds and 8 grown-up nine month old - with Melvin (the alpha Boss) being probably older and he came to me as a loner.

I have kept them all together in the coop and run and have just prepared a 2 sided entry runway to the run's main door in prep to shoosh them back in after the maiden voyage into the big garden area - it encloses the coop/run.

My dilemma is which end to work from - the old guy that has lived elsewhere in San Antonio and free ranged before. The other older birds have not free ranged, and the younger fowl may have imprinted to the property in the last 4 weeks.

Like others, I also planned to start with one, then add another next day, and so on hoping the cooped birds call the free ones back, all while hoping the free-rangers stay in the garden for now (high fenced.)

I would free the few a couple hours before dusk. Currently, I ring a cow bell as I feed them at dusk and I think they get the message. I definitely feel the old guy Melvin has it all worked out.

SO - I thought of outing Melvin alone dusk and getting him back in with the bell and feed scheme. But, I could start with a young'n" as they may be more attached to the place due to arrival at seven weeks old. The younger birds also came as a larger flock and may call back to each other.

I have seen long pvc pipe used to corral the birds in proper direction - that is my plan.
Any creative ways to work these first trials on free-ranging? The older smart guy first? or, the young guys. Am I over thinking this?
Any lessons-learned, experiences, advice?

I ramble...thanks in advance

 

[jellodirt]

For what it's worth here's my exp and advice I've been given.
1. My birds wouldn't go in at night. I was told to put a light in and to make sure it was ventilated. Did both haven't had an issue since.
2. I was obsessing over taking my run down and letting them free range. I thought I'd never see them again. A friend who has chickens said not to worry about it and let them out, they'll figure it out and they did.

 

[mysbev]

My latest batch of baby guineas are not eating and drinking as far as I can tell. I have lost 5 already since they hatched out. I have them in an old horse watering tub with cedar chips which I have been successful with raising 3 other hatches in but for some reason I don't see this group eating or drinking! I don't want them all to die what the heck do I do. I have already stuck their beaks in water and food but they don't seem to be getting the idea. I now have 10 left of 15. anybody have any ideas for me to get them eating and drinking. Also has anyone ever left the babies with their moms going natural? I always collect them after they are born so they don't get killed by fox or coyote or mom just running them to death. Ideas anyone???

 

[jellodirt]

I don't know what I'm doing but for what it's worth my meat and turkey chicks were not eating and one died. I went to the feed store and bought antibiotics and electrolytes and added them to their water. I don't know which it was but they came out of it in a couple of days.

 

[nelmsy]

What age do guinea fowl fly

 

[nelmsy]

what age can guinea fowl fly