Have Chickens, but still want Guinea

[PeepsCA]

I'm in this same boat- hoping to get my order out soon. We're going to build, so I could maybe give them their own area, although I was hoping they would just integrate with the girls.

We have a lot of ticks in particular, and while we'll be free-ranging, I've heard that guineas are good not just for tics, but are also protective?

Researching what I can at this point.....

They are not protective, most flocks will not confront predators but they are very alert and watchful birds (which is why they're considered/called barnyard watchdogs)... and they are extremely quick to sound off about anything they perceive as danger.

Do they come back? I don't really care if they fly all over during the day so long as they come back at night like the chickens and eat the ticks.....

At what age can they free range without getting eaten by hawks?

They have to be conditioned to come back... without an established routine of being herded into the coop each evening (usually for a treat helps) they may wander off and not come back. I do not let my young Guineas start free ranging until they are 12 wks old... (they don't go outside until they are 6wks old, then they stay in the coop/pen for another 6 wks to get acclimated and imprint on the coop as home). At 12wks old they are almost full grown, they are a little smarter, more alert, more agile and better able to get away from predators.

Quote: Usually quiet at night (unless your coop is lit), but sometimes Hens will buck-wheat all night long for reasons only known to themselves. You can check out youtube for Guinea fowl sounds/calls.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

But quiet at night? What do the boys sound like?

They're quiet at night, unless something disturbs them.

The boys make a loud chattering noise.

 

[Jennsbirds]

Other than ticks, are they better pest control at anything else than chickens or waterfowl?

 

[PeepsCA]

I have a little over 10 acres of rocks, hills and brush, and my Guineas cover every square inch of it on a regular basis and pretty much eat anything that moves, crawls, scurries, flies or slithers around here if they are quick enough to catch it. So IMO, yes because they range so far, but I don't raise a flock of chickens or other fowl that free ranges to compare them to

 

[Kilsharion]

I have a little over 10 acres of rocks, hills and brush, and my Guineas cover every square inch of it on a regular basis and pretty much eat anything that moves, crawls, scurries, flies or slithers around here if they are quick enough to catch it. So IMO, yes because they range so far, but I don't raise a flock of chickens or other fowl that free ranges to compare them to

We have a few keets that we are trying to determine how to handle. I have a 320 sq foot run that I considered keeping them in...but, I also live on RE zoned property with all my neighbours around me having no problems with my animals....I'm considering talking to them about the "benefits of guineas" and seeing if they won't be cool with the guineas actually roaming all the lots (between me and my two neighbours, that would be ~25 acres. We have a pretty brushy bluff on the other side of the river behind us, and just the two neighbours "in front"...so, it's feasible. We do have two red tail hawks that patrol regularly, eyeing the chickens. Never lost a bird to them, though they come and land right next to the runs and watch the chickens go about their business. Not sure how well the guineas would hold out against such birds, though...

 

[Tikkijane]

Well, I ordered today. They are coming in June which is after my chicks.

I am still planning on having an enclosed run of sorts, because I can't leave the younger chicks {of any breed} outside unprotected until they get bigger, because we have hawks. Our two older dogs will leave them alone once they get bigger, but I will have to train the puppy, and that is a total unknown right now.

How flighty are they?

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: Just a few keets may not give you the "benefits of Guineas" that you are hoping for... so if your neighbors are going to be ok with Guineas roaming around you may want to increase the number to a decent sized flock.

As far as the hawks go, hopefully the Guineas will see the hawks, sound the alarm call and run for cover... and your chickens will head for their coop/safe spot too, lol. My Guineas go bonkers when there's any type of large bird flying overhead... even jets way up in the sky

 

[PeepsCA]

Well, I ordered today. They are coming in June which is after my chicks.

I am still planning on having an enclosed run of sorts, because I can't leave the younger chicks {of any breed} outside unprotected until they get bigger, because we have hawks. Our two older dogs will leave them alone once they get bigger, but I will have to train the puppy, and that is a total unknown right now.

How flighty are they?

Very flighty. If you want them tame/calm handle them A LOT from the day you get them, and after they are a couple weeks old start feeding them a lot of meal worms.. they will learn you are the food goddess and start to trust you.

Congrats on your keet order!

 

[Kilsharion]

Just a few keets may not give you the "benefits of Guineas" that you are hoping for... so if your neighbors are going to be ok with Guineas roaming around you may want to increase the number to a decent sized flock.

As far as the hawks go, hopefully the Guineas will see the hawks, sound the alarm call and run for cover... and your chickens will head for their coop/safe spot too, lol. My Guineas go bonkers when there's any type of large bird flying overhead... even jets way up in the sky

That would be delightful. Hawks are really the only predator we have issues with where we are. One of the nice things about the predator killing neighbors - foxes and coyotes just don't come around the entire area anymore.

A few is 10 keets. How many would you figure would be beneficial? What's a "decent sized" flock? I consider my ~50 chickens/chicks to be 'decent sized'...but, I couldn't imagine having nearly that many Guineas!

 

[Mehjr10]

On the small ones you will need to put some deer netting or something over the top of the run if you can, the little ones fly out early and when alone they may not make it back.. When in the flock they are always watching as a group, when young and alone they are more susceptible to the hawk attacks and bird dogs, they look allot like a little quail in the woods.

I started letting mine out of the run at about 5-6 weeks with the chickens and they still come back in and roost with the chickens.


Guineas are great in the garden, they will eat the bugs and not the plants for the most part.


Good Luck