Hello from Kansas - guineas and chickens

[goatee]

Hi all, joined to get more info, share some pictures etc. I live in north central kansas on a 1.5ish old farmhouse acreage. . I bought some guineas last year to give my kids more chores along with some goats. We started getting eggs about a month ago and we were really excited! I started with 15, sold seven once they were old enough and kept 8 through the winter. I kept them in an old shed and added an outdoor section onto the side and covered it with plastic for the winter. Here in the past few weeks I've been letting them out during the day around 6 and letting them play until dark. For the most part they have wandered back to the house when time to roost for the night but a couple times I had to go find them. Something did finally get in the pen one night and got one and chased two away or they were carried off. So I have 5 left. As far as i can tell by their calls I believe I have 3 females and 2 males. The eggs they have been laying are fertilized. They were laying two or three in the coop a lot of times but here lately they haven't laid as many. I found out today that they have been laying them out in our windrow, i found around 24 in a clutch. lol. It will be interesting to see if any hatch though I doubt they will. I am going to make a separate post about this part.
Anyway, hello from kansas!
Scott

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Sounds like you are really enjoying your guinea flock! I don't keep them but they do seem like interesting birds. Good luck with the clutch of eggs under your window! That would be fun to watch in a natural setting. Be sure to share your guineas with our other guinea members here in this part of the forums....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/45/guinea-fowl

Welcome to our flock and enjoy all your poultry adventures!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[goatee]

Welcome to BYC!

Sounds like you are really enjoying your guinea flock! I don't keep them but they do seem like interesting birds. Good luck with the clutch of eggs under your window! That would be fun to watch in a natural setting. Be sure to share your guineas with our other guinea members here in this part of the forums....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/45/guinea-fowl

Welcome to our flock and enjoy all your poultry adventures!

Thanks two crows, I did post in the guinea fowl section but on another persons post about their clutch of eggs. I gathered up a couple and I'm going to keep the birds shut in for a couple days to collect 8 new eggs then incubate.
I forgot to mention that I have 5 Barred Plymouth rock chickens and 20 delaware chickens. Coop building and additions are in the works!

 

[goatee]

Thanks everyone so far!

I forgot to mention the chickens! I have 5 barred plymouth rock chicks and 20 delware chicks on the way. It'll be a funy/busy spring!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Guineas are quite independent compared to chickens, and often roam much more, as well as readily roost in the trees. They also tend to hide large nests - my neighbors Guineas used to come over and have huge clutches in the woods around my house. They are bug-eating machines, and were always welcome here - eventually the predators picked them off.

 

[gander007]

 

[goatee]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Guineas are quite independent compared to chickens, and often roam much more, as well as readily roost in the trees. They also tend to hide large nests - my neighbors Guineas used to come over and have huge clutches in the woods around my house. They are bug-eating machines, and were always welcome here - eventually the predators picked them off.

Thanks! I'm not sure how much 5 of them will eat but I hope a bunch since the next ones won't be ready for quite awhile. They have quite a bit more personality than I was expecting too!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Good luck with your guineas and chickens, sounds like you will have a busy year!