HELP! Coop for guinea fowl

[Bobbyee Johanna]

I currently have a pen for my guinea fowl inside of an old 15x15 shed in my yard. Last night a racoon opened the window, got into the shed, then bent the top wire on the pen and killed 3/4 of my Guineas.

I’m looking for a new coop idea that will help with letting the new Guineas free range, but also have a run for days I won’t be home/predators around. I am thinking that having an outside run will also help with getting them used to being outside but know where home is

Also any ideas on how to winterize it as I live in Nova Scotia and our winters are very cold and very humid. Lots of snow, then rain, then cold snaps.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[R2elk]

I currently have a pen for my guinea fowl inside of an old 15x15 shed in my yard. Last night a racoon opened the window, got into the shed, then bent the top wire on the pen and killed 3/4 of my Guineas.

I’m looking for a new coop idea that will help with letting the new Guineas free range, but also have a run for days I won’t be home/predators around. I am thinking that having an outside run will also help with getting them used to being outside but know where home is

Also any ideas on how to winterize it as I live in Nova Scotia and our winters are very cold and very humid. Lots of snow, then rain, then cold snaps.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Good ventilation is critical in humid, wet climates. Guineas are tough and have no problem here in Wyoming where it normally gets to -30°F in the winter.

I have a huge skylight in my coop which the guineas really enjoy on sunny, cold days.

My Guinea Coop

 

[CapricornFarm]

I built a hoop coop for mine. It's great for guineas because it's 10 feet tall. Details of the build in the Thread, Helpful Hints for building coops. I have birds in it year round

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

These are great suggestions. Thank you!

Do either of you let you Guineas free range? Or do you keep them in the fenced in run?
I don’t have a very large property, but lots of open fields beside me for them. But I am so angry about predators that I now worry to let them out.

 

[R2elk]

These are great suggestions. Thank you!

Do either of you let you Guineas free range? Or do you keep them in the fenced in run?
I don’t have a very large property, but lots of open fields beside me for them. But I am so angry about predators that I now worry to let them out.

I mostly keep mine in the fenced area which happens to be at least a 1/2 acre.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

Are their wings clipped? I’m not sure I could keep them in my yard if it was all fenced in.

 

[R2elk]

Are their wings clipped? I’m not sure I could keep them in my yard if it was all fenced in.

No wings clipped here. They do sometimes fly over the fence (during breeding season squabbles) but I have trained them to be herded and it is easy for me to put them back in. Some of them have gone through this process so many times that I can hold the door open for them and they will go right back in.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

No wings clipped here. They do sometimes fly over the fence (during breeding season squabbles) but I have trained them to be herded and it is easy for me to put them back in. Some of them have gone through this process so many times that I can hold the door open for them and they will go right back in.

do you have a post about how you’ve trained them? I would LOVE to just be able to open the door and have them go back in their home.

 

[R2elk]

With guineas, it is all about repetition. Always respond the same way every time. Never give in and let them have their way.

My coop is set so that it is part of the boundary fence. Having the fence where it is aids by preventing the guineas from going in a different direction.

When I first started herding them, I used a long stick in each hand to extend my reach. You have to go slow and never get too close to them. You do not want them to panic. You want them to react calmly and go in the direction you are herding them.

I also herded them in to the coop at different times of the day to get them used to the idea that they needed to do what I wanted them to do whenever I wanted them to do it.

Mine are now to the point that I use one stick and tap it on the ground to get them to go in.

Mine can also be turds about it. There are times when they are already in the coop with one lookout. As soon as the lookout spots me they all run back out of the coop so that I have to herd them in again to shut them in for the night.

 

[CapricornFarm]

These are great suggestions. Thank you!

Do either of you let you Guineas free range? Or do you keep them in the fenced in run?
I don’t have a very large property, but lots of open fields beside me for them. But I am so angry about predators that I now worry to let them out.

I used to let mine free range, but I had to keep them in the new coop for a solid month so they wouldn't go back to the other coop I had them in. Hubby got tired of listening to them, so I sold mine.