HELP! Coop for guinea fowl

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

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 roundView attachment 2272879

We have a coop with a similar design, details here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/modified-hoop-coop-design-development.1120946/

However, we are much warmer than you so I’m not sure if just a tarp would be enough protection where you are. I also don’t know if the snow would slide off or accumulate and collapse it. Currently, the guineas free range for part of the day but stay in the run for at least half of the day. I’ve used the run much more than I expected I would. We currently have a 20x40 ft run made from electric poultry net and hawk netting. This run has been rather problematic and so I’m wondering about converting to a wood and wire run.

Edited to add: I am really sorry that you lost your birds to predators recently! I get really attached and find it heart breaking to lose them.

 

[southwind00]

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!

As you stated you have some great ideas already here, "e.g. good ventilation, tall , natural lighting etc. I'm in Western New York and winter temps can be -10 to -15 easily for a few days at a time and they have no problem with it. You will have to make some arrangement to keep their water thawed. R2elk has a great natural way to do that with no electricity. Water is as important in frigid weather as food, maybe more. The general rule is 4 square feet of floor space per bird which is fine in the cold months but in the hormone season you will want them outside either free ranging or a large penned in yard. Old coop vs new coop, and yard I built this spring to house them during the worst part of spring predator season.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

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.

All excellent tips. Thank you.
Usually ours had gone in by themselves every Iggy. But they were only young.
The stick tip is also very excellent! Thank you for these!

 

[My2butterflies]

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.

Haha, I’ve had mine do the same thing to me. Some days they just won’t coop up right away till they feel ready.

Op- My guineas are completely free ranged. They have a coop, but no run. My winters are very long and cold here in mn. The last few years we would have weeks that were -20 and as low as -60(with windchill) The wind is brutal here.

It was my first year with guineas so I didn’t know what they could handle. We made them a “box” and hung a heat lamp in the middle with a door big enough for them to walk in and out. They used it most nights during the colder days. The females would lay eggs in there too.
Im thinking now that it wasn’t necessary and I’ve been told they shouldn’t be on the ground like that. It might not have been the best option or necessary, but it did work
My coop is a repurposed grain bin. So concrete floors covered in wood shavings and bare metal walls. No insulation.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

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.

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.

Yes mine were quite loud. But my hubby loved them. And loved that they were loud. He talked to them all the time.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

Haha, I’ve had mine do the same thing to me. Some days they just won’t coop up right away till they feel ready.

Op- My guineas are completely free ranged. They have a coop, but no run. My winters are very long and cold here in mn. The last few years we would have weeks that were -20 and as low as -60(with windchill) The wind is brutal here.

It was my first year with guineas so I didn’t know what they could handle. We made them a “box” and hung a heat lamp in the middle with a door big enough for them to walk in and out. They used it most nights during the colder days. The females would lay eggs in there too.
Im thinking now that it wasn’t necessary and I’ve been told they shouldn’t be on the ground like that. It might not have been the best option or necessary, but it did work
My coop is a repurposed grain bin. So concrete floors covered in wood shavings and bare metal walls. No insulation.

Thank you. That’s some good advice. Right now mine is a “camp” that is up on legs, but I am afraid the raccoons will dig holes in the floor and get back in. I think I will go with a concrete pad for the next coop.

 

[Bobbyee Johanna]

We have a coop with a similar design, details here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/modified-hoop-coop-design-development.1120946/

However, we are much warmer than you so I’m not sure if just a tarp would be enough protection where you are. I also don’t know if the snow would slide off or accumulate and collapse it. Currently, the guineas free range for part of the day but stay in the run for at least half of the day. I’ve used the run much more than I expected I would. We currently have a 20x40 ft run made from electric poultry net and hawk netting. This run has been rather problematic and so I’m wondering about converting to a wood and wire run.

Edited to add: I am really sorry that you lost your birds to predators recently! I get really attached and find it heart breaking to lose them.

Yea I’m not sure just a tarp would be suitable for my climate or predators. We get snow, then rain. So it turns to ice and would probably collapse.
what do you do for perches in the round shape?

thank you I really am heart broken.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Yea I’m not sure just a tarp would be suitable for my climate or predators. We get snow, then rain. So it turns to ice and would probably collapse.
what do you do for perches in the round shape?

thank you I really am heart broken.

The tarp is covering both heavy gauge wire and hardware cloth, so fine for predators, but provides only basic weather protection....

For the roosts, we have 2x4s spanning the width, with a 4” flat PVC board on top of that so they have a broader, flat space to perch and cover their feet with their body. This is a pic of one perch, but we have six of these in there now.

 

[yakitori]

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.

I followed this method and it worked! Now whenever they see my stick, they head straight back to the run. It didn’t take that long either... 2 weeks?

Thank you!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I followed this method and it worked! Now whenever they see my stick, they head straight back to the run. It didn’t take that long either... 2 weeks?

Thank you!

That’s awesome!!!!