Hen to Roo?

[jackson41]

If I have Guineas free ranging during the day but cooped at night how many hens should I have compared to roos?

 

[PeepsCA]

I have 14 Hens and 7 males in my main breeding flocks (they free range during the day after the eggs are laid, then go back in the pen each night). Seems to be working well, not too much agression in the pen, and I've been collecting their eggs since January.

My 2nd breeding flock consists of 10 hens and 4 males... they are a little younger and have not started laying yet... I've recently been experiencing one young male in that flock that is full of himself, picking on everyone (both sexes), so he's getting a time out in a cage... he's not happy about it, but things have mellowed out.

I also have a full-time free range flock that consists of 4 Hens and 10 males... there's lots of chasing, but not much aggression other than that, since the 4 Hens have already chosen their mates. I've been getting eggs from the 4 Hens since January too.

Each flock has it's own dynamics, but each are working out... so it's hard for me to say what the magic number is

Hopefully others have better input on this!

 

[jackson41]

Can you have only hens?

 

[PeepsCA]

Sure, I don't see why not. Never tried it myself tho. I am aiming for an all male full-time free range flock for my horse pasture (I'll catch and sell the Hens eventually)... I'll still have effective watchdogs, tick and snake patrol but no more hunting down eggs and broody Hens

Keep in mind that an all Hen flock will still lay eggs... either in their coop or off in the bushes somewhere. The Hen won't put 2 and 2 together and figure out the eggs aren't fertile, and neither will the predator that nabs her and the eggs while the Hen is trying to hatch them!

 

[jackson41]

So it would be better to have all males? I am hoping to have them for tick patrol in a very wooded area. We have fisher, wolves, weasels, black bear and coyotes for predators will I be able to get just males back to a coop?

 

[PeepsCA]

Since you have chickens... and all male flock might be a bad idea. Apparently a lot of people that post here have issues with male Guineas and chickens.. I only raise Guineas, so I have no experience with both coexisting. (Many of my friends have males and females of both Chickens and Guineas, with minimal issues tho). I don't know if taking Guinea Hens out of the equation will make it better or worse. If you can keep the Guineas separate, then an all male flock would be more low maintenance for you if you just want tick control. I sold several all male flocks (cockerels) last year specifically for tick control. If you keep them cooped/penned for at least 4 weeks before you start letting them free range for short periods at first and consistently herd them back in before dark, (and keep working on training them to go back to the coop at night, building up to longer periods of free range time)... then yes, you should be able to get the males in every night just as easily as a mixed flock. With your predator situation, I do not suggest letting the Guineas (no matter what sex) roost in the trees, training them to come in at night is key to their survival.

 

[jackson41]

Ok, My chickens will be either cooped or in a tractor. If I have a coop just for the guineas what is the minimum number I can keep that will be happy as a group?

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
Some say 12, some say 6... personally I feel that it strongly depends on your coop/run situation and the amount of time they get to free range.