housing Guinneas with chickens?

[stormylady]

Well can ya? and also if you can , do you need more than one so they will have a buddy? Thanks Sandy

 

[Marlinchaser]

Yes you can, I have mine all together. If they are raised with anything, they will bond, and be buddys with them. I have 3 coops, and most guineas are in one coop with a lot of chickens, but I have two oddballs, one was raised with chickens by itself, and one was raised by a turkey hen, both of those still roost in the little coop, and turkey coop, and want nothing to do with the main flock of guineas. ( I dont think they know they are guineas.)

 

[Preservation Acres]

Do Guineas prefer to roost in trees or are they happier in coops? I've heard both.

Thanks!

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I hatch out keets and chicks together and raise them together in the same coop, I currently have twenty guineas and forty chickens sharing----well, other then the guineas hog the top bars of the roost. The chickens stay in the run and the guineas fly out for bug patrol during the summer, See my BYC page.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
I hatch out keets and chicks together and raise them together in the same coop, I currently have twenty guineas and forty chickens sharing----well, other then the guineas hog the top bars of the roost. The chickens stay in the run and the guineas fly out for bug patrol during the summer, See my BYC page.

Just checked out your page. Awesome setup!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I had to get rid of my Guineas because they were beating the "whey" out of my roos.

 

[anjbagley]

I had to get rid of my Guineas because they were beating the "whey" out of my roos

Did you raise the roos and quineas together? I have heard some people say they get along fine and some say they are very hard on the roos so I'm wondering what makes the difference?!? If they are all hatched and raised together will there still be war?​

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I have 32 Guinea Fowl. Some i raised from keets, others I integrated as young birds.

I have more chickens than Guineas.

They ALL get along just fine. They eat, drink, sleep and play in harmony.

Oh, sometimes there is that butt feather pull on either side. Normally they just ignore each other.

 

[redsix]

Guineas like to roost up high. If there is a tree that is higher than their coop nearby, they may go for it.

 

[Foxs Fowl Farm]

I have 9 guineas. 5 males and 4 females. All a year old. All hatched on my farm. All of my birds are uncooped during the day. Guineas want no part of a coop. A block wall and a tree are just fine for roosting at night, as they told me so...or showed me so.

Seems breeding season has brought on more of the chaos towards the other male birds I have. Especially cockerels and roosters. I had to move my blue Salmon Faverolles rooster Marvin, my avatar, because they were ruthless to him. He is 5 and was staying clear of them though they still sought him out. He is in the front of the property and this seems to be to the guineas liking...though some have made their way to nest out front as well. No one is picking on him.
IMO, I think it is whomever is in the way at the time or the easy target to get out their testosterone aggressiveness. LOL Marvin's breed is just way to docile for guinea bullying. I have another rooster, a Coronation Sussex they like to go after lately. Probably since I moved Marvin. Prior to the breeding taking place within my flock, the guineas would chase off any breeding action going on where a female duck or hen was making noise. That annoyed them I guess. Like they were protecting the other breeds of females.

I researched for my own flocks sanity and appears it is during the breeding cycle that it is worst. So far, no one has been injured fatally. Bloody combs and some missing feathers. I also see the male guineas chasing each other mercilessly while the female guineas are grazing and apparently clueless this is going on around them. Kind of comical. I read, introducing more guineas is a way to reduce this. LOL, only if I have more females to go with the males will this happen.... I will be rehoming/selling at least 2 maybe 3 of my males to a guy ordering 20 keets from me, as soon as the breeding season is over. They have paired up and fertility is 100%. I am selling eggs for incubation as well as filling orders for locals that are interested in incorporating these into their flocks.

I understood that this could/would happen when I brought them onto our farm. It dies down eventually. I can't imagine if birds remained cooped up all day...how that would end. I would expect it to go in the guineas favor. I am all for as natural of a life I can give them. I wouldn't risk the life of one of my dear roosters. The guineas would be out of the coop.