How do you Introduce Six 6-Week-Old Chickens to Two Older Guineas...

[Rocknroll8138]

Raising a mixed flock of chickens and guineas brings both excitement and challenges. We started our flock with four chickens and two guineas, thinking we’d have a peaceful barnyard crew. However, as luck would have it, all four of the chickens turned out to be roosters. While they added plenty of noise and personality, we had to rehome them for the sake of balance.

In August, we welcomed six new chickens to the family. Now, at 6 weeks old, they’re ready to make the big move from their cozy brooder to the coop, which has been home to our two guineas all along. how do we navigate this situation??

 

[Debbie292d]

Raising a mixed flock of chickens and guineas brings both excitement and challenges. We started our flock with four chickens and two guineas, thinking we’d have a peaceful barnyard crew. However, as luck would have it, all four of the chickens turned out to be roosters. While they added plenty of noise and personality, we had to rehome them for the sake of balance.

In August, we welcomed six new chickens to the family. Now, at 6 weeks old, they’re ready to make the big move from their cozy brooder to the coop, which has been home to our two guineas all along. how do we navigate this situation??

6 weeks is pretty young no matter if that was adult chickens in the coop or guineas. The way most in your situation would do was make the young ones a pen in the coop with their own food/water. That way they still get fed their starter crumbles while the guineas and they get used to each other. It's called the "see and not touch" method. You'll possibly have to do this for a month or two so make it big.

For us, it's not until they are around 4-5 months that we can move them in to the coop. We made temp coops for them in the meantime, and they free-range by day so they run into each other beforehand.

 

[FrostRanger]

I would honestly reconsider housing them together tbh, guineas can be outright mean to chickens of any age. I normally go for early integration with chicks, but in this case I wouldn't let them mix until the chicks are full sized if I let them mix at all

 

[JennyG0123]

I was alway told not to mix guineas and chickens because the guineas will kill them. That even mixing chickens and ducks can sometimes be a toss up. However, if I was going to I would use the “seen and not touch” method at first until there a little older the pullets. If there a little older they will have a better chance of sticking up fending for themselves.