How many French Guineas should I order?

[SassyKat6181]

Our local feed store is doing a chick day and are taking orders, they can get in French Guineas mid-May. We have 7 acres here.....how many should I order? I was thinking 6-8? Thanks

 

[magoochie]

That is probably a good number. I'd got with an even number myself. maybe 8, just in case one or two dont make it.

they are LOUD though, so be prepared!

I am ordering some this spring too. Good luck!

 

[SuperPeacockman]

I would get more like 15 to 20. We always lose a lot in the first two weeks of free ranging. 15 to 20 would probably be cut down to like 10 and you would continue to slowly lose some over time. Also 7 acres is a lot for 6 birds

 

[Katy]

Unless you keep them penned they won't stay on the 7 acres.......they like to roam.

 

[SassyKat6181]

I've never had Guineas before so please tell me if my thinking is all wrong......

I'm planning on brooding them in one of our extra stalls in the horse barn. I want to keep them in there until they are about 1.5-2 months old so they can know where to return at night. I'll let them out in the morning and call them in for dinner & treats at the end of the day. We have a lot of predators around here, and I will sleep better knowing they are safe. Our land is open fields. The property uphill from us is 10 acres open field abutting woods, the property behind us is 10 acres, mostly open abutting woods as well. There is only a 3 rail fence between us and the uphill neighbor and a row of thick brush with the guy behind us. We also live on a semi-busy road (commute times) and have lost a lot of barn cats over the years. Will the guineas venture out towards the road. The area of the barn where there coop will be is at least 500 feet from the road.

Thanks for any and all advice. The order deadline is April 4th, so I am trying to make sure we are doing this right.

 

[Katy]

Mine roam almost 1/2 mile from home at times.....yes they'll go on the road....and to visit all your neighbors. I don't mind the noise, but some people find it very annoying

Mine were raised in a coop, but don't return to it and roost in the trees year round.

 

[PeepsCA]

Sassy, you do know that French Guineas do not reproduce naturally right? They have to be artificially inseminated in order for the Hens to lay fertile eggs. So what you start with, and what's left over after the predators take their share is all you will have, unless you buy more. In my opinion, introducing new birds to an existing flock is even more of a hassle than starting an original one, just food for thought... you might want to start off with at least a half a dozen more than you think you eventually want free ranging your land.

Your brooding plan in the horse stall is a good one, altho if it were me, I'd keep them in until they are 12 weeks old tho (6-8 weeks is too young, they are still babies and should be eating grower feed at that point). When you do start letting them out to free range I'd start with just short periods in the evenings at first, being sure to consistently call them/herd them back in before dark (before they fly up into the trees) in hopes of establishing a nightly routine of going in at night. I've found with my own young flocks, that taking their food away around noon before letting them out later in the afternoons/early evenings helps bring them back in too, besides offering them treats.

Best of luck!

 

[SassyKat6181]

Quote:
Thanks for the good advice! I am new to this, and know nothing about Guineas except that they eat ticks. I am ok with them not reproducing naturally, I just thought that getting the larger ones would make them less prone to becoming somethings dinner. Are there advantages, other than reproduction, with the normal sized Guineas?

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
That they do... (eat ticks). 2 dozen free rangers running loose on 10 acres COMPLETELY took care of my tick problem in 2 seasons. I went from picking hundreds of ticks off my 5 horses every month, to maybe 6 ticks a year total, off of all my animals combined!

Advantages to regular sized Guineas vs French: they are a few dollars cheaper, they consume less food, they need a little less space per bird in the coop/brooder situation, they are available in more colors, and you can collect and incubate their eggs and raise the keets to replenish your flock if you need to (or you can TRY to let them brood on their own).

I have never owned or bred French or Jumbos Guineas, but I don't think (most) predators are choosy about size (a free meal is a free meal), so I'm sure they are just as vulnerable to predators as the standard Guineas are, just more of a financial ouch every time you lose one to a predator. Maybe others will have more input.