I finally let my 3 Guineas out yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Standard Hen]

Well,yesterday was just beautiful yesterday and I was home for the day so I said to myself why not, it is now or never. I let 2 out and kept the 3rd in the pen like was suggested to me on this board. After two hours of them screaming back and forth and watching to two that were out I decided to let the penned one join them. They went no where except around the backyard, in the horse paddocks and that was it. They were back in their pen by suppertime!!!!! It was so easy I can't beleive it. I let them out this morning and it is the same thing. All my chickens are out there to free ranging so it is not like they are alone and their pen ajoins the chickens so they are already friends. This was to easy to be true but I had to pass along my finally letting the Gueineas out to free range after 8 weeks of lockdown. To easy!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HobbyChickener]

Of the 7 close by neighbors that are in my area 3 have chickens. One used to have a set (4) of guineas. They were theo only birds that would wonder over the whole area making all kinds of noise. I know several of the other chicken less neighbors raised cain from having to have to listen to them. Not sure where they went but I haven't seen the guineas in about 3 months. They aren't into my garden, making my dogs bark, nor do I have to listen to them, so I'm not to sad they aren't around or are at least kept home. I truely thing they have just fenced them in as opposed to something extreme.

 

[ozark hen]

Bravo Standard Hen!!

Good for you!! I have some keets that are a long way from releasing yet and hope I am as lucky as you were when the time comes to release them. Luckily, we live in the middle of 82 acres so we won't bother the neighbors. If more people realized how many ticks and other "bad" insects these birds remove there would be more of them.

 

[farmertank]

Great news

I love mine, and they are great for eating pesky insects and insect eggs. I haven't had a snake around, and they always tell me when something new enters the yard.

I hope you enjoy them.
Julie

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Great !!!!

I'm glad you took the extra time to let them figure out where home is. They may start roosting in the trees, instead of going back to the pen as they get older. They are very hardy birds.
When they roost, look at them, I bet they face different directions on the roost. This is a natural precaution against predators. It's hard to sneak up on a guinea even at night.

We have only lost ours to predators while they were setting on a clutch of eggs (in a hidden nest) so we couldn't find them.

Don't you just love the sounds they make?

Jean

 

[Standard Hen]

I have not seen them go up in a tree yet and have been waiting because from what I have heard that seems to be a good part of what they do. I live in the woods so it is not like there is a lack of them. They are still returning to the pen everyday way before dusk. And remember these Guineas were a year old in June, I got them from a woman who wanted to rehome them as the male was picking on her banty rooster. She originally had found them a home about a mile down the road from her place and they were back in two days. I am way to far from her and they definately do not look like they are going anywhere. That is why I was so afraid to let them out as I really thought they would disappear.

My daughter and I were watching them this weekend and neither one of us can figure out how the females call sounds like the word "Buckwheat". To me it sounds like a rusty handle on a well pump!

 

[ozark hen]

standard hen, you have been so fortunate on these guineas of yours and I pray it stays that way, which by this time, I am sure it will. I envy you. Listen for a two syllable sound coming from the hens and only one syllable from the males. They can be distinquished that way. I, too, have trouble hearing the "word" buckwheat. ha ha I can hear a "buck" not the wheat sound. ha ha I don't know what you would call the second sound the hen makes. You are doing a great job with them.

 

[okiechick57]

How fun for them.......I finally let mine out after about 3 weeks lockup.........love to hear them around...... and they fly..........freaked my dog out the frist time....... but they are still coming back at night albiet a tad late ! I love watching them everyevenig.talk bout bug eaters !

 

[Standard Hen]

I really like them and just love the fact that they are staying close. I too hope it last but I think if they are going to scatter it would have already happened. They are something to watch, very different from chickens. I have seen pictures of the other colors which are really pretty. I have the Lavenders which seem to be the most popular color around here anyway. I am happy I took them off that womans hands and they have a nice little farm home here.

 

[dreamgirl]

Congrats, always exciting. FYi--I know with my chickens, their first few days out they stayed close, and as time is passing and they get comfortable with their surroundings, they venture further and further.