I have guineas and chickens together and am having problems-need help

[Dayne]

Hey and thanks in advance for any help you offer. We have our first chickens, barred rock and partridge rocks and 6 guineas. I am starting to get concerned about having guineas and chickens and am wondering if it was a bad idea to have both. The problems I have seen so far that I think may be due to having the guineas is that the guineas seem to be leading the chickens astray. A couple of time the whole flock has wondered way into the woods and i am wondering if this is due to the guineas leading the way. The latest problem that really concerns me is that for the first time the guineas all decided to get up on top of the pen to stay the night there. They have all been let out to free range for about a week and this is the first time this has happened as far as the top of the pen deal. Previously they have all been in the coop by sunset. Along with the guineas 2 roosters and a hen are up on the pen with the guineas. I guess my question is are the guineas leading the chickens astray. I got the guineas to have around for fun and bug control but am mostly interested in the fresh eggs I hope to get from my hens and will let the guineas go if they are going to be a problem with my chickens. I also noticed today for the first time they were getting after one of my hens as a group. I have no experience personally except the last 3 months with these birds and so far its all been great until now. I need help and look forward and thank you for any you can offer on this.

Thanks,
Dayne

 

[darkmatter]

Sounds normal to me. When I first tried Guineas, they didn't integrate with the Chickens very well. I've since raised keets and chicks together and they've integrated well. Yes a integrated flock of Chickens and Guineas will have each duplicating the traits of the other. I've had the chicks raised with the Guineas follow them over the run fence to go on bug patrol until they got to big to fly over, then looked really forlorn looking through the fence at their "buddys" outside. I've also had Guineas and Chickens preferring to roost in the trees-----that doesn't last any longer then it takes for a predator (most likely Owls) to find and eliminate them, only the ones learning to roost in the Coop at night survive til spring.

 

[Eagles_View]

I have equal parts guineas and hens (12 of each and 2 roos)....

The first thing I noticed is the guineas follow around a barred rock hen...poor thing, you can see her anywhere and right behind her
is the guinea flock....LOL...and yes the guineas do lead the hens up the hillside, mine freerange...but they did before the guineas came to live with us...I got mine at 3 months old....kept them confined within the chicken house part of the garage for 3 weeks before I turned them loose...I just thought they had problems thinking they guineas and not chickens...LOL

Mine all roost in the hen house...some guineas with the hens, some on top of it (it's inside a garage)...

I've seen my guineas run off a fox just last week...and as soon as anything alerts the guineas they sound the alarm and all
the chickens will start for the garage....

I've also seen a few of the guineas peck the back of a hen during first light feeding time....but they give up and let the hens eat.

My big roo even runs from them.......coward!

However, their antics, their personalitys and bug eating out does anything else...after this flock, you can bet I'll start up another one
this spring.

-Eagles View