Info on Guinea hens

[cindyloowhoo]

Hi everyone,

I'm told Guinea's help protect chickens. I currently I have 3 wk old chicks and would be looking to add a Guinea hen. Are these raised the same as chickens? They don't produce edible eggs do they? I assume I'd introduce a Guinea chick (and raise it the same) as the chickens or do they require anything extra.

 

[R2elk]

Hi everyone,

I'm told Guinea's help protect chickens. I currently I have 3 wk old chicks and would be looking to add a Guinea hen. Are these raised the same as chickens? They don't produce edible eggs do they? I assume I'd introduce a Guinea chick (and raise it the same) as the chickens or do they require anything extra.

Read Raising Guinea Fowl 101 and pay particular attention to posts made by @PeepsCA .

Guinea fowl do not protect chickens and often have a hard time protecting themselves. If raised with chicks the guineas imprint and lose the ability to know that chickens are not the same as they are. Everything can seem to be going great right up until the first breeding season when the instinctive behaviors of the guineas really kick in. At that time they can cause extreme stress to chickens or other poultry that they have been raised with.

Guineas are a flock bird and I never recommend having a flock of fewer than 10 guineas. Having enough guineas allows them to use their instinctive behaviors on each other (at least they understand it) instead of on other poultry that do not understand their behavior.

Guinea keets have an very high metabolic rate and need a high protein feed that has increased levels of lysine, methionine and niacin. I feed my keets a 28% protein turkey or gamebird starter.

I do not know of any type of bird whose fresh eggs are not edible. Many people prefer guinea eggs to chicken eggs. Two guinea eggs are the equivalent of one large chicken egg. Guineas are seasonal layers. My guineas normally begin laying mid March and finish up in October.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Guineas and chickens both have feathers and lay eggs. In my limited experience that is where the similarities end. Guineas are crazy animals. The only “protection” they add to my flock is their warning yell. They will scream if another strange animal approaches, like a fox or hawk, but they are usually too busy looking for food to be the first to notice the danger. They will also scream if a dead leaf falls out of a tree and surprises them. I feel having a single guinea is a terrible idea.

As @R2elk has stated, they are a flock animal. What he doesn’t explain is they are a flock animal in need of their own kind. They do not want to flock with other species of birds. Mine coexist with my chickens but only grudgingly. While they really aren’t “terrorists” here, they are definitely at the top of the pecking order. They are VERY dominant over the other birds. Our alpha rooster is at least twice their size, but has learned not to try to boss them around.

Supposedly guineas will protect your property from snakes but you have to have several of then before they will get brave enough to attack one. Mine will show interest in snakes but have never tried to kill one. Mainly I realize a snake is in the yard because they are standing still staring at it.

One guinea hen is not going to protect your little chicks. Their eggs are delicious but they only lay a couple times a year, at least around here. Trying to raise guineas and chickens together is a challenge to say the least.