Keeping Guineas away from the Chickens

[perchie.girl]

OMG..... I would never have thought of that..... I guess they are in a coop and run all the time?

deb

I use Peepers on my guineas. That has curbed the majority of their chasing, feather pulling, and bullying of the chickens. They will occasionally act out a bit, but for the most part it puts a damper on it.


On another note in regard to guinea bullies... Baby guineas can be brutal to other species if you try to brood them together too...the guineas like to peck the beaks of other birds, usually right below their nostrils and will peck them totally raw if you don't watch.

 

[chseeads]

They roost in the coop with the chickens, but they're all out in either a large pasture area if not free ranging during the day. Even without being in confinement the guineas liked chasing chickens and pulling their feathers.

 

[perchie.girl]

I was thinking of them free ranging with the specs on. Are they more of a target by predators?

deb

They roost in the coop with the chickens, but they're all out in either a large pasture area if not free ranging during the day. Even without being in confinement the guineas liked chasing chickens and pulling their feathers.

 

[chseeads]

I don't think it hampers them too much in that regard since it's just directly in front of them that's limited. I lost one to a hawk recently, but I also lost things from 3 other species to a hawk over the last couple of months that were not wearing peepers, so I think that was just luck of the draw and being in the wrong place at the wrong time more than not being able to see.

 

[perchie.girl]

Very very interesting..... I haven't started free ranging yet. I only have guineas now.... but I do have one bully.... Gawd i cant imagine catching him.... LOL.

I don't think it hampers them too much in that regard since it's just directly in front of them that's limited. I lost one to a hawk recently, but I also lost things from 3 other species to a hawk over the last couple of months that were not wearing peepers, so I think that was just luck of the draw and being in the wrong place at the wrong time more than not being able to see.

 

[PeepsCA]

I've never used any peepers on any of my poultry before... seems like it would reduce the Guineas' ability to be as effective at tick/seed/seed foraging. Might be useful for dealing with breeding season aggression tho.... I might have to try that on my penned breeding flocks, or just put them on the more aggressive males in those 2 flocks.

As far as beak pecking goes... cannibalism, and can be caused by over crowding and/or lack of protein in their diet. I've raised somewhere around 1500 Keets, never had any cannibalism issues... sometimes my brooders were a bit crowded, but they were always fed a high protein (27-28%) starter feed. I've never raised my keets with chicks, but I have successfully raised them with both turkey poults and Peachicks with no issues what so ever

 

[gmendoza]

I'm selling off our 3 guinea hens this weekend.They are getting too aggressive to my roos and they are not in the 2012 fowl plan at the funny farm.

 

[Triplell]

I have seperated all the guinea's and they are now with the ducks. The ducks put them in there place. I have noticed 2 very aggressive males and they will become dinner when my husband comes home. The others I will try this summer and give them another chance at life. If it don't change then they two will become food. I don't condone breeding or giving someone else aggressive animals. They went from a pen of 17 bird in a 14wX89L to 14w X 143L with 6 giuneas and 3 ducks. These 2 aggressive birds haven't changed one bit. I will never kill an animal if it can be saved or rehibilitated but they have gone to far in my book. When they have killed my chickens that's just too far for us.

 

[Triplell]

Well I had to do it!!!! The Guineas went after my chickens and my ducks today. I had to go find my ducks in the swamp and I had chickens scattered everywhere! I am now short 3 males. I am gonna keep 1 male and 2 females and see how it goes. If it happens again they will be gone too.

 

[chookmama]

Surprised by this thread and the common experience of guineas bullying chickens.

Last fall I got a mixed flock of 50 Buff Orpington and Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks, and when they were 4 weeks I got a flock of 50 French Guineas. Both went outside at the same time - the chicks were 6 weeks, the guineas were 2 weeks. They had adjoining straw bale shelters/pens. I tried to let them free range on alternate days, just because I didn't want the hassle of sorting them out when they decided to go into the wrong coop (frequently) but sometimes they let themselves out....

The chickens dominated the guineas. Chickens went into the guinea pen and ate their food, hung out. If a guinea went into the chicken pen, the Wyandottes hunted them down and bullied them. Lots of chasing, attacks and feather pulling. Orps weren't much interested.

At 13 weeks the guineas said good bye and went to Freezer Camp - (along w/ the roosters) - they weighed in right at 3 pounds and were incredibly yummy. After that experience I'd raise guineas over chickens for the freezer any day.