Laying Season and Flock Management

[Bicoastal]

I just lost another hen to a ground predator in the middle of the day with human activity around. I may need to rethink my guinea strategy. I purchased nine in March. After we lost two, they split into two groups, with one group staying in/around the coop and the other circulating around the house and barn. That latter group gets picked off, making it now a trio. I don’t think they’ll last in such small numbers.

I think a better strategy for survival and tick control (see other thread for my tick infestation horror) is to launch a mob of them in the spring. When does the laying season end? How late could I reliably purchase keets? Would it be perfect if I could get keets in Jan so they are feathered and outside come April? Or is it too cold and hard to keep them alive in deep winter? I’m in VA and have the brooder outside in the coop.

Getting 20 keets in August or September, well, … they’ll be old enough to go out in the Fall. That seems kinda pointless to have a lot of birds grown and ready to free range just in time for Winter.

What do you think of that timing? I wish I could start over. I didn't bring guineas here to slowly and surely feed wildlife.

 

[My2butterflies]

If I were you I’d get them this summer and have them ready to tackle your ticks in the spring. If you wait till spring to get keets you won’t have much tick control for this year and next. Better to raise them into the fall and winter them over so your army is ready before ticks get bad.
Plus guineas are seasonal layers, so no one will have keets in January.

 

[Bicoastal]

If I were you I’d get them this summer and have them ready to tackle your ticks in the spring. If you wait till spring to get keets you won’t have much tick control for this year and next. Better to raise them into the fall and winter them over so your army is ready before ticks get bad.
Plus guineas are seasonal layers, so no one will have keets in January.

Thank you for the advice, @My2butterflies . I’m feeling low -and like I’m not upholding my responsibility- about the losses. The three just came by on their usual rounds as I work on the porch. No way can they make it as just three.

Meanwhile, there’s only three foraging. The hay just got cut and the ticks are insane.

 

[My2butterflies]

Thank you for the advice, @My2butterflies . I’m feeling low -and like I’m not upholding my responsibility- about the losses. The three just came by on their usual rounds as I work on the porch. No way can they make it as just three.

Meanwhile, there’s only three foraging. The hay just got cut and the ticks are insane.View attachment 2722231View attachment 2722236View attachment 2722239

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Losses are going to happen when free ranging. It’s never easy to lose a bird(I always take it hard too).
You do have a really bad tick problem I can’t say I’ve ever seen so many little ones like that.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I just lost another hen to a ground predator in the middle of the day with human activity around. I may need to rethink my guinea strategy. I purchased nine in March. After we lost two, they split into two groups, with one group staying in/around the coop and the other circulating around the house and barn. That latter group gets picked off, making it now a trio. I don’t think they’ll last in such small numbers.

I think a better strategy for survival and tick control (see other thread for my tick infestation horror) is to launch a mob of them in the spring. When does the laying season end? How late could I reliably purchase keets? Would it be perfect if I could get keets in Jan so they are feathered and outside come April? Or is it too cold and hard to keep them alive in deep winter? I’m in VA and have the brooder outside in the coop.

Getting 20 keets in August or September, well, … they’ll be old enough to go out in the Fall. That seems kinda pointless to have a lot of birds grown and ready to free range just in time for Winter.

What do you think of that timing? I wish I could start over. I didn't bring guineas here to slowly and surely feed wildlife.

I’m sorry to hear that! What predators are so bold to pick them off while it’s daytime and you are around? When I have a functional run (which I don’t right now but I’m currently working on), I lock up birds for 1-2 weeks after a loss. That encourages the predator to move on… I don’t want to jinx myself, but I think mine are doing reasonably well predator wise because: 1) There are older birds that have learned a lot in three years here, 2) they get locked up after an attack, 3) we’ve cleared some of the densest brush that predators used for stalking cover.

As for ticks, ours are finally getting our spring tick boom back under control. I wish they could catch deer flies…

 

[southwind00]

I just lost another hen to a ground predator in the middle of the day with human activity around. I may need to rethink my guinea strategy. I purchased nine in March. After we lost two, they split into two groups, with one group staying in/around the coop and the other circulating around the house and barn. That latter group gets picked off, making it now a trio. I don’t think they’ll last in such small numbers.

I think a better strategy for survival and tick control (see other thread for my tick infestation horror) is to launch a mob of them in the spring. When does the laying season end? How late could I reliably purchase keets? Would it be perfect if I could get keets in Jan so they are feathered and outside come April? Or is it too cold and hard to keep them alive in deep winter? I’m in VA and have the brooder outside in the coop.

Getting 20 keets in August or September, well, … they’ll be old enough to go out in the Fall. That seems kinda pointless to have a lot of birds grown and ready to free range just in time for Winter.

What do you think of that timing? I wish I could start over. I didn't bring guineas here to slowly and surely feed wildlife.

I feel your loss Bicoastal, esp since it was a midday with people around. I posted this pic before of a midday loss I encountered

, and as you can see by the time it was lunch time , I had just gone inside to make some when I heard the commotion. I was lucky enough to have had a trail cam to capture the “hit”. After getting over being devastated I decided status quo was not working. The fox had come from right behind my coups so I figured I better start getting defensive and that included adding some offense to my defense. First of all I put up lattice work right behind the coups( started with plastic fence but the rabbits chewed right threw it and a year ago lattice didn't cost an arm and a leg).

I had a trail camera right behind the coups

but I added some more around the property. And that is where I decided that my fifty acres was not where I wanted the guineas to be but the 1+ acres around my house where people, kidlings and pets play. And I started buying fence, 2 foot chicken wire at Loweshttps://www.lowes.com/pd/YARDGARD-Poultry-Netting-2-Ft-x-50-Ft-2-In-Mesh/1002879466 to not only keep my guineas in but also as a deterrent to predators. If they are going to come, they are going to have to flank the fence and carry their bounty back around tht fence. It has been a year and I have 500 feet of fence out

and in a couple places I used silt fence I also got at Lowes( @mixed flock gave me that idea.). Yes, it is some work and $$ but I am into these guineas for the long haul and as I keep adding fence the more protected the yard is. You will have to decide just how much property you really want your guineas to cover. You said in a previous thread you had 19 acres, tht is a tall task for any size flock of guineas.
Getting guineas every year is what some people do, but the best bug eaters are the older birds who have learned their way and know where to go. Again, this is what I did because I felt the way things were going was not working and believe me cutting lanes through my spruce woods is not easy but boy its working and every time I get the chance I put up another fifty feet. I will never be able to do it all and yes the guineas range some where I can't do it( lost one this year) but I have not had one deaths(knock on wood) in my yard since I started. I also have a Havahart trap

out where I have caught two young foxes(I showed them the same mercy that their parents showed my guineas) which is a drop in the bucket but still two less to contend with. Again , good luck, it's a process these darn guineas.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I feel your loss Bicoastal, esp since it was a midday with people around. I posted this pic before of a midday loss I encountered View attachment 2723754, and as you can see by the time it was lunch time , I had just gone inside to make some when I heard the commotion. I was lucky enough to have had a trail cam to capture the “hit”. After getting over being devastated I decided status quo was not working. The fox had come from right behind my coups so I figured I better start getting defensive and that included adding some offense to my defense. First of all I put up lattice work right behind the coups( started with plastic fence but the rabbits chewed right threw it and a year ago lattice didn't cost an arm and a leg).View attachment 2723758 I had a trail camera right behind the coupsView attachment 2723760 but I added some more around the property. And that is where I decided that my fifty acres was not where I wanted the guineas to be but the 1+ acres around my house where people, kidlings and pets play. And I started buying fence, 2 foot chicken wire at Loweshttps://www.lowes.com/pd/YARDGARD-Poultry-Netting-2-Ft-x-50-Ft-2-In-Mesh/1002879466 to not only keep my guineas in but also as a deterrent to predators. If they are going to come, they are going to have to flank the fence and carry their bounty back around tht fence. It has been a year and I have 500 feet of fence outView attachment 2723765 and in a couple places I used silt fence I also got at Lowes( @mixed flock gave me that idea.). Yes, it is some work and $$ but I am into these guineas for the long haul and as I keep adding fence the more protected the yard is. You will have to decide just how much property you really want your guineas to cover. You said in a previous thread you had 19 acres, tht is a tall task for any size flock of guineas.
Getting guineas every year is what some people do, but the best bug eaters are the older birds who have learned their way and know where to go. Again, this is what I did because I felt the way things were going was not working and believe me cutting lanes through my spruce woods is not easy but boy its working and every time I get the chance I put up another fifty feet. I will never be able to do it all and yes the guineas range some where I can't do it( lost one this year) but I have not had one deaths(knock on wood) in my yard since I started. I also have a Havahart trap View attachment 2723773out where I have caught two young foxes(I showed them the same mercy that their parents showed my guineas) which is a drop in the bucket but still two less to contend with. Again , good luck, it's a process these darn guineas.

Wow, I like your fence! I’d love to get field fence up around our ten acres!

 

[southwind00]

Wow, I like your fence! I’d love to get field fence up around our ten acres!

Thanks, If all your fencing went up very straight with no deviations which I have a bunch of, it would only take 50 some rolls @ 50 feet per roll.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks, If all your fencing went up very straight with no deviations which I have a bunch of, it would only take 50 some rolls @ 50 feet per roll.

It sounds like a heck of a project!!!!

 

[Sydney65]

Thank you for the advice, @My2butterflies . I’m feeling low -and like I’m not upholding my responsibility- about the losses. The three just came by on their usual rounds as I work on the porch. No way can they make it as just three.

Meanwhile, there’s only three foraging. The hay just got cut and the ticks are insane.View attachment 2722231View attachment 2722236View attachment 2722239

It's human nature to feel like we could have done more,just like it's human nature to reassure someone not to feel that way even when you yourself feel that way.
Even if you sat outside 24/7 w/a gun, things will happen that you can't control. Something can climb or fly over a fence, embryos fail, keets get too cold, males fight, females go broody putting herself at risk away from the coop, or everything is as it should be & secure, yet you find one on the floor of the coop. And ever instance leaves us remorseful wondering what we could have done differently. From there we have 2 choices; make changes to try to keep them more secure, or shrug our shoulders & do nothing.
I would never want to be the person in this forum admitting to the latter, so I applaud your efforts. You didn't fail them, you loved them.