Looking at buying an established flock....

[JazminesZoo]

I am amazed to see price of poultry VARY so much across the states. I have the opportunity to buy 9, 1 male & 8 females. They are almost 2 years old, I have never had guineas before, but have 2 secluded areas they can be contained during there initial relocation. Any advice will be appreciated. Should I start with established? Should I wait for keets, will they be okay in relocation? Anything I should take into consideration.

Remember I am a newbie... So there is no advice to small THANKS !

 

[leonphelps]

depends on amount of time you have to spend.

I would recommend keets. you have a better chance of training them. lots of people here have mentioned getting adults and then letting them free range and they never come back. I would expect it taking three to four months to train adults. They would need to be penned before you could let them free range. They would need a decent sized run or it would not be fair to the animals as adults. they need exercise.

good luck.

 

[jcatblum]

Around here I would expect to pay $90 for an adult flock of 9. I would purchase them if you have a large covered area to keep them in. The top of the run must be covered with fencing or aviary netting. I would keep them penned up for at least a month then slowly let one out @ a time over the course of a few wks. If you let them all free range as soon as you get them they may disappear.

 

[mstrrlm]

I would say keets started with 16 down to 14 due to predators. But you don't know how coop trained the established flock you are not sure just my 2 cents

 

[JazminesZoo]

I think I might start with keets as suggested. Thanks for the info! I am going to purchase an incubator.... SOOO many to choose from with so many mixed reviews!

I want to just buy a nice one & just keep it. I see so many people buying one & then selling it because they wanted something different... I want a 50 egg (chicken) or larger. UGH! I seem to be going in circles on which one to get! I know I want it automatic turner. This is alot of fun though, I just love my quail & am looking forward to getting my Guineas, Chukars, & Pheasants.

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

I started with keets raised with a couple of chicks. The keets (now grown) follow the Roo (chick) around...He's called Papa and the hen is called Mama. Every day, Papa and Mama lead those guineas around the property. The guineas will never go far from the chickens they were raised with. It's kinda cute--the guineas go in at night along with the chickens. They are well trained. When I call the Guinea Group in at night--I call "buckwheat, buckwheat..." They all come running into their pen where food is waiting for them. Mama and Papa wait until they are all in and follow.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
My first flock was six adult males over two years old. Adopted them from a woman who was being evicted. I kept them in the coop/run for about a month. I knew nothing about guineas at the time. When I turned them loose they came back every night and hung around the house all day long with occasional forrays into the brush. I think having adults may be an advantage in one aspect.... they know about predators already. And this flock in particular I watched escort a coyote off the property pecking at and Scolding him to hurry him along.

The biggest issue would be if there are flocks of guineas at other places besides yours. I have none my land is not farm land. Sometimes Guineas will join another flock....

I started this summer with Keets and had some predator issues. But I am not letting them out till the spring. Because I want to establish a routine for their free range time so I can minimize loss to predators while they are out. I also want to make sure most of the eggs are laid in the coop or run because I physically cant go searching for a hen thats made a nest in the bush. If you cant get them back in they are too easy to pick off by predators.

Good luck.