Mixing Chickens and Guineas

[Rommy]

Hi folks! Have 3 hens (2 rhode island red and one maran) and just got two guinea keets about a week ago. The keets are only about 2 or 3 weeks old but getting big quick and my hens are all about a year old. Any advice on how to integrate the mix when the keets get older. I have heard guinea can be very dominant; but they are young yet and don't want them hurt. Would love to see them all get along. I def. plan on keeping them separated but near each other for a while when the keets are old enough to go outside; but am clueless and would like advice of those who have raised both! Thanks in advance!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hi folks! Have 3 hens (2 rhode island red and one maran) and just got two guinea keets about a week ago. The keets are only about 2 or 3 weeks old but getting big quick and my hens are all about a year old. Any advice on how to integrate the mix when the keets get older. I have heard guinea can be very dominant; but they are young yet and don't want them hurt. Would love to see them all get along. I def. plan on keeping them separated but near each other for a while when the keets are old enough to go outside; but am clueless and would like advice of those who have raised both! Thanks in advance!

Hi Rommy, you can integrate same sizes guineas to chickens similarly to how you’d integrate new chickens. I tried to keep guineas and chickens together but it didn’t work out - the guineas were too aggressive to the chickens and I had to separate them. On BYCs, I’ve seen at other people have the same problem, thought there are a few who have better success with the mixture. Best of luck!

 

[Rommy]

Hi Rommy, you can integrate same sizes guineas to chickens similarly to how you’d integrate new chickens. I tried to keep guineas and chickens together but it didn’t work out - the guineas were too aggressive to the chickens and I had to separate them. On BYCs, I’ve seen at other people have the same problem, thought there are a few who have better success with the mixture. Best of luck!

Thanks, I guess it would be best to go ahead while they are still small and adjust the existing coop to accommodate them apart from my hens. Going to build another coop, hopefully later this summer or in the fall but for now the existing will have to do. I can already tell their personalities are much flighter than my girls were even as chicks. Will be glad when I can get them out of the house...they can be rather shrill ..lolol... thanks again for your input!

 

[Willawong Hill]

I am also interested in this also as my neighbour has free ranging guinea fowl (just two boys now) who are consistently over at my place. This doesn't bother me currently, but I have some chicks on order and eventually they will be locked in a coop at night but free range in a fenced area (open to sky) during the day. Are the guinea boys likely to fly over and harass them?