my oh my are guinea a hassle....

[JamesBond000]

i am in a somewhat urban area... so when we had 3 guineas it was hectic.... they would constantly fly and hangout at the back of del taco.... or across the street in the neighbors tree.... >.< they were big time wanderers... i like my bantams much more still of a creature.

Just sharing my experience with them >.<

 

[Debbienmousey]

I don't think that you understand your guineas well.

Guineas love to free-range and won't be very happy being locked up all the time(At least in an average size run)

If you don't have a very high fence then you'll need to train them to stay in your yard. I've never done this though.

But, to each his own

I personally love my guineas.

 

[Munchies]

I agree with Debbie that you probably don't understand Guinea Fowl. They are more like a wild animal (so just like a lion tamer) you must spend endless hours with them to get them to go or stay where you want them to.

I live within the city limits of Cumberland, Maryland. We have a 3 foot fence for our guineas.

What keeps them from jumping out, absolutely nothing thats what. I don't clip wings. However they don't jump out, they (15 of them) roam around in a 45' x 60' area all day every day (except when it rains or snows).

Again what keeps them in, nothing other than they learned that the fence is as far as they can go without me sending my guy out to retrieve them. I have threatened to clip a pied male (their leader) as it has found that the rooftop of our kitchen is inside the fence limit.

I had to spend everyday talking to and holding these birds when they were young keets. I had to spend hours more herding them in to their house every night until they now (except for two) do it themselves.

Training guineas is similar to training dogs. You have to do the same thing four times in a row before they think it is a rule that still needs reinforced every time they break it.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Guineas are a wonderful bird to have around.

One should not have them if one can not let them free range.

Guineas are an African bird and they are hardwired for survival in the wild.

I keep telling everyone on here that Guinea fowl are NOT like a chicken and never will be.

They will tame down and roost in a coop at night, but in the day time they are "BUSY" and running in a pack if they can.

They a fast, agile, spooky, flighty and weary.

Personally I love a Guinea over a good deal of other animals except my chickens.

If one has a problem with a particular Guinea they should re home them.

 

[spook]

I'm in hopes to hatch out a few Guineas with any luck, and I've already asked the neighbors if they mind. The only thing we have is Hawks. This is one of the things I worry about with them. If not the hawks, owls, coyote, and bald eagles.
Do you think they stand a chance?

But as with my hens, they have had a 3' plastic fence for 3 years now, circles the back yard, and they are more then happy and the only time they offer to fly over is when I come out the back door!

 

[Aj1911]

guineas are way more predator smart then chickens are.

as long as they go in a safe well built coop at night there should be no problem at all.

if a hawk or large bird flies over they will scream and run for cover way faster then chickens

as far as ground predators it depends on the guineas and how many you have (my 4 would eat my dog if it came down to it and he's a 170lb wolf hybrid!!!)

so if its day time they will attack any four legged predators (i feel sorry for what ever tries to get a guinea

)

and my head male guinea is very fast to bite

 

[cw]

i luv my guinea fowl all the way around/ i like em because they are not a chicken, we let ours free range thats the only way to have them, and if you ever get a chance to eat one they our out of this world delicious

 

[chickenbottom]

my neighbors guinea is a problem for him it chases all his chickens to death and never shuts up

 

[patyrdz]

My guinea were attacking my chickens everytime the chickens were allowed to ree range. Well at first I was like awww I can't free range even when I am here. Then...I was like OH NO those guinea are going to learn who is boss around here!! Everytime they would go after my chickens I would let loose on them with the water hose!!! No more problems now!

 

[rooster0209]

The water hose! that is hilarious.

They are wild birds which require little care. My guineas are all over the place. Our farmstead if 7 acres counting the tree rows. They have ventured across and down the road to the neighbors. Luckily he doesnt mind them eating the wood ticks in his yard. It would be very hard to stop them from going there. There are hawks and bald eagles around. At the sight of a large bird the yard erupts in noisy guinea alerts and all birds (including chickens) run for the trees. I did loose one peg legged guinea to a bald eagle but none since and I did have one hit on the road. They come and go out of the coop as they please (unless its winter and really cold then I lock them up along with the chickens). During the summer they roost very high in the trees.

I raise mine along side my chickens. They get along fine in the coop, eat the same food, share the roosts but that is it. They seperate off during the day foraging around. Before I got chickens, the guineas foraged for all their food during the summer. I had food out but it was never touched, even the waterer remained full. They drink out of the trough the livestock use or out of the bowl for the cats.