Neighbor's Guineas adopted us!

[4yearsofchickens]

This started last week sometime. We noticed there were four guineas on the (quiet) road behind our property. We knew whose they were as we'd seen them before waaay up at the top of their pasture. For some reason since then they've decided that we are their new favorite place. They still sleep at their old home from what we can tell but during the day they are either at my property or the next door neighbors. They are very intrigued by my chickens, and I think that's why they keep coming down. (I say down, we live in a bowl shaped valley, their owners live farther up one side of the valley) I am slightly worried that they will infect my chickens with something, since the guineas have lived wild since day one. We have told the neighbors that their birds were on our property but they have done nothing to contain them. I have had to herd them away from a busy road in front of our house several times. So do I adopt them or ignore them? Can they infect my chickens if they haven't yet? Advice?

 

[HappyDuckie]

I'm not sure if they can pass on any diseases. If the neighbors aren't doing anything to keep them on their property, I would keep them or eat them. Good luck.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

I'm not sure if they can pass on any diseases. If the neighbors aren't doing anything to keep them on their property, I would keep them or eat them. Good luck.

Lol my dad told me to eat them but I wasn't sure if they could get me in trouble for that..."where's my guineas?" "Oh yeah..I ate them..."

 

[HappyDuckie]

Lol my dad told me to eat them but I wasn't sure if they could get me in trouble for that..."where's my guineas?" "Oh yeah..I ate them..."

If you've told them they are coming on you're property and they aren't doing anything about it, then I don't think you would get in trouble. If they ask where their guineas are, tell them you last saw them on whatever day you butcher them.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

If you've told them they are coming on you're property and they aren't doing anything about it, then I don't think you would get in trouble. If they ask where their guineas are, tell them you last saw them on whatever day you butcher them.

I probably wouldn't butcher them, but I was thinking about feeding them as I'm not sure that the owners feed them anything. Would layer feed be okay for them?

 

[HappyDuckie]

I probably wouldn't butcher them, but I was thinking about feeding them as I'm not sure that the owners feed them anything. Would layer feed be okay for them?

Not sure, I've never had guineas. @R2elk should know.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

Not sure, I've never had guineas. @R2elk should know.

Okay. Yeah I've never had them either, just knew what they were from a VERY old Farm and Ranch magazine article. Thanks for your help!

 

[ronott1]

Layer feed is fine for them since they are likely eating a lot of bugs.

Normally they would need a higher protein feed than most layer feeds have though.

Are you getting the eggs?

 

[R2elk]

I probably wouldn't butcher them, but I was thinking about feeding them as I'm not sure that the owners feed them anything. Would layer feed be okay for them?

Do not feed them. Contact their owner and ask them to keep them home. After that you can take other steps.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Some of our young guineas left. Shortly after, we noticed some of the neighbors had new guineas. I don't know if they were ours.