New to guineas

[JamieMcClain]

We got two guinea keets this year. They’re about 12 weeks old now and I’m pretty sure they’re both males. They’ve been raised and life with all our chickens and roosters. Everyone free ranges on 3 fenced in acres. Is it necessary to get them some females? Will they start harassing my chickens if we don’t? We also have turkeys, ducks, and geese. Would it be better to house them with one of them instead of the chickens?

 

[R2elk]

We got two guinea keets this year. They’re about 12 weeks old now and I’m pretty sure they’re both males. They’ve been raised and life with all our chickens and roosters. Everyone free ranges on 3 fenced in acres. Is it necessary to get them some females? Will they start harassing my chickens if we don’t? We also have turkeys, ducks, and geese. Would it be better to house them with one of them instead of the chickens?

Guineas are a flock bird. The minimum number of guineas that I recommend to have is ten.

Having raised your keets with chickens, they are eventually going to start attacking your chickens whether or not you get them any hens. At 3 months old, I would not guarantee what sex your keets are.

The only thing appropriate to house your guineas with are other guineas. Of your current choices, the guineas will bond almost instantly with the turkeys. When breeding time comes around, they are going to cause problems with any of your other poultry.

 

[JamieMcClain]

Guineas are a flock bird. The minimum number of guineas that I recommend to have is ten.

Having raised your keets with chickens, they are eventually going to start attacking your chickens whether or not you get them any hens. At 3 months old, I would not guarantee what sex your keets are.

The only thing appropriate to house your guineas with are other guineas. Of your current choices, the guineas will bond almost instantly with the turkeys. When breeding time comes around, they are going to cause problems with any of your other poultry.

Good to know! Thank you so much! There is someone locally selling full grown guinea hens. Would it be ok to get them for the younger males? The reason I think they’re males is they’ve never made the female call and they’ve both got very large waddles that turn forward.

 

[R2elk]

Good to know! Thank you so much! There is someone locally selling full grown guinea hens. Would it be ok to get them for the younger males? The reason I think they’re males is they’ve never made the female call and they’ve both got very large waddles that turn forward.

If they are Pearl Grays, it is not uncommon for the hens to also have big cupped wattles. It is also not uncommon for a guinea hen to not start "buckwheating" until it is 6 moths old.

If you want to add known females to your flock, go for it.