NY chicken lover!!!!

[Coop de Cuse]

Just wondering if the guineas ever came down.

I didn't mean to diss guineas earlier. There was a considerable amount of user error on my part when I had them. I drove myself crazy (clearly not a long road) trying to keep them confined enough to be safe yet free enough to be happy. They had lots of free range when I was home, slept in the chicken house at night, and had a 186' electric net fence (over 2500 square feet of fresh grass) when I was at work or school. Not sure if they needed more tree cover than I have, or what. Maybe the need a giant covered aviary, more fencing, more freedom, IDK? They just didn't work out here.

I apologize if I offended any guinea fans. I'm sure in the right setup, they can be great. My friend who was supposed to get my goslings has 5 guineas that she loves and they seem to be very happy over there.

Not offended. One more came down from the trees and walked into the run. The other 2 disappeared though

The one that came down was the female and I am guessing that the other 2 took off because the female left. No break in this nasty weather until late next week, so I hope they are eating. I leave food out for them, but there is no evidence that they are coming down to eat.

 

[featherz]

I *loved* my guineas.. until they decided the best place in the world to be was standing on my front lawn and buckwheating at my neighbors. All.Day.Long. I wanted them back in the woods eating ticks, but nooooooooooooooooo..

 

[JWEBB]

Are you coming to chickenstock? If so I would be interested in an extra roo if you get one.

Just let me know how much or we could make a trade for something.

I would love to I will prob even have chickens by then, guessing its in the summer? When is it? I'll look up the info for it.
Do you have Russian Orloff now? These will be my first praying for some to hatch. My mission now will be to find some unrelated stock.

I'll be happy to share what I end up with here. I've just started getting into this and I already have a peeve. Rare and critically endangered fowl, it has been so hard to find stock especially up here in BFE.. Then when I do find it I can't afford it. LOL If I had unlimited funds I prob would not care but sadly that isn't the case!
Doesn't seem to me the numbers will recover that way. But I don't know, I'm new

to the chicken world. I have more committment, drive and enthusiasum than I have money just like everyone else I suppose.

Over the last couple of months I'm learning how to spot the people that have the critical breeds I'm interested in and want to "disperse" some. Super grateful to get the Orloff eggs at a price I could afford.

 

[Peggy O]

For the most part they all get along hen wise. It's when you bring new birds into a flock that can be a problem. Now what differs from them is them is how skittish they can be. That's not to say you cant and wont have a mean hen that don't like others it can happen in any breed. But some birds like to be around people and others will run/fly from you. My leg horn and my daughters ancona don't like us around. The ancona is so bad she will get out of nest box as I check others and run out the door. Now my reds/golden comet will walk by us as will the barred rocks. There are charts out there that will tell how flighty a birds breed generally is. That's not saying you cant get a bird that is normally flighty and have it calm and use to you. Here is an example of one chart I found googleing it. I use to know of a better one but cant find it now.

Oh thanks. I was reading my book last night and it mentioned the same about the white leghorns. Our neighbor keeps just leghorns and golden comets in his back pen. They seem to get along OK, but I do see the white ones flying at the goldens occasionally (I love to sit out back and watch them) He never goes in his pen, they just clean and feed/water through the door, and the chickens stay inside the run/house. So not an issue for them I guess. He keeps his other chickens in another pen by the house. I really would like lots of large white eggs and also large brown eggs, and atleast one pretty bird (I think Barred rocks are very pretty) that is a decent layer in our little 3 bird flock. If we go to Nature Berry I think they could help us pick out three types that would get along. They seem pretty helpful there. I emailed with a question and they got right back to me.

 

[rancher hicks]

Oh no

 

[JLaw]

Oh thanks. I was reading my book last night and it mentioned the same about the white leghorns. Our neighbor keeps just leghorns and golden comets in his back pen. They seem to get along OK, but I do see the white ones flying at the goldens occasionally (I love to sit out back and watch them) He never goes in his pen, they just clean and feed/water through the door, and the chickens stay inside the run/house. So not an issue for them I guess. He keeps his other chickens in another pen by the house. I really would like lots of large white eggs and also large brown eggs, and atleast one pretty bird (I think Barred rocks are very pretty) that is a decent layer in our little 3 bird flock. If we go to Nature Berry I think they could help us pick out three types that would get along. They seem pretty helpful there. I emailed with a question and they got right back to me.

nature berry farm keeps they're birds together by age groups. They have chicks in one little room then like 1 month olds in another 2 rooms I think it is. Then they have big area for their 2+ month olds then an area for full grown. They use one pole barn and 3 small rooms then rest is two rooms for older birds. So just about any you get there will get along hopefully. I haven't had a problem yet and I have a black jap bantam with my LF that I got there no problem.

Let me put it this way I have a 8x12ft coop, 21 birds in there,15 different breeds and sizes from Dellawares down to my black jap with no problem. This winter they have all pretty much stayed in there going out sometimes to eat if I didn't have food in there. Now I don't pen them at all so when they want to run around they have full use of yard to play and get away from each other. I have been pretty lucky and able to add birds with out any real trouble no blood when I change my flock around some.

Depending on your neighbors set up it could be too small of an area for them to be in and they might be fighting because of it. They recommend 4 square feet in the coop per bird and like 10sqft for the run of each bird. This helps keep them from fighting and gives them room to run away from other birds if they do get in a fight. Some people do more some do less it all depends on how your birds can handle it and how the person owning the birds decides to raise them.

 

[Pyxis]

I *loved* my guineas.. until they decided the best place in the world to be was standing on my front lawn and buckwheating at my neighbors. All.Day.Long. I wanted them back in the woods eating ticks, but nooooooooooooooooo.. 

I have three guineas and they were all raised by a chicken, so I don't know if that helps or not, but they are very good. Only ever loud when they spot a predator, and they stay in the run really well. Very occasionally they fly up into a tree but they always fly right back into the run after. And they are mysteriously attached to one of barred rock hens and follow her everywhere. They go into the coop to sleep at night, and just generally behave themselves. Maybe I just lucked out when I got them.

 

[payner59]

I have 3 guineas left and love them too! I raised mine with chickens also and they go into the coop at night. Mine are free range and never go to far. I have lost 3 in the last year to predators but that's what they are for! I no longer have woodchucks in my yard as the guineas chase them out. They can be noisy but when I hear them, I know to run and check on my chickens.

 

[Coop de Cuse]

I have 3 guineas left and love them too! I raised mine with chickens also and they go into the coop at night. Mine are free range and never go to far. I have lost 3 in the last year to predators but that's what they are for! I no longer have woodchucks in my yard as the guineas chase them out. They can be noisy but when I hear them, I know to run and check on my chickens.

Very good guard fowl

 

[Coop de Cuse]

I *loved* my guineas.. until they decided the best place in the world to be was standing on my front lawn and buckwheating at my neighbors. All.Day.Long. I wanted them back in the woods eating ticks, but nooooooooooooooooo..

I will have to build a fence to keep them in the back, for sure