OH the Guineas!!!

[organictoon]

BUCKWHEAT BUCKWHEAT BUCKWHEAT Kee kee kee kee kee kee kee.....

Alright I have my lovely experience with Guineas to share and a question or two:

1. I cooped my 6 guineas for about 10 weeks and let one at at time out and now they are let out each morning and weirdly enough they seem to come back each night with the exception of one of them on the other side do the fence (stuck).

2. Boy they are so fast and will give you a run for your money on how slow humans are....



3. They seem to be constantly reminding each other that I have a lawn mower and that my livestock dog likes to sleep near them all day....




Now the question:

1. I am working on letting out the chickens out (separate coop) to range while the guineas are out but man the Rooster in my chicken flock just has some issues and they return the favor to him. The Guineas and Chickens were all hatched in May and about a week apart. The guinea ratio is 3M-3F and the chicken ration is 1 Rooster 15 Hens. My thing right now is that I really enjoy the rooster because he is actually helping round up the hens at night into the coop for me and he is incredibly watchful for predators so far and rounds them up when anything flys over. So should I let them work this out or and not worry about it? Or will my rooster's personality be changed by being bullied by the Guineas?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

BUCKWHEAT BUCKWHEAT BUCKWHEAT Kee kee kee kee kee kee kee.....

Alright I have my lovely experience with Guineas to share and a question or two:

1. I cooped my 6 guineas for about 10 weeks and let one at at time out and now they are let out each morning and weirdly enough they seem to come back each night with the exception of one of them on the other side do the fence (stuck).

2. Boy they are so fast and will give you a run for your money on how slow humans are....



3. They seem to be constantly reminding each other that I have a lawn mower and that my livestock dog likes to sleep near them all day....




Now the question:

1. I am working on letting out the chickens out (separate coop) to range while the guineas are out but man the Rooster in my chicken flock just has some issues and they return the favor to him. The Guineas and Chickens were all hatched in May and about a week apart. The guinea ratio is 3M-3F and the chicken ration is 1 Rooster 15 Hens. My thing right now is that I really enjoy the rooster because he is actually helping round up the hens at night into the coop for me and he is incredibly watchful for predators so far and rounds them up when anything flys over. So should I let them work this out or and not worry about it? Or will my rooster's personality be changed by being bullied by the Guineas?

I've heard stories of a single Guinea killing turkeys.

I would try to separate the guineas from the chickens.

 

[organictoon]

So basically I need to get rid of the Guineas most likely?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

How much property do you have? It's unlikely (IME) that they will harass the rooster nonstop. They will get over it and move on, since bugs are more delicious than a rooster's tail. As long as you have enough room for them to not have unavoidable interaction, you shouldn't have a problem. My rooster grumbles and glares when the guineas come around, but he is still a gentleman with his ladies (well, except when mating).

 

[organictoon]

They have 2 acres to roam and it seems like the LGD keeps them in check a little as well... Thanks for the response!!

 

[pattyhen]

I have 2 guineas and get along with the chickens. They sleep togeather in the coop at night and freerange the yard during the day. I started putting the guineas in the chicken coop when they were 8 weeks old. They stayed in the cage for about a week and when I let them out there wasn't a problem. The guineas do tease the ducks. They like to see them run and the male will run after them but he doesn't peck them.

 

[stellagirl]

What is the best type of guinea to have as a watchdog? We live on 5 wooded acres and only have chickens right now. I'm wanting to get some guineas to help alert us to predators.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

What is the best type of guinea to have as a watchdog? We live on 5 wooded acres and only have chickens right now. I'm wanting to get some guineas to help alert us to predators.

Typically you will only find two "types" in the US - regular and French/jumbo. I'd advise against the latter since they are slower and less capable of flying.

 

[PinkyLee]

My guineas, a flock of 13 chased my dog,,, little weiner,,, so I took spray bottle with some vinegar and water and squirted them when they came near him... it only took about 3 times for them to avoid the shooting dog... now i spray it wherever I don't want them to go. The other day they were tossing something back and forth... when i investigated they had my buried hide a key,,, oh brother.