please! need advice on guinea raising for first time!!!!!! HELP!!!!

[Taylor]

i am getting pearl guineas this saturday, still fairly young, would i do good by pinning them up for a few weeks before i turn them into the chicken lot, can i clip their wings to keep them in a 4 foot fence. do they lay pretty good on chicken layer feed???

 

[oliviad51]

Yes, I would keep them pinned up for about 3-4 weeks. I personally wouldn't clip their wings. They will fly over a 4 foot fence but guineas are natural hunters for bugs and I would imagine they wouldn't do well without their wings in case of a hawk etc.

Guineas need a higher protein...game bird feed. I hope this helps. Good luck with the guineas!

 

[robin416]

You didn't say how many or how big the lot is.

My suggestion is throw most everything you know about chickens out of the window since Guineas are very different in their behavior and needs. Guineas need space to roam, they need a higher protein diet and layer isn't it. Besides having calcium that the males should not have as a regular part of the diet they should be getting upwards of 20% protein and higher for young growing keets.

Male Guineas can be quite aggressive to chickens if the Guinea flock does not consist of sufficient numbers and are confined to one area.

I do not recommend anyone raise Guineas if they do not have the space for free ranging or neighbors that are understanding.

 

[Taylor]

i am getting a pair of pearls, i just don't want them hopping out all the time, o yeah my fence is like maybe 4-5 ft tall and is 60x40 fenced in area and a 8x10 hen house and my layer feed is 21% protein is this good for them

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
With just a pair you are going to have some beat up chickens I'm afraid. The clipping their wings does not stop them...mine still fly up on top of the 6 foot privacy fence and tease the neighbors dogs. That was yesterday, wings were clipped last week

I have 6 and they are starting to fight my chickens

I need to get a few more and maybe they will settle down. I heard at least 10-12 is good enough flock size that they will leave the chooks alone. The 21% layer feed should be good. Mine are in a 100x150 fenced yard with 8x12 coop, and still no peace yet

 

[robin416]

No, layer feed is not good for them. Layer has a higher amount of calcium in it for laying hens. Too much calcium is hard on the males' kidneys.

No way would I have just two Guineas especially not housed with chickens. And I don't say that because I'm so addicted to Guineas, its from experience and years of raising them. If you go back and start reading you will find multitudes of posts where Guineas were pounding on chickens.

Take some time, do some reading and learn about them and their requirements. It could save you a ton of headaches and heartaches in the long term.

 

[Taylor]

they are still chicks right now, a few months old at the most, i plan keeping them pinned up for at least they get fully grown then i am going to release them in the chicken lot, they ought to be used to me and the place by then

 

[fgdiii]

I agree that a minimum of 6 to 8 and I would not put them with the chickens. Once they are with them, they will always go back and in mating season, they will kill your roosters.