Question to the Guinea Folks

[Cornychick]

When I was a kid, my grandpa got some guineas and they immediately took off. My question is...if I were to raise some on the property and let them free range, would they stick around. Also, would they be able to be caught for the soup pot later??

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Young ones will stay. Coop them at night. I did, but made the mistake of cooping them with my chickens, whom they proceeded to beat the tar out of on a daily basis. I got rid of mine for that reason.

 

[Katy]

If you raise them from keets, they'll stay around. Mine are free-range and they range out pretty far from the farmstead, but they always come home at night. They are not the easiest to catch. When I was a kid when my mom wanted to butcher one she shot it.

 

[texaschickmama]

I found a trick that works. When you get them, if they are grown, confine them for a good 3 wks. Make sure they are totally confined so they can't fly out since they are excellent flyers. Then, after 3 wks, let 2 of them out. Keep the others in the pen. The 2 out will stick around the pen. After a week or so, let another 2 out, and so on. Mine would come back at night and either roost on top of the pen or found a high tree to roost in. After they are out of the pen they will stay on your place. Encourage them to come in the coop in the evenings with some cracked corn or scratch. This technique has always worked for me.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

There are SEVERAL threads on this subject. Do a search, I know it may not yield, but try.

It is a fairly long process to get an adult Guinea to come home to a coop. It is better to start off with very young birds or even keets.

I have successfully trains ALL the Guineas I have ever had except ONE. This one just refused to come to the coop at night and of course within a few weeks he was dinner for something.

Guinea Fowl will religiously come to the coop and roost. They learn that food and water and safety are in there.

Guinea Fowl are EXCELLENT at flight. Do not let anyone tell you they are not.

 

[Cornychick]

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That sounds like a good strategy. Thanks! I haven't dealt with them yet, just my chickens. I would like to have some guineas, but I just didn't know if what happened back then was the norm.

 

[Cornychick]

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Time to get my hubby that 22 he's been wanting!!

 

[Katy]

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Time to get my hubby that 22 he's been wanting!!

That's what my mom used.....us kids used to call her Dead-eye Dick......she didn't miss much that she aimed at.

 

[Cornychick]

You know they do say women are excellent marksmen!!!

 

[CDennis]

I bought two year old guinea's last year, they had been raised w/ a flock of chickens. THIS IS JUST MY EXPERIENCE AND I DON'T THINK IT IS TYPICAL. I kept them in a dog crate for 3 days in the barn w/ the chickens. Then I released them and that night they were roosted w/ the chickens and doing fine. Experts will tell you adult guineas need weeks cooped before releasing or you will never see them again. Also, I have heard stories about guineas being very mean to chickens, I have not experienced that and I now have nine. If I did get an aggressive guinea it would promptly go to freezer camp.