Questions on mixing Guineas with chickens

[R2elk]

@R2elk is it ok to have an all female group of guineas?

They will be really loud as they constantly call for mates. Guineas should be kept in a nearly 1:1 ratio of males to females as they tend to become pairs.

An all female flock will not be very happy too.

 

[ChickenRaunchy]

I'm ordering a batch of 15 chicks to add to my flock in spring. I also plan on adding a guinea or 2. Would it be fine to get just one guinea or would it rather have another guinea friend.

I have never owned guinea fowl before. I plan on getting them as chicks/keets. Is it fine to raise them in the same brooder as the chicks?

What do I feed them? I have seen some sources say you can feed them chick starter/grower when they are young and layer pellets when they're older. But I have also seen many online sources say they need game feed.

TIA

Hi Grace,
I am pretty new, as well, but can share some experience. We live in northern michigan in a forested area. We have lots of ticks and other bugs in our property. So we heard from neighbors that Guineas would be part of a bug-out solution. Therefore, when we ordered our first batch of chicks we went wide-spectrum on the types of birds to include. We got two guineas, a turkey and several hens from a couple of different breeds. Everything was ok in the first year but in year 2 the now mature Guineas were displaying lots of non-neutral behavior. One of the Guineas was the dominant of the two, then tried to be dominating the whole flock. It was agressive, pecking laying hens, and (as we had been warned) very noisy. Also we did not notice any appreciable reduction in ticks on us, every day. (We have been told this is a particularly bad tick year.). So one morning my husband got really distraught about our other hens being pecked and chased ... so he eliminated the agressive Guinea. Then her 'sister' Guinea went through a period of grief and loss and new levels of non-stop calling. It was sad and I was not sure it would ever end. Eventually it levelled out. She still has moments but is sort of OK. However, she is definitely more agressive than laying hens. We are watching and waiting. I was feeding the flock some meal worms from my hands and the Guinea bit my finger so hard it drew blood. I am fine . But it makes me feel her days may be numbered as well. I am not sorry we got the Guineas, but would caution anyone considering it.

 

[R2elk]

Hi Grace,
I am pretty new, as well, but can share some experience. We live in northern michigan in a forested area. We have lots of ticks and other bugs in our property. So we heard from neighbors that Guineas would be part of a bug-out solution. Therefore, when we ordered our first batch of chicks we went wide-spectrum on the types of birds to include. We got two guineas, a turkey and several hens from a couple of different breeds. Everything was ok in the first year but in year 2 the now mature Guineas were displaying lots of non-neutral behavior. One of the Guineas was the dominant of the two, then tried to be dominating the whole flock. It was agressive, pecking laying hens, and (as we had been warned) very noisy. Also we did not notice any appreciable reduction in ticks on us, every day. (We have been told this is a particularly bad tick year.). So one morning my husband got really distraught about our other hens being pecked and chased ... so he eliminated the agressive Guinea. Then her 'sister' Guinea went through a period of grief and loss and new levels of non-stop calling. It was sad and I was not sure it would ever end. Eventually it levelled out. She still has moments but is sort of OK. However, she is definitely more agressive than laying hens. We are watching and waiting. I was feeding the flock some meal worms from my hands and the Guinea bit my finger so hard it drew blood. I am fine . But it makes me feel her days may be numbered as well. I am not sorry we got the Guineas, but would caution anyone considering it.

Expecting 2 guineas to reduce your ticks was not reasonable.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups of other guineas. A flock of guineas can do a good job of reducing ticks but they can only eat ticks in the areas they have access to.

My recommendation is that you rehome your lone guinea to someone that already has a flock of guineas.

 

[ChickenRaunchy]

Expecting 2 guineas to reduce your ticks was not reasonable.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups of other guineas. A flock of guineas can do a good job of reducing ticks but they can only eat ticks in the areas they have access to.

My recommendation is that you rehome your lone guinea to someone that already has a flock of guineas.

 

[ChickenRaunchy]

Hi R2. I am not really holding the Guinea's accountable for the tick situation. I had been cautioned after one of my early posts that Guinea's will do best in their own environment with their own culture. But we had them, by that time, and when they were younger, everything seemed peaceful. We have quite a bit of space so I was hopeful that everyone would be able to get their needs met. But if I was advising someone now, I would say it is not ideal to mix them. Interestingly, the Guinea's do seem to look up to the turkey, as do all the chickens.

 

[R2elk]

Hi R2. I am not really holding the Guinea's accountable for the tick situation. I had been cautioned after one of my early posts that Guinea's will do best in their own environment with their own culture. But we had them, by that time, and when they were younger, everything seemed peaceful. We have quite a bit of space so I was hopeful that everyone would be able to get their needs met. But if I was advising someone now, I would say it is not ideal to mix them. Interestingly, the Guinea's do seem to look up to the turkey, as do all the chickens.

That is the normal situation with guineas. Everything can seem fine until the first breeding season. That is normally when all the major problems start.

Guineas will bond with turkeys very quickly but it still isn't a good idea to brood and keep them together.