Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[kenzier093]

I just released my 8 guineas. They are alittle over a month old. Lol they had to check out the hose. It must look scary ;p

 

[potagergirl]

This is a picture of my guinea babies at about 8 weeks old. Every evening they run to the deck and fly up to the railing to
call me out of the house for their evening millet treat. They have been doing this every night since we started letting all
fifteen guineas out at the same time. The picture was taken a few weeks ago, and now every time I walk outside the guineas
make a run for me calling out for their millet the chickens racing with them at high speed. It's so funny!
The one that injured his toenail is doing very well in fact it has almost grown back but I still call him Toe B Gone.

Before we got the guineas I had many people tell me I would regret it, they would be hard to train and the noise would be awful.
Sometimes they are quite loud but it isn't for very long and I don't mind the noise they make I rather love it.
As for training I think our slow patients made the big difference. We started training the day they arrived from the hatchery and
we continue to train them. I think it's been easy and enjoyable. The final hurdle we have to cross is the highway. They have not
gone out to the road yet but it is a concern and one that we will work with when it happens.
If I had to do it all over again I would and I think I have grown from the experience.
I appreciate everyone that posts information on this forum all the reading I have done has given me a wonderful experience with
our beautiful lavender guineas.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello - I am a first time guinea owner. We have raised 4 of them since they were day old keets. We had one behaving quite strange for a few days - she wouldn't extend her neck, was roosting a lot and generally seems 'off' if she came out of the coop she seems disoriented. Yesterday, she came down and out to eat and drink, was extending her neck fine and acting as if she was on the mend. Two hours later I went outdoors to collect the chicken eggs and found her upside down in the bathing hole, passed away. We have no idea what happened. They do live with the chickens and they pick on them from time to time (hens pick on the guinea. The guinea are about 4 mo. Old now) but nothing severe, more herding and the occasional peck. I did a massive coop clean yesterday and found no sign of odd droppings, extra feathers, etc. We did inspect the body and found nothing odd on her either. We are dumbfounded -any insight would be appreciated! Thank you!

They eat everything. It can also be an internal problem you could not see. Don't punish yourself over it

Guinea are hardy but are not real smart on their diets. I chased my flock away from the styrofoam cover of the crawlspace they thought was gourmet food. Mine free range. and I still have to watch hem.

I just released my 8 guineas. They are alittle over a month old. Lol they had to check out the hose. It must look scary ;p

They will be ok, just keep socializing

This is a picture of my guinea babies at about 8 weeks old. Every evening they run to the deck and fly up to the railing to
call me out of the house for their evening millet treat. They have been doing this every night since we started letting all
fifteen guineas out at the same time. The picture was taken a few weeks ago, and now every time I walk outside the guineas
make a run for me calling out for their millet the chickens racing with them at high speed. It's so funny!
The one that injured his toenail is doing very well in fact it has almost grown back but I still call him Toe B Gone.

Before we got the guineas I had many people tell me I would regret it, they would be hard to train and the noise would be awful.
Sometimes they are quite loud but it isn't for very long and I don't mind the noise they make I rather love it.
As for training I think our slow patients made the big difference. We started training the day they arrived from the hatchery and
we continue to train them. I think it's been easy and enjoyable. The final hurdle we have to cross is the highway. They have not
gone out to the road yet but it is a concern and one that we will work with when it happens.
If I had to do it all over again I would and I think I have grown from the experience.
I appreciate everyone that posts information on this forum all the reading I have done has given me a wonderful experience with
our beautiful lavender guineas.

I am very pleased also for the alarms they give me; and having them here.

 

[greergarden]

have a young pup who will be just over a year old when I order my keets in the spring. Has anyone had experience training a lab mix puppy to respect chickens and guineas?

 

[sunshineaviarie]

My guineas, 4 of them, attacked one of my hens and she died after a few days, don't know if they punctured her somewhere or what, no visible trauma, but she could not eat nor stand well after that. About a month later they attacked a rooster, and he is in bad shape now, so I have decided to get rid of them, they have ruined many of our plants, killed a manzanita, and pecked at new pine trees, tore off branches on other plants, they are destructive little creatures. They also attacked my little dogs when they would walk by them, but luckily no damage. My first experience with them and probably my last. The noise was tolerable, not so bad, but their attitudes and behavior was not expected.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have most issues with guinea cock and my roosters. I recently lost a silkie roo to them, he traveled 2 acres to the guinea house and they attacked him. I have 5 acres. the birds comingle several different species. Usually the guinea are social with other birds. I wasn't able to run fast enough to stop the fight. In the past, guinea cocks will target and attack the main chicken roo. They all free range together but house separately for that reason.

 

[Vasili]

I have heard that guineas are good for pest control of crops. What crops would you guys recommend for guineas to patrol? Corn, wheat, soybeans?

 

[WycChickenguy]

Any crops they're not like chickens when they free range they won't scratch and tear up plants.

 

[R2elk]

I have heard that guineas are good for pest control of crops. What crops would you guys recommend for guineas to patrol? Corn, wheat, soybeans?

If you want to use guineas as pest control in crops, do not teach the guineas to eat those crops. Those crops that they have learned to eat are not safe from the guineas. Young tender greens tend to also not be safe from the guineas.

The guineas will scratch up the ground but do not tend to dig as much as chickens.

 

[Tikkijane]

My guineas, 4 of them,  attacked one of my hens and she died after a few days, don't know if they punctured her somewhere or what, no visible trauma, but she could not eat nor stand well after that.  About a month later they attacked a rooster, and he is in bad shape now,  so I have decided to get rid of them, they have ruined many of our plants, killed a manzanita, and pecked at new pine trees, tore off branches on other plants, they are destructive little creatures.   They also attacked my little dogs when they would walk by them, but luckily no damage.   My first experience with them and probably my last.  The noise was tolerable, not so bad, but their attitudes and behavior was not expected.

mine are all together, less the summer keets. My adult guineas free range and coop at night with the chickens without issue. I've only had a single male that tagged my hens {chickens}. I named him Dinner. Sadly, his demise came via a fox earlier this padt spring.

I do have a separate side of the coop for the guineas; sometimes they go right in; other times they head to bed with the chickens and we open the inside door to let them shuffle over. I've got two guinea hens on a nest outside {eek} that should he hatching in a week. Then we'll do the sleeping shuffle.