Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[perchie.girl]

I think I'm going to be clipping wings. Should I just clip one side or both? As far as the noise goes maybe I'll get lucky and have two boys. They are quieter?

They dont Buck Wheat all day long over and over and over and over and over again.....

But they do make alot of noise if they see something new.... or strange or flying over head ...

YOu should have heard em when i went out in a new pink bathrobe..... or the hat....

deb

 

[pattyhen]

My ducks are the same way. This winter if I put my hood up on my coat they wouldn't come near me. They run and quacked like I was going to kill them.

 

[Rock Sister]

Your welcome. My labendars are over a yr old and don't have helmets. I wonder why?
And, GUINEAS in city... Neighbors will be upset and most cities don't allow them. You are lucky!

 

[pattyhen]

I'll see how lucky I am I hope no one complains about them.

 

[guineapeeps]

I listened well to the talk on chicken wire from here. No chicken wire at all. Welded wire fence with 1"x2" spaces here and hardware cloth. I put my foot down on the fence and my husband gave in. I worked extra to make up for it so my kids were safe. I don't know if the guinea will ever get out in the yard the way they are now. Stubborn lil butts. Have a roll full of fence left and half a large roll of hardware cloth.Rather use that instead of trying to put plywood 10 ft back from the edge.

One other predator you might want to be careful of if your Guineas roost outside at night is mink and weasels. I have not had any problems with them but know several people here in SE Iowa that have had their whole flock completely ripped apart by them. They can squeeze through very small areas and are really destructive. They will not just pick off one or two Guineas and eat them. Instead, they just go through and rip apart the entire flock, killing some and leaving some alive with ripped off wings......just awful! Because of this, I don't leave my coop open to the run at night anymore, although it's fenced and covered. I wouldn't think they could fit through 1"x2" fencing but thought I'd mention it because I didn't think about that particular predator when I first got my Guineas.

 

[MeepBeep]

I wouldn't think they could fit through 1"x2" fencing but thought I'd mention it because I didn't think about that particular predator when I first got my Guineas.

Small species of weasels can fit through a 1" x 1" opening aka normal chicken wire, that is why 1/2 hardware cloth is recommend... Don't let the small size fool you, a small species of weasel can still kill and destroy an entire flock of birds just for fun...

 

[guineapeeps]

Small species of weasels can fit through a 1" x 1" opening aka normal chicken wire, that is why 1/2 hardware cloth is recommend... Don't let the small size fool you, a small species of weasel can still kill and destroy an entire flock of birds just for fun...

Good info.....thanks!

 

[cabinchicky]

I am somewhat disabled....  I have to overthink all jobs because I cant stand for very long.   I drag a chair with me or Use my Rolling walker.  I am headed for a wheel chair eventually.  The last tarp I put up was 20 by 40.  No small feat.  And the ONLY roof material I have had for thirteen years now.    the trick is to lay it out in the orientation you need on the ground then fan fold it so it will open out easier.  Then fold it one third over one third back.  Now you can oompfh it up on the roof with some boards leaned up to help support it as it goes.   Now you unfold the thirds and fasten the ropes and a lenght of pvc between them to keep the tarp from wadding up.

Then its a matter of throwing the ropes over the whole thing to the otherside and getting over there to pull....  Assuming nothing snaggs and the wind doesnt catch it.  the whole process took me about an hour to set up and an hour to pull and an hour to fasten down.  Divide each hour to ten minute segments for  me to rest.

Climbing a ladder is a nogo...  Dont have a tractor... I wish.  Have a big horse but shes a froot loop....  Takes more time to get her hitched up to do a job than it takes to do the job without help.

deb

I may be wheelchair bound myself later on in life as well. I have stenosis in my lower back on top of the other numerous issues. In case you wondering, it's the narrowing of the spinal column to the point it closes more and more pinching off your spine eventually. So yeah ladders for me are under 6ft, but I am not giving up my Harley! I like horses but couldn't see myself with one so mine runs on diesel. I do the tarp hanging in the same way you do but tie the front edge to a thin strip of wood, throw the other end of rope tied to a bit of tree limb then go haul it up and over. Takes me an hour or more too.Piece of plastic conduit works great for the ramp getting it started.

 

[GhislaineDel]

Hi,

I am looking to get back into keeping guineas as we weren't too successful the last time around. They wouldn't leave the coop! We started out with 10 in the fall and we're down to 3 by spring. Those three lived for several years even though they almost never left the coop. Since I was hoping to allow them to free range for tickets control, it was a very disappointing experience.

Since we have mink/weasel problems we have a very secure coop but based on @perchie.girl's statement to double chicken space I am thinking our coop is too small for 10 guineas. How big are peoples' coops?

 

[perchie.girl]

Hi,

I am looking to get back into keeping guineas as we weren't too successful the last time around. They wouldn't leave the coop! We started out with 10 in the fall and we're down to 3 by spring. Those three lived for several years even though they almost never left the coop. Since I was hoping to allow them to free range for tickets control, it was a very disappointing experience.

Since we have mink/weasel problems we have a very secure coop but based on @perchie.girl's statement to double chicken space I am thinking our coop is too small for 10 guineas. How big are peoples' coops?

make the coop as large as a run.... ten square feet per bird..... and long only if you can. I put my roosts up high so they have to fly to get up.... Long because they like to run to display for the girls. I cant let mine out that was my adaptation for confined guineas.

best to teach em to go outside and explore though. Even if you loose one now and then they will be happier and serve you better.
I always raise up more than i need because of that.

good luck

deb