Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[NashvilleLuLu]

Quote:

Guineas can be raised with chicks. I almost always raise mine with chicks, and I have never had a problem. Just don't raise keets in a pen with adult chickens.

Why do you recommend not raising keets with chicken? We have one chicken and were hoping to do just that.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Why do you recommend not raising keets with chicken? We have one chicken and were hoping to do just that.

I had heard you shouldn’t try to keep guinea fowl with chickens, so I didn’t. But our guinea flock was destroyed one bird at a time until we just had one. He was so lonely ... he went to the guinea shelter two nights in a row after his last buddy was killed, but then the third night, he went to his shelter, stood there a couple minutes, then made the big trek back across the field to our chicken coop (which was still open at dusk). He strolled into the chicken coop, flew up to a perch, and lived as a chicken for the rest of his life. We didn’t have any issues with fighting - he didn’t bother our hens or bantam roosters. A friend of mine keeps chickens, guineas, and ducks all together. So ... I am not sure why it’s recommended not to, but my experience is that it can work.

 

[NashvilleLuLu]

I had heard you shouldn’t try to keep guinea fowl with chickens, so I didn’t. But our guinea flock was destroyed one bird at a time until we just had one. He was so lonely ... he went to the guinea shelter two nights in a row after his last buddy was killed, but then the third night, he went to his shelter, stood there a couple minutes, then made the big trek back across the field to our chicken coop (which was still open at dusk). He strolled into the chicken coop, flew up to a perch, and lived as a chicken for the rest of his life. We didn’t have any issues with fighting - he didn’t bother our hens or bantam roosters. A friend of mine keeps chickens, guineas, and ducks all together. So ... I am not sure why it’s recommended not to, but my experience is that it can work.

That is such a sad and sweet story! I wonder if it will different with guinea as the majority. They supposedly have a more aggressive pecking order and breeding behaviours than chickens. I believe that is why it is suggested not to keep them together.

 

[R2elk]

That is such a sad and sweet story! I wonder if it will different with guinea as the majority. They supposedly have a more aggressive pecking order and breeding behaviours than chickens. I believe that is why it is suggested not to keep them together.

Raising keets and chicks together causes the keets to imprint on the chicks and they lose the ability to understand that chickens are not guineas. Everything can seem to be going great with all involved getting along very well. Then comes the first breeding season. The guineas do their natural behaviors during breeding season such as chasing from behind, pulling or breaking off feathers. Chickens do not understand these behaviors and can become extremely stressed. Guineas and chickens do not speak the same language nor do they use the same body expressions to communicate with each other.

If the keets are raised apart from other poultry, they will be able to understand that the other poultry are different from them.

Another issue is that people think that guineas don't need more space than chickens do and end up crowding everyone into too small a space. Guineas need much more personal space than chickens.

 

[NashvilleLuLu]

We have 7 weeks old keets; We've had them for 2 weeks. I've got a couple of questions:
1) How old do you think they should be when we let half out of the coop?
2) They currently eat Chick Starter, 24% protein and whatever crawls or flies in their huge tractor hoop house. When should we transition them to Starter/Grower feed ... if at all??

Thanks in advance!

 

[duluthralphie]

We have 7 weeks old keets; We've had them for 2 weeks. I've got a couple of questions:
1) How old do you think they should be when we let half out of the coop?
2) They currently eat Chick Starter, 24% protein and whatever crawls or flies in their huge tractor hoop house. When should we transition them to Starter/Grower feed ... if at all??

Thanks in advance!

Never let them out.. they will just raise havoc. Mug the neighborhood and cause mayhem everywhere they go.

They should stay inside at least another month if you expect them to return to the coop. Even at that they may move to a tree or roof top they like better.

24 percent is good for them. I would keep the protein up for a few months. Otherwise they may kill and eat the neighbors dog.

Btw I love Guineas, unlike dux, which I do not love, I just know the problems they can cause. I had to get rid of mine because the neighbors a quarter mile away got tired of them visiting.. and reigning over their chickens.

 

[R2elk]

We have 7 weeks old keets; We've had them for 2 weeks. I've got a couple of questions:
1) How old do you think they should be when we let half out of the coop?
2) They currently eat Chick Starter, 24% protein and whatever crawls or flies in their huge tractor hoop house. When should we transition them to Starter/Grower feed ... if at all??

Thanks in advance!

Unfortunately even 24% chick starter does not have the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin that the keets need for proper growth and development. You can help them by giving them a good vitamin B complex made at the rate of 1/2 tablet or capsule to one gallon of water. Make this the only source of water for them and do not mix anything else in the water. The mix should be made fresh daily.

The recommended feed is a high protein turkey or game bird starter for the first 6 to 8 weeks. This should be followed with a turkey or gamebird grower (usually 24% protein) for the next 6 weeks. After that they can be fed a quality 20% protein all flock feed supplemented with free choice oyster shell.

They should be fully feathered and acclimated to the ambient temperature before you let them out of the coop.

Since they are 7 weeks old, you can probably let them out now for short supervised outings.

 

[duluthralphie]

Unfortunately even 24% chick starter does not have the higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin that the keets need for proper growth and development. You can help them by giving them a good vitamin B complex made at the rate of 1/2 tablet or capsule to one gallon of water. Make this the only source of water for them and do not mix anything else in the water. The mix should be made fresh daily.

The recommended feed is a high protein turkey or game bird starter for the first 6 to 8 weeks. This should be followed with a turkey or gamebird grower (usually 24% protein) for the next 6 weeks. After that they can be fed a quality 20% protein all flock feed supplemented with free choice oyster shell.

They should be fully feathered and acclimated to the ambient temperature before you let them out of the coop.

Since they are 7 weeks old, you can probably let them out now for short supervised outings.

Good catch, I missed the chick feed and assumed game bird feeder.


He had only had them two weeks.. mine always needed more time to learn their home.

 

[NashvilleLuLu]

We unfortunately cannot find any Gamebird feed anywhere within a 30 mile radius. It's bizarre to me. We do have oyster shells for the chickens.

We are definitely letting them out, the question was when. We got them for insect control. Since we've had them for only two weeks, I was questioning THAT more than they are seven weeks old.

 

[R2elk]

Since we've had them for only two weeks, I was questioning THAT more than they are seven weeks old.

This is why I suggested short supervised outings. Even when they are older it is best to start with short supervised outings rather than just turning them loose.