Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[Tikkijane]

I am so interested in these guineas. I live on 20 acres, which are infested with ticks. I have 2 dogs, 2 kids, 10 hens, and 1 rooster. My chickens free range from about 7:00 am to 8:00 pm ( or when they put themselves to bed). I go out every morning to let them out, and go out every night to count them and shut them in for the evening. My dogs have been raised with the chickens and don't bother the birds at all. Question is...should I get some guineas? We would get about 10 keets. We would build them their own coop next to our chickens, and I would follow the 2 month lock down recommendation with them. My concerns are, will they hurt my chickens even if being raised right next to them? Will they go to their own coop or try to coop with the chickens? My chickens stay really close to the house, don't wander into the woods at all, would having the guineas change that? Would the chickens follow them into the woods, or would the guineas stay with the chickens? I am very concerned with them hurting my chickens, lol. My chicks are our babies, we absolutly love them dearly. With our two kids and dogs coming in with ticks Every minute of the day, I feel these guineas could help. Also, I am not interested in the guineas eggs at all. I don't have an incubator, and at this point I am not interested in getting one. What would happen if I didn't go searching for their eggs? If I found them and didn't incubate them? What does everyone think? Please do tell!!!

Mine are coop trained. They free-range with the chickens just fine. And while I have a wall and doir dividing sections, I have a batch of 4 month old chickens that roost with the guineas. I did block them off once we had babies in there to have a bit less traffic.

On edit: they don't mind each other at all, but the guineas will travel a lot farther than the chickens, and they travel in little groups. They also spend a lot of time chasing each other.....

 

[mandtroof]

I think I have decided to do this! I'm so excited and have found a local breeder . I think I will have hubs build a new coop attached to the chickens run. They can share the run and probably co-coop at some point if they decide. How much room do about 10 need for a coop? They look larger then my chickens, but I think they will just sleep there right?

Mine are coop trained. They free-range with the chickens just fine. And while I have a wall and doir dividing sections, I have a batch of 4 month old chickens that roost with the guineas. I did block them off once we had babies in there to have a bit less traffic.

On edit: they don't mind each other at all, but the guineas will travel a lot farther than the chickens, and they travel in little groups. They also spend a lot of time chasing each other.....

 

[mandtroof]

Oh, I no doubt will be

...

Guineas should give you a relief from the ticks.  Starting with at least ten is a good idea and with your acreage, you may want to consider getting even more.  Building them their own coop is a very good idea.  My guinea coop is probably at least 60' from my chicken coop but that is simply where it was convenient for me to put the coop.  You will have to train the guineas to return to the coop in the evening.  With a good sized group of guineas they will keep to themselves and leave your chickens alone.  I can free range my guineas and chickens at the same time and each group keeps to themselves and they do not intermingle.  

If you leave the guineas to their own means with their eggs, they will set on them and hatch some and some of the keets may actually survive to adulthood.  If you don't want them to reproduce you need to locate and gather their eggs.  It has been stated that 2 guinea eggs are the equivalent of one chicken egg.  If you don't have a use for the eggs, you can hard boil them and chop them up and feed them back to your poultry.  You really don't want to leave them lying around as an attractant to predators.

Allowing the guineas to nest wherever they want to will make the setting hens prime predator targets.

While you really love your chickens, it is entirely possible for you to develop as strong an attachment to your guineas.

Good luck.

Oh, I no doubt will be totally in love with them. I just wouldn't want to even consider them if they would attack the animals I already have. That would not be responsible. I cannot wait to have them here and watch them grow! I will gather the eggs, we love eggs here. I just wasn't sure what to do with them if i couldn't, didn't find them. Or if I decide to let them hatch out, could I just move them and mom back to the coop since I don't have An incubator?

 

[MeepBeep]

They look larger then my chickens, but I think they will just sleep there right?

They appear larger but they are actually smaller than most chickens as far as overall weight goes... Their larger looking size is simply their posture and the way they carry themselves, it's literally mostly fluff...

 

[mandtroof]

They appear larger but they are actually smaller than most chickens as far as overall weight goes...  Their larger looking size is simply their posture and the way they carry themselves, it's literally mostly fluff...

That's good to know. Thank you.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

have you ever heard guineas? if not you may want to google guinea sounds. difference between male and hen too. people say they love or hate them. havent seen much in betweens. they do snakes too!

 

[mandtroof]

have you ever heard guineas? if not you may want to google guinea sounds. difference between male and hen too. people say they love or hate them. havent seen much in betweens. they do snakes too!

I have! I love their sounds! What will they do with snakes? Interesting....

 

[Granny Hatchet]

sometimes their sound drives them away and if not they will kill them. field mice too

 

[potagergirl]

Our keets are 1 week old today. Most have grown a lot over the past week and all are getting tiny little
pin feathers that are really cute.

We have noticed one that is not growing. It seems to be a tad slower then the others and sleeps more but the 15 keets don't seem to notice.
This keet has differences as well, we noticed it's neck is not as long and it's body looks shorter more stumpy then all the others.
Do keets come in runt size like other animals? Do you think this keet will live? I am most curious about the live part it is very precious and I
hate the thought of loosing him/her.

Sorry for all the questions I have not had time to return to reading all the past posts since I found this thread.
Thank you all for your help,

 

[Tikkijane]

I think I have decided to do this! I'm so excited and have found a local breeder . I think I will have hubs build a new coop attached to the chickens run. They can share the run and probably co-coop at some point if they decide. How much room do about 10 need for a coop? They look larger then my chickens, but I think they will just sleep there right?

Honestly, I would not confine guineas. They are very active and can fly. They are also seasonal layers, so it's not like they are for egg production. And if they are confined, they can't do their primary job of eating ticks. If I could not let them free range, I wouldn't have them.